Relaxations, Meditations, Nature Sounds, Stories, and Breathwork

Training your mind to slow down and see our full list of relaxation exercises

Tips for falling asleep and staying asleep

1) Getting ready for bed is not just putting on your nightclothes! Preparation for a good nights sleep begins earlier than you think. It is not reasonable to expect simply to get into bed at a certain time and fall into a good sleep pattern after a disorganized evening schedule. Having a pre-sleep routine can help you wind down for bed. Plan out your activities for the 60 – 90 minutes before your bedtime. Make sure to include what time you will stop activities (such as studying) and include time to practice your relaxation exercises.

2) The “Letting Go” Principle – relaxing is about giving up, not about striving. Trying to relax can lead to tension, so let go and stop trying so hard.

3) The goal of relaxation is to relax not to fall asleep, but sleep is more likely to follow when the mind and body are relaxed. Practice the relaxation exercises on the Progressive Muscle Relaxation soundtrack twice a day, once during the day when you do not expect to fall asleep and once in bed before falling asleep. It is a simple meditation and you can eventually even do it without the track, and in bed when you may be having issues.

There are many relaxation techniques that can be found in SleepSpace and below is a full list of those options. We recommend using whatever works best for you.

List of relaxation exercises found in SleepSpace

These are the best sound experiences that we have designed after more than a decade of studying what works best for issues with falling asleep, staying asleep, and relaxing a racing mind. You can customize the duration and timing of these sounds experiences. 

 

 

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive Muscle Relaxation is used by many sleep clinicians to stop a racing mind. Use this guided meditation to relieve stress, fall asleep and reduce pain.

Progressive muscle relaxation icon of a woman relaxing on an ocean with an open sky where you tense different muscles in your body.
Imagery for the diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing, meditation that includes a dandelion blowing in the wind.

 

 

Diaphragmatic Breathing

Diaphragmatic Breathing, or “belly breathing” is a simple exercise that is a basic foundation of many relaxation approaches. The diaphragm is a major muscle used for breathing located below the lungs. This exercise promotes relaxation, strengthens your diaphragm, and lowers heart rate. It can help your lungs fill more efficiently with air and has been shown as a useful technique for lowering blood pressure.

 

 

Binaural Beats

Scientifically proven to reduce stress, increase focus, strengthen memory and improve mood through a trance state. How? By playing different sounds in each ear to activate your right and left brain differentially - pushing it into a more reflective and calm state. IMPORTANT NOTE: Use with headphones for best results. The left channel is 220 Hz, and the right channel is 224 Hz.

Binaural beats sounds for winding down and relaxing within the SleepSpace app where sounds are played differentially in each ear.
A soothing ocean waves wind down sounds included in SleepSpace which includes a sunset.

 

 

Ocean waves

The swell of the sea and rhythm of the tides has hypnotized us from the beginning of time. The ocean sounds block out threatening noises that trigger stress responses in the brain. Play it on a seamless loop and ease into the flow of sleep.

 

 

Gratitude Meditation

Leverage the power of gratitude for a deeper night’s rest. A combination of light breath work, positive affirmations, and gratitude invite you to anchor your day with joy and meaning.

A woman holding a daisy as the icon for a gratitude meditation found in SleepSpace.
Body scan meditation icon of a Vitruvian man which is a proven relaxation where you focus on your body parts.

 

 

Body Scan

This meditation has been used for centuries to reduce tension and identify where stress is held in your body. When we identify this stress, we learn to release it.

 

 

Alternate Nostril Breathing

Alternate Nostril Breathing is a breathing practice for relaxation. It has been shown to enhance cardiovascular function and to lower heart rate. Avoid this practice if you are feeling sick or congested.

A woman doing nostril breathing and closing one nostril, a meditation found in SleepSpace.
Vika Viktoria doing a guided meditation and visualization of a sleep story where you are led to a waterfall.

 

 

Waterfall Story

Remember how good a walk in the woods felt? Explore the freedom of nature and discover a violet waterfall. Take a dip in the water and wash away negative energy from the day. Told by Vika Viktoria.

 

 

Desert Wind

Imagine you are in a beautiful desertscape with the sound of wind and crickets soothing you to sleep. Pre-modern humans regularly slept with the sound of insects for a more rhythmic ambiance.

Desert wind icon on a starry night, a sound mask that can be found within SleepSpace.
Passive muscle relaxation meditation found within SleepSpace of a woman relaxing on water in a forest.

 

 

Passive Muscle Relaxation

Passive Muscle Relaxation is used by many sleep clinicians to stop a racing mind and is an easier meditation than Progressive Muscle Relaxation. Recommended for older adults. Use this guided meditation to relieve stress, fall asleep and reduce pain.

 

 

Night Time Yoga Nidra

Relax the mind and body with Yoga Nidra at night. One of the most successful ways to address a racing mind at night. Practiced and refined over 100s of years. Told by the expert Yogi Pablo Lucero.

Pablo Lucero's Yoga Nidra meditation with a picture of Pablo and a mountain range.
A dandelion spreading its seeds in the wind as an icon for the SleepSpace box breathing relaxation exercise.

 

 

Box Breathing

Inspired by Ben Greenfield, this simple breathing technique is used to deal with periods of stress, such as when you are late for a flight, are doing a cold water immersion, or simply experiencing a racing mind. You will inhale through your nose for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds, and hold for 4 seconds.

 

 

Beach Story

Go for a walk on the beach in this sleep story that brings peace and contentment. Explore an island paradise and rest inside a cozy hammock. Get in touch with your breath, heart, & purpose. Told by Vika Viktoria.

Vika Viktoria's guided meditation of a beach story to help you visualize relaxation.
Fireplace relaxation sounds included in SleepSpace. A useful sound for winding down.

 

 

Fireplace

Before the invention of the lightbulb, humans slept near a fire. Simulate falling asleep in front of a warm fire with this soothing sound mask to help block out an over-active mind.

 

 

Morning affirmations

Wake up with a positive mindset in this short meditation to ease your awareness into a peaceful consciousness. Savor your breath and your day with positivity, curiosity, and bliss - every day. Told by our expert Yogi Pablo.

Pablo Lucero's meditations include yoga nidra, positive affirmations, healing tones and more

 

 

And many more!