Sleeplessness can be caused by so many different things. You probably know about the usual suspects, stress, caffeine, those late-night scrolling sessions. But some culprits fly completely under the radar. Did you know that your decongestant could be keeping you awake? Many over-the-counter cold medications contain an ingredient which can act as a stimulant in your body, making sleep nearly impossible, even hours after taking it. Or how about that mountain of laundry on your bedroom chair? A recent study from St. Lawrence University found a significant correlation between cluttered bedrooms and sleep disturbances. Apparently all those visual reminders of unfinished tasks keep your brain in problem-solving mode.And if you want a clue to another possible culprit, just look out your window into the dark night sky at April's beautiful full moon. Is it a coincidence that you're having trouble sleeping during a full moon? Maybe not. Many people theorize that a full moon causes sleep disruption because of the amount of sunlight reflected back to Earth.Is that scientifically proven? Probably not. We're exposed to far more artificial light than anything coming from the moon. But it wouldn't be a bad thing if you took a moment to notice this moon, this pink moon, as the full moon of April is called.Because tonight we're going to use the power of this beautiful full moon to help us fall into a deep restful sleep. We'll do that with a quick five-minute relaxation technique, and then some hypnotherapy. But first, housekeeping matters.It's important that when you listen to this or any of our episodes, you are somewhere safe. The best place is tucked between the covers of your warm and comfortable bed. There's a full disclaimer in the show notes if you need more details. And now for my shameless plea. Please follow this podcast. And there are so many good reasons for you to do so.Like the fact that people who follow this podcast are 45% more likely to find money in their coat pocket the day after listening. Okay, I completely made that up. But it would be nice if it were true.The real reason is much simpler. Your follows keep the show going and help other insomniacs find these episodes too. So thank you to everyone who's already followed. Tonight, rather than fighting against any restlessness the pink moon might bring, we're going to work with its protective energy to create something beautiful, a sanctuary for sleep. Full moons have traditionally been seen as protective forces. Their light keeps watch through the darkness, and they illuminate paths and create safe havens in the night. April's full moon earned its pink moon name from Native American tribes. They associated it with the blooming of moss pink or wild ground flocks. These delicate flowers carpet the ground with vibrant pink petals in early spring.Throughout history, the moon has been viewed as a benevolent guardian. Ancient civilizations built their calendars around lunar cycles. They planted harvests by its light and used it to navigate at night.The moon represented constancy in a changing world. Its gentle illumination created safe spaces in the darkness. This sense of safety connects deeply to our ability to sleep well. Our brains stay vigilant when we feel threatened or exposed. For sleep to come, our nervous system needs clear signals that we are safe. The pink moon, with its gentle spring associations, offers us a nurturing guardian.It stands watch while encouraging us to let go. It invites us to trust and rest deeply beneath its protective gaze. So let's begin by creating the foundation of your moonlit sanctuary through our breath.Find a comfortable position and allow your eyes to close if they haven't already. Now let's begin our relaxation practice with some deep breathing. Find a comfortable position and allow your body to settle fully into your bed.Take a slow deep breath in through your nose. Direct this breath not to your chest but deep into your belly. Feel your abdomen gently rise as it fills with air and now exhale slowly through your mouth, letting your belly fall naturally.This is how our bodies were designed to breathe. Deep into the belly, not shallow in the chest. Take another deep breath in. Fill your belly completely. Hold it for just a moment, then release it slowly. With each exhale, feel the tension beginning to leave your body.Continue breathing this way. In through the nose, out through the mouth. As you breathe, become aware of your body. Notice the weight of it against your bed. Feel the places where your body makes contact with the surface beneath you. Your heels, your calves, your lower back, your shoulders, the back of your head.Simply observe these points of contact. Now become aware of your heartbeat. Perhaps you can feel it gently pulsing in your chest or in your wrists or even in your neck. Notice how with each deep breath, your heartbeat begins to slow. This is your body's natural response to deep breathing. Your heart rate decreases, bringing a sense of calm throughout your system.With each breath, your blood pressure is gradually lowering. The tension in your blood vessels is easing. Oxygen is flowing more freely through your body, nourishing every cell.Turn your attention to your limbs, starting with your legs. Notice how they seem to grow heavier with each breath. It's as if the force of gravity is slowly increasing, making your legs feel wonderfully weighted.Imagine that gravity has doubled or tripled, and your legs are now so heavy, so relaxed, sinking ever more deeply into your bed. Your abdomen and chest grow heavy now. Feel how each breath moves more easily through this relaxed, weighted torso. The heaviness continues to your shoulders and arms. Your shoulders drop away from your ears, and your arms feel too heavy to move, like they're made of lead. And your hands rest heavily, fingers naturally curling in relaxation.Feel this comforting heaviness in your neck and head. Your jaw loosens. The tiny muscles around your eyes release their tension.Your entire body now feels pleasantly heavy, completely at rest. Your breathing has found its natural, deep rhythm. Focus solely on your breathing, feeling the cool air moving in through your nose and into your lungs, and then feel it slightly warmed, moving back out with a gentle, long exhale.Continue breathing in and out. Now that your body has found this deep state of relaxation, I'd like to invite you to let your imagination join us as well. For the next few minutes, simply listen to my words, and allow them to create images in your mind.There's no need to try too hard, or worry about following every detail perfectly. If your thoughts wander, that's completely normal. Just notice them without judgment, and gently bring your attention back to my voice. If you find yourself drifting off before I finish, that's perfectly fine too. The beautiful thing about this practice is that there's no wrong way to experience it. Your subconscious mind will absorb what it needs, even as your conscious mind begins to let go. So release any expectations, and simply allow these words to guide you into a special place created just for deep, restorative sleep. Imagine the pink moon's gentle light begins to filter through your window, sending delicate tendrils of silvery rose illumination into the dark corners of your bedroom. Watch as these beams of light slowly expand, softening the familiar outlines of your furniture.The ceiling above you seems to dissolve, revealing a vast canopy of stars twinkling against the velvet darkness of the night sky. The walls of your room begin to shimmer and transform, no longer solid barriers, but living surfaces where moonlight dances and plays. Notice how the floor beneath your bed gradually shifts, becoming soft and yielding.Lush moss, illuminated by moonlight, spreads across what was once ordinary carpet or wood. From this enchanted ground, slender saplings begin to emerge, growing impossibly fast, yet utterly silent. They reach upward, their trunks silvery and smooth, branches unfurling with leaves that shimmer between silver and the palest pink.These trees form a perfect circle around your bed, their canopies meeting overhead to create a natural dome, a living pavilion crafted by the moon itself. Between these moonlit trees, wild roses begin to climb and twine. Their stems are strong and protective, thorns facing outward to guard against any intrusion, while their blossoms, enormous velvety flowers in shades of blush pink and creamy white, face inward, releasing their sweet fragrance just for you.This scent carries ancient dream magic, drawing your mind gently towards the deepest, most restful sleep. Your bed itself is transforming now. The firm support beneath you remains, but your sheets and blankets dissolve into something far more extraordinary. A hammock of gossamer fabric, so fine it feels almost like floating on air itself. Listen closely. Do you hear it? A gentle stream has appeared, winding its crystal clear waters through the space that once was your room.Its soft burbling creates a perfect white noise, masking any sounds that might disturb your rest. In the nooks where the trees meet the mossy ground, tiny woodland creatures begin to appear, not ordinary animals, but beings of moonlight and dream. A family of dormice with silver fur and rose-tinted ears make a nest in the crook of a branch, curling together in perfect contentment.An owl with feathers like pearl and eyes like gentle stars perches overhead, its vigilant gaze keeping watch so you need not remain alert. Notice the night-blooming flowers that unfurl along the stream's edge, moonflowers with petals that glow from within, and rare pink lotus blossoms that only open under the perfect conditions you've created here. The moonlight continues to intensify, not harshly, but with deepening richness.It pools on your bed, creating a blanket of living light that has weight and substance, just enough pressure to feel secure. Feel yourself drifting now toward the edges of consciousness. Your thoughts become less distinct and more fluid, like trying to hold water in cupped hands.Your breathing deepens and slows. Your body feels wonderfully heavy in some places, curiously weightless in others. You exist now in that magical liminal space between wakefulness and dreams. Sleep approaches now like a gentle wave. There's no need to chase it or call to it. It arrives in its own perfect time.As consciousness begins to fade, you're aware of a profound sense of rightness, of being exactly where you need to be, perfectly protected in your moonlit sanctuary. This night will pass in the deepest, most restorative sleep. Dreams will come and go like friendly visitors, leaving only their sweetness behind.When morning eventually arrives, it will seep gradually into your awareness, and the gossamer hammock will become your familiar bed. The protective trees will gradually fade, leaving their essence of security behind. The stream's gentle music becomes the ordinary sounds of your day beginning. You will open your eyes, feeling profoundly different. Your mind will feel clear, refreshed, unburdened. You will have a sense of having traveled somewhere far away, and returning with a precious gift, the memory of perfect peace that you can carry with you throughout your day, and any night that you need it to exist. Your moonlit sanctuary will be waiting. The pink moon will send its light once more to transform your ordinary space into a haven of extraordinary rest. This magic belongs to you now, a secret recipe for the deepest, most healing sleep you've ever known.