Outside your window tonight, the February full moon hangs in the winter sky. The hunger moon, as our ancestors called it, it bays the world in its silvery light, casting long shadows across silent streets. Where I am right now, the world is snow covered, and to me it seems especially bright. The moonlight catches on every crystal of snow, making the field sparkle like scattered diamonds. The air is so still and clear that the moon seems close enough to touch. I can sometimes hear coyotes at night, calling to each other, hungry and lean, hunting in a time of scarcity.You might see something quite different outside your window. Perhaps you're in a warmer climate, lucky you, where the moonlight plays on palm fronds, or in a city where it reflects off rain-slicked streets. But wherever you are, we're all under the same beautiful moon tonight. Our ancestors gave this moon its name, the hunger moon, because it rose during the leanest times of year. But our ancestors understood acceptance better than we do. They knew during times of hunger, there was nothing to do but rest and wait, and that all things are cyclical.In our modern world, we're not so good at that, acceptance. We're often taught that there is nothing we can't control if we try hard enough, that everything can be overcome through sheer determination. Like sleeplessness, we want to force it, to chase sleep, to somehow make it happen.We get tense, we get anxious, and that's called sleep anxiety. My name is Suzanne, and this is your ticket to Snoozeville. Tonight, under the hunger moon, we're going to help you relax and let go of your sleep anxiety. We'll also use a little hypnotherapy to help you let go, to calm your mind and body and fully relax. But before we start, it's important that you are somewhere safe in which to fall asleep. I encourage you to read the disclaimer in our show notes.And also, if this episode is helpful, please hit that follow or subscribe button. It costs you nothing, it's easy to do, and it means a great deal to us, because that's the only way we can grow. You ready to start? First, make sure that you are absolutely comfortable where you are.Take a moment to adjust your body, situate your pillows, arrange your blanket. And when that's done, let's start. We'll begin with our breath. Start by bringing your attention to your natural breathing pattern. You don't need to change anything just yet. Just notice how you're breathing right now. Where do you feel the breath in your body? Is it in your chest, your belly? Or do you feel your breath in your throat? As we continue, we'll start to deepen and slow our breath. Breathe in through your nose, letting your belly rise first and then your chest. And feel how this deep breathing activates your diaphragm. That powerful muscle under your lungs. As you exhale through your mouth, notice how your body naturally softens. And let's breathe together now.Breathe in and out. Again, breathing in and then out. With each slow, deep breath, remarkable changes are happening to your body.Your vagus nerve, the longest nerve in your autonomic nervous system, is being stimulated. And that triggers your parasympathetic response. This ancient calming system begins a cascade of physical changes.Your heart rate is slowing, potentially by several beats per minute. And your blood pressure is beginning to lower. The level of stress hormones like cortisol in your bloodstream starting to decrease. And as you continue breathing in and then out, the oxygen saturation in your blood is increasing. And that's helping your muscles release their tension. The rhythm of your brain waves is beginning to shift from beta waves of alertness to the slower alpha waves associated with relaxation.Your digestive system is relaxed and your pupils have constricted slightly. All these are signs that your body is moving away from the fight or flight state. And to rest, keep breathing with me.In and out. Your extremities may feel warmer as your blood vessels dilate slightly. And your jaw is probably softened.Even your immune system is benefiting. As deep breathing helps optimize the lymphatic system, which removes toxins from your body. Each exhale triggers an additional drop in heart rate.A healthy, natural rhythm that signals to your brain that it's safe to relax. Now, I'm going to count down slowly from 10 to 1. With each number, you'll feel yourself drifting deeper and deeper into relaxation. 10.Your body is becoming a little heavier. 9. 8. You might notice that your eyelids are also feeling very heavy. 7. 6. Let your eyelids close whenever they're ready. 5. 4. Your eyelids are so heavy now that even if you tried, they couldn't open. 3. You are completely and comfortably relaxed. 2. 1. I want you to imagine now that the moonlight is finding its way into your room. Even though you have drawn curtains or blinds, it seeks out every crack and corner, filling the air with its pure, white radiance. Watch as this pristine light drifts through the air like luminous dust, settling onto your skin. Feel the light touch your forehead and your cheeks.Feel it on your shoulders, flowing down your arms, and across your chest. As the light reaches your heart, something beautiful happens. A warm glow awakens deep within your chest, spreading outward with each slow heartbeat. Feel that warmth pulsing gently as you breathe in and breathe out, and each breath carries this healing moonlight to every cell in your body. Now imagine the walls of your bedroom slowly dissolving, revealing the night forest beyond. You're safe here, wrapped in nature's embrace.Watch the moonlit snow falling so gently, each flake somehow warm as it lands on your eyelashes and your cheeks. The air is crystal clear, pure and fresh in your lungs. Look at the bare trees around you, patient in their winter rest. They know that deep beneath the frozen earth, spring is waiting. Life is waiting, and everything here moves according to its own rhythm. The squirrels in their hollow trees, the birds in their nests, and the rabbits in their burrows.The otters and fish beneath the ice, all resting, all accepting nature's timing. Remember that you too are part of this natural world. Your body is made from the same elements as the stars above, the same matter that forms the cosmos.And for countless generations, your ancestors have slept beneath this same moon. The knowledge of sleep is written in your very cells. It's an ancient wisdom that needs no forcing. Accept this moment of rest. Sleep will come again just as spring always returns. And for now, feel the comfort of your bed. The warmth of your blanket. And the safety of your space. Let the moon's message sink deep into your being.Accept what is. Wait in peace. All things change.And in the nights ahead, remember that anxiety about sleep only pushes it further away. Instead, trust in simple routines. A regular bedtime.A cool dark room. Some gentle white noise. You will give your body the best conditions for rest by avoiding the things that disturb sleep, like caffeine and alcohol.And above all, you'll hold on to this sense of acceptance that we've found tonight under the hunger moon. And if you find yourself awake again, that's okay. Your body knows how to get back to sleep. It's done it thousands of times before. You can always get up, read a book, listen to music, or do something else calming until drowsiness returns. Right now, just keep focusing on your breath.Feel your body continuing to slow down. Let yourself simply rest, knowing that deep sleep will find its way back to you. Drift now.Breathe. Rest. Sleep now.Sleep deeply. Sleep well.