In today's busy world, more and more people are suffering from insomnia than ever before. The proof of this is the many products sold in pharmacies for insomnia as well as the many commercials on television. Lack of sleep often increases stress, anxiety, and frustration that in turn can lead to many more serious illnesses.

Busy Minds

Many people find that they have to work many more hours than ever before to make a living and oftentimes do not take a break or have any downtime before sleeping. The problem with this is that while they are lying in bed attempting to sleep, their minds are still on the business of their workday, contemplating what they've done and planning what they are going to do the next day. Their minds are so busy that they are not able to let go and focus on relaxing.

Focusing to Let Go

Two things that are imperative in order to fall asleep are letting go and focusing. One of the best ways to let go is to create a schedule where you can have at least an hour or two to yourself so you unwind before going to bed. A good way to do this is to sit in a quiet room and listen to inspirational music. You could also make some time to read an enjoyable novel. Whatever you choose, make it something enjoyable and different from work.

Focusing is a wonderful technique to guide you into sleep. When most people suffer from insomnia, their minds are thinking of many things all at once, making it very difficult to let go and sleep. By focusing on only one item, such as counting backward slowly from 100 down to one, their minds must focus on the task at hand in order to accomplish it, thereby pushing everything else out. Allow yourself to focus on this test until it becomes too tiring and you allow yourself to drift off to sleep.

You must continually tell yourself that you will sleep easily and comfortably this evening. Your subconscious mind responds to what you say consciously and believe. Therefore, if you go to bed this evening saying to yourself, “I won't be able to sleep again tonight,” that is exactly what your subconscious mind will make happen. So be positive, open-minded, and believe that it is possible to sleep easily when you go to bed.

Insomnia Scripts — Focusing Technique

NOTE: The following insomnia script does not need to be inserted within the other portions of the session. It is self-contained and can be recorded just as it is.

Get comfortable in your bed in a position in which you are ready to go to sleep … close your eyes … take a deep breath, and exhale and relax … take a second deep breath … and as you exhale … let go of any tension … or stress that you may have … and now take a third deep breath … hold it for three seconds … and exhale and relax.

You have a desire to sleep through the night … to sleep easily … to get to sleep quickly … and to stay asleep until morning … and the way you are going to do this … starting right now … is to learn the proper way to focus your way to sleep.

The way that you are going to do this is by learning to focus your mind on one item … or one task … by using your imagination … I would like you to imagine right now that you are in your bed, and you are more comfortable than you have ever been before … It is as if you are lying on the most comfortable feather bed you can imagine … Imagine what it would feel like to be in this large, thick comfortable feather bed … Imagine that you are now looking up and you realize that there is no ceiling there … instead you are able to look outside into the evening sky … You notice that there is a full moon out and you are able to see very clearly … It is a comfortable evening … and the temperature is just right … Even though you are able to see outside into the sky you realize that it is very comfortable and very safe … As you're looking up into the sky you notice a cloud pushed by a gentle wind moving overhead … As you focus on the cloud you notice that it seems to form into the shape of the number ninety-nine … Notice it closely as you see the numbers form … You notice it for a few seconds and then the wind seems to blow the number ninety-nine away … and then you notice the clouds forming above your head into the number ninety-eight … Take some time to see the number ninety-eight form completely … Now you see the number ninety-eight blow away … and then another cloud forms overhead turning into the shape of the number ninety-seven … Once again the gentle wind blows it away … As I am speaking, you notice that this pattern continues as the clouds form into the number ninety-six … then blows away … going slowly, as you continually watch and focus on these clouds forming into the next number going downward in sequence … forming into a number ninety-five … then blowing away and continuing on and on … I would like you to continue watching the clouds from this point forward on your own … paying no further attention to me … or any outside sounds … Watch the next cloud form … See it clearly for a few seconds … and then fade away … paying no more attention to my voice … just watching the next cloud … and the next one … going down further and further … With every cloud you see approach … and every cloud that blows away … you will go deeper and deeper into relaxation … With every cloud that forms and every cloud that goes away you will become more sleepy … more drowsy … as you can, let go of everything that has happened during the day … and just focus on your clouds … until you get to the point … where focusing on the clouds … and counting them downward … becomes simply too tiring … too much of a hindrance … or too inconvenient … and when that happens … you may just stop counting … and allow yourself to drop off … into a deep … sound sleep … and you will find … that when you drop off into this deep … sound … sleep … that you will be able to sleep until morning … without any interruptions … without anything disturbing you … unless there is something that is in need of your immediate attention … and should that happen … you will take care of the situation … and when you go back to bed … you'll be able to fall deeply into sleep again … very quickly … All outside sounds … fade away completely … as you continue to count down … so much deeper … you'll find that you'll become sleepy … just by thinking of this exercise … you will be able to go to sleep on your own … very easily … because now you understand … the secrets … the procedures … of how to go to sleep … It is simply by focusing on one thing … and letting go of all the busy tasks … of the day … Whatever you haven't finished today … will still be there tomorrow … Keeping your mind on it … or thinking of it … is not helping you to get the job done … or helping you to sleep … You must let go of the business of the day … and focus on sleep … focus on these clouds … as you continue to count down … each cloud … and eventually … it becomes tiresome … and you let go … into sleep … you may be feeling … like you want to let go now … or very … very soon … You may have let go already … and are just listening … to the sound of my voice … Either way … you find that you're becoming more and more sleepy … more and more tired … more and more relaxed … Feeling better … and better … with every breath that you take … With every breath that you take … you are becoming more peaceful … more relaxed … feeling better … than you have before … So now just allow yourself to go to sleep … this very moment … Sleep … sleep … go into a deep … sound … sleep … and you will stay in this sound sleep even after my voice goes away … and allows you … to sleep quietly … to sleep soundly … So now just sleep … sleep … sleep.