Tool: Enhancing relaxation with self-hypnosis

Warning: Self-hypnosis, as instructed below, can be a very focused state. That is, one's attention is focused so well on relaxation that one may not be as quickly available to others or to tasks that need close attention. For that reason you need to build in a safety feature, which will make it easier to wake up completely if needed. And, even if the safety feature is built in, one SHOULD NOT engage in this deep relaxation at the same time one is needing to be aware of something else. For example, small children playing in the room, something cooking, or any other activity that could involve close attention. Save self hypnosis relaxation for a time when no one and nothing else needs your care and supervision.

If you want to be sure and wake up at the end of a certain time, set a timer for that period, or a few minutes longer. Otherwise, you might become so relaxed you'll fall asleep and sleep soundly for an hour or more.

You can add music, or a sound effect tape, if you like, such as a recording of ocean surf.

Get in a comfortable position, lying down works the best.

Say to yourself, "I want to wake up in about 20 minutes relaxed and refreshed, with the usual safety features."

(The first time you do this, build in the safety features. Do this by saying to yourself, "I want to be able to fully and deeply relax, and become fully and quickly awake if I need to answer the phone, someone comes into the room, or I need to respond in any way related to my or someone else's safety or well being.")

Begin at your toes and say, "My left foot could relax."
Then, "My right foot could relax."
Work your way up your body and at some point say, "If some of me could relax, all of me could relax."
Then say, "And yet more."

Just enjoy the relaxation, drift off to sleep, or listen to music you have turned on before lying down.

When the timer rings, take a couple of minutes more, waking up completely, before getting up.

You can also use this process at night before going to sleep. In that case, modify what you say to yourself in the beginning to fit drifing off to sleep at some point in the relaxation process, and waking the next morning relaxed and energized.