A 10-minute guided meditation to help you fall asleepWhen your day has been chaotic, a quick 10-minute guided meditation can be just what you need to calm your body and mind as you get ready for bed. In this video, Manoj Dias, the cofounder and V.P. of Open, a mindfulness studio that includes meditation, breath work, movement, and music and offers both in-person and online classes, will guide you through a routine that works well for both people who are new to meditation and those who have been doing it for a while. Since this is a guided routine, your mind can focus more on the calming tasks at hand and less on what to do next. Dias says that you should get into a comfortable position before starting the 10 minute meditation. If you can lie down, that’s great, but you can also just as well sit. Just try to make sure that your position isn’t even a little bit uncomfortable, like if your back is in an awkward position or your feet are hanging off the floor. Dias says to ask yourself if you are as comfortable as you can be. Yes should be the right answer! Start by taking a few deep breaths, the kind that fill your belly and back, and then let them out with your mouth open and a soft sigh. Dias says that this type of breathing is important for meditation because it stimulates your vagus nerve, which tells your body it’s okay to rest. Then you’ll start practicing: Dias will tell you in the video to think about each part of your body, from your head to your feet. Each time you breathe in, you’ll think about a different part of your body, like the crown of your head, which is where you’ll start the routine. As you let your breath out, you’ll think about letting go of that area and any tension you might be feeling there. Then you’ll move on to the next spot to keep easing your mind and body and getting rid of tension. Set aside some time, find a comfortable spot, and press play. You’ll be able to relax and rest in just 10 minutes! We’ll bet that you’ll sleep better after that.