Hardly any moment of the day is as quiet as the one in which we fall asleep. And hardly any receives so little attention. Yet this is exactly where meditation can happen: lying down, eyes closed, on the way into sleep.

The practice is simple. Once you have lain down, take a few slow, calming breaths and let your mind settle. Then bring your attention to the sensations in your body. Do you feel relaxed, a little tired, rather neutral? All of it is part of the experience. The key is a very light touch of awareness, almost effortless. With gentle curiosity, you explore what it feels like to fall asleep.

The beautiful thing about this practice: allowing thoughts already means you are relaxing. When your mind wanders, gently bring your awareness back to the sensations of lying down. And when inner comments about falling asleep show up, let them come and go. Recognizing them for what they are is already part of your innate wisdom.

You are welcome to turn over and settle again at any time. There is nothing to force here and nothing to speed up. Maybe you fall asleep in the middle of the practice. That is exactly what it is for.