I have a friend who recently asked me about a device she saw on TV that helps people to fall and stay asleep. It is a little box that sits on your nightstand and shines a slowly pulsing blue light on the ceiling. This light glows at the speed and rhythm of the breath of a person who is fast asleep. The idea being that it causes your breathing to become entrained to it, and then you drift off; not a bad idea. Our breath, and attention to it, not only can help us drift off to sleep, but also brings calm in moments of frustration or anxiety, helps improve our digestion and in general engenders a deeper sense of well-being.
Better yet, we have everything we need, built right into our bodies, to regulate our breath and naturally fall asleep.
All you need to be able to do is pay attention to your tailbone!
It works like this:
Sit comfortably on the edge of a chair, then take your hand and gently place the palm of it on your tailbone. Now, pay attention to your hand as you breath. Most likely you will feel nothing. Now, and this happens without any effort at all, simply allow your breath to descend all the way down to your tailbone as you breath in. Simply put your attention on your hand and allow the breath to push the tailbone very softy into your palm. It may take a few breaths before you get the knack for this, but once you feel it you will recognize how easy it is to let your breath simply sink into your pelvis, and in doing so there is an accompanying sense of calm and well-being. Breath this way for a while and you will not be sure if the breath is pushing the tailbone into your hand, or if the flexing of the tailbone is doing the work of drawing in the breath.
Now, lay down on your bed and feel how your tailbone contacts the mattress. Again, and effortlessly, let the breath sink down to the tailbone and feel it push gently into the mattress. Once you can do this, you are on your way to a good night’s sleep. Breathing this way will quickly let you drift into sleep, and should you awake in the night, bring the breath back to the tailbone.
Sweet dreams!
Wow! I tried it just sitting in my office chair at my computer and I calmed down immediately (it can get tense doing online searches). Love this and can’t wait to try it tonight when I want to go to sleep.