A five-minute bedtime wind-down meditation
Try this five-minute practice when you’re ready to close out the day. You can sit on the edge of your bed or lie down and keep your eyes open or closed.
Follow the five-minute wind-down
Minute 1 — Get comfortable
Let your hands rest and notice where your body is supported. Feel the bed, chair, or floor through whatever you’re wearing.
Minute 2 — Find one point of focus
Choose a quiet sound, the feeling of your head on the pillow, or the movement of a natural breath. Keep coming back to the same sensation.
Minute 3 — Set a thought aside
If a task from the day comes to mind, name it in a few words. You might say “the email” or “tomorrow’s appointment,” then return to the sound or sensation you picked.
Minutes 4–5 — Widen your attention and finish
Notice the room around you and return to the feeling of being supported. When you’re ready to finish, take a moment before reaching for your phone or getting up.
Make this part of your evening
Pick a cue you already recognize, such as putting your book down or switching off the main light. On a night when five minutes feels long, spend one minute on the first step.
If the room is noisy, use one steady point of contact, such as your hands on the blanket. When your attention wanders, feel that point again and continue from where you are.
Try a narrated session in Mellow Vale
Try this check-in: “I’m ready to end the day, but I’m still thinking about tomorrow. Give me a short, gentle wind-down focused on the feeling of the pillow.”
In the player, open the volume controls to lower the music while keeping the narration easy to hear. You can also slow down the playback if you want more room between instructions.
