Can’t Sleep?

Paired Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Find a comfortable position — seated or lying down. Close your eyes if you're able.

Before You Begin: Finding Your Breath

Before we move into the muscle groups, take a moment to settle into a breathing rhythm you'll use throughout this practice.

Breathe in slowly through your nose — long and easy. Then hold for 2 counts. Now exhale through your mouth, making your out-breath about 2 seconds longer than your in-breath. For example: inhale for 4 counts, hold for 2, exhale for 6. Or inhale for 5, hold for 2, exhale for 7. Find whatever pace feels natural and sustainable for you.

Try it now. Breathe in… 2… 3… 4… hold… 2… and out… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6.

This breath pattern is the foundation of the practice. Each muscle group will be paired with it:

• Tense the muscles as you inhale

• Hold the tension during the 2-count pause

• Release the muscles as you exhale, letting the tension flow out with your breath

There's no need to strain. A gentle, firm tension is enough.

We'll move through the major muscle groups in pairs, from your feet up to your face.

Feet & Calves

Take a breath in and curl your toes downward, flexing your feet and calves together as you inhale.

Hold the breath… and the tension… 2…

Exhale and release. Let your feet fall soft and heavy as your breath flows out. Notice the warmth and looseness spreading through your lower legs.

Breathe naturally for a moment… and rest.

Thighs & Shins

Breathe in and press your thighs together, flexing the muscles along the front of your lower legs and pulling your toes gently upward as you inhale.

Hold the breath… and the tension… 2…

Exhale and release. Feel the tension melt away as your breath leaves. Your legs are heavy and at ease.

Breathe naturally for a moment… and rest.

Hips & Abdomen

Breathe in and squeeze your glutes, tightening your abdominal muscles and drawing your belly button gently inward as you inhale.

Hold the breath… and the tension… 2…

Exhale and release. Let your hips sink and your belly soften. Feel it rise and fall freely with each breath.

Breathe naturally for a moment… and rest.

Hands & Forearms

Breathe in and clench both fists, tensing the muscles along your forearms as you inhale.

Hold the breath… and the tension… 2…

Exhale and release. Open your hands and let your fingers spread apart. Notice the tingling and warmth flowing out with your breath.

Breathe naturally for a moment… and rest.

Upper Arms & Shoulders

Breathe in and bend your elbows, bringing your fists toward your shoulders while shrugging both shoulders up toward your ears as you inhale.

Hold the breath… and the tension… 2…

Exhale and release. Let your arms drop and your shoulders fall away from your ears. Feel the weight leaving them as your breath flows out.

Breathe naturally for a moment… and rest.

Face & Neck

Breathe in and scrunch your face — raise your eyebrows, close your eyes tight, press your lips together — and gently press the back of your head into whatever surface it rests on as you inhale.

Hold the breath… and the tension… 2…

Exhale and release. Smooth out every muscle in your face as your breath flows out. Let your jaw hang slightly loose, your forehead go soft, your eyes gentle.

Breathe naturally for a moment… and rest.

Final Rest

Take a moment to scan your body from feet to face. Notice how different you feel from when you started.

Breathe in slowly… and out.

When you're ready, gently wiggle your fingers and toes, take one more deep breath, and slowly open your eyes.

Light and Your Circadian Rhythm: How to Work With Your Body's Natural Clock

Your circadian rhythm is your body's internal 24-hour clock, governing when you feel alert, sleepy, hungry, and energized. Light is its most powerful regulator. Specialized cells in your eyes detect light and send signals directly to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the brain — the master clock of the body. When light enters your eyes, the SCN suppresses the production of melatonin, the hormone that signals to your body that it's time to sleep. As natural light fades in the evening, melatonin levels naturally rise, helping you feel drowsy and preparing your body for restorative sleep.

The problem in our modern world is that artificial light — particularly the blue light emitted by LED screens, TVs, phones, and harsh overhead lighting — mimics daylight and tricks the brain into suppressing melatonin well into the night. This delays the onset of sleep, reduces sleep quality, and over time can disrupt metabolism, mood, immune function, and hormonal balance. On the flip side, many of us also fail to get enough bright light during the day, weakening the contrast our body needs to maintain a strong, healthy rhythm. Being intentional about your light environment — morning and evening — is one of the most effective and natural ways to support your overall health.

Start the Day Right: Morning Light Exposure

What you do in the first hour of waking sets the tone for your entire circadian day. Morning light is the single strongest signal you can give your brain to anchor your internal clock, boost daytime alertness, and ensure melatonin rises at the right time in the evening.

• Get outside within 30–60 minutes of waking. Even on a cloudy day, outdoor light is significantly brighter than indoor lighting. Just 10–20 minutes of morning sunlight exposure helps set your circadian clock, elevates cortisol in a healthy way to promote alertness, and improves mood by supporting serotonin production.

• Don't wear sunglasses during your morning light walk. Light needs to reach your retinal cells to do its job. A gentle morning walk without sunglasses allows your eyes to absorb the full spectrum of natural light. (Reserve sunglasses for when the sun is high and intense.)

• Let natural light into your home early. Open blinds and curtains as soon as you wake up. Position yourself near a window while having your morning coffee or breakfast to maximize light exposure while going about your routine.

• Consider a light therapy lamp. For those in northern climates, during winter months, or for anyone who can't get outside easily in the morning, a 10,000 lux light therapy lamp used for 20–30 minutes at breakfast can effectively mimic the benefits of outdoor morning light.

• Avoid wearing sunglasses on your morning commute. If you travel to work in the morning hours, allow yourself to be exposed to natural daylight during your commute rather than filtering it out.

Wind Down Naturally: Evening Light Tips

As daylight fades, your body is designed to begin its shift toward rest. Supporting that transition means gradually reducing your exposure to bright and blue-toned light in the hours before bed.

• Limit blue light from screens. In the one to two hours before bed, reduce your exposure to TVs, phones, tablets, and computers. If you must use devices, enable night mode or warm-tone display settings, or wear blue-light-blocking glasses.

• Switch to incandescent or warm-toned lighting. Incandescent bulbs and warm LED bulbs (2700K or lower) emit a soft, amber-toned light that closely resembles candlelight and does not significantly disrupt melatonin production. Make the switch in the rooms you use most in the evening.

• Turn off harsh overhead lighting. Bright, cool-toned ceiling lights flood your visual field with stimulating light. In the evening, switch to lamps, floor lights, or other low-placed light sources to keep your environment dim and relaxing.

• Use candles or salt lamps. These provide a gentle, amber glow that is deeply compatible with your body's evening wind-down process and creates a naturally calming atmosphere.

• Take an after-dinner walk in the early evening. A gentle walk taken while there is still natural light — particularly during the golden hour just before sunset — serves a powerful dual purpose. The movement stimulates digestion by encouraging the muscular contractions that move food through your gut, helping to ease bloating and improve nutrient absorption. At the same time, the soft, low-angle evening light helps signal to your circadian clock that the day is winding down, gently beginning the hormonal shift toward sleep. Even a 10–20 minute walk can make a meaningful difference in both how you digest your meal and how readily you fall asleep later.

• Be mindful of bright outdoor lighting after dark. Streetlights, illuminated storefronts, and bright outdoor environments can all contribute to unwanted light exposure after sunset. If you are sensitive to sleep disruption, be mindful of extended time in brightly lit outdoor or commercial spaces in the hour before bed.

• Establish a consistent evening routine. Your circadian rhythm thrives on consistency. Going through the same sequence of dimming lights, quieting screens, and calming activities each evening trains your brain to associate those cues with sleep — making the transition faster and more natural over time.

The Bigger Picture

Your body is not broken — it is simply responding to the environment you give it. By bookending your day with bright morning light and a gentle, dim evening, you work with your biology rather than against it. These are not complicated interventions. They are a return to the natural rhythm of light and dark that human bodies evolved alongside for thousands of years. Small, consistent changes to your daily light habits can lead to deeper sleep, more stable energy, better digestion, and improved mood — naturally.

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Evening wind-down routine

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2+ hrs before bedFinish eating

Stop eating at least 2 hours before sleep. Late meals raise core body temperature and trigger digestion — both of which delay sleep onset.

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90 min beforeWarm bath or shower

A warm bath causes a drop in core body temperature afterward, which signals your brain that it's time to sleep.

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60 min beforeCalming tea & dim lights

Brew a caffeine-free herbal tea and lower the lights. Dimming light signals your body to release melatonin naturally.

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45 min beforeScreens off, senses on

Blue light from screens suppresses melatonin. Replace scrolling with calming sensory rituals that engage the other senses gently.

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30 min beforeWind-down activities

Choose one or two quiet activities that feel restorative — not stimulating. These gently shift your nervous system from "do" mode to "rest" mode.

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15 min beforeBreathe & settle

Slow breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system. Get into cozy clothes and into bed for a few minutes of gentle breathwork or body scan. 😴

BedtimeSleep

Lights out, room cool (65–68°F / 18–20°C), phone face-down or in another room. Rest well.