I've got a joke for you. So a mom is trying to wake her son on Monday morning, and he says he doesn't want to go to school. The kids are mean to me, he complains, and the teachers don't like me either.His mom tells him he has to go. Give me two good reasons why, he says. And she replies, because you're 40 years old and you're the teacher.I know it's not a very good joke, but it does have an element of truth in it, doesn't it? Almost no one likes Mondays. In fact, there's actually a name for what you might be feeling right now as Sunday evening settles in around you. It's called the Sunday Scaries.And if you're experiencing it, you're in good company. Research says about 75% of working people feel this dread on Sunday nights. That anxious pit in your stomach as the weekend winds down.That sense of time slipping away. Even people who generally like their jobs feel reluctant to give up their weekend freedom. The Sunday Scaries aren't a sign that you're weak, or ungrateful, or doing life wrong.They're a completely normal human response to the transition from rest to work, from freedom to structure, from your own time to everyone else's demands. And here's something else that might comfort you. You've handled every Monday that's come before this one.Every single one. Even the really hard Mondays. Even the ones where everything went wrong. You got through them. You have a 100% success rate with Mondays so far. And that's not a coincidence.That's evidence of your resilience and capability. Tonight, we're going to help you get the sleep you need to face tomorrow with the same resilience. Because when you're well rested, Monday feels more manageable.But first, I need to remind you to make sure you're somewhere safe for sleep. This episode contains hypnotherapy and relaxation techniques that are specifically designed to help you drift off. So please don't listen from anywhere you need to stay alert.And I would also be grateful if you would consider following or rating the show. Think of it as a small kindness to your future Sunday evening self. When you follow the show, you always have these sleep tools available in your podcast library.Ready for those nights when you need them most. And I promise that was the only joke I'll make. Probably ever.From here on out, it's just gentle voices and peaceful sleep. So now let's begin to calm your nervous system and release some of that tension that you've been carrying. First, take a moment to make yourself completely comfortable.Let your head rest, sinking into the softness of your pillow. Let your limbs fall loose and heavy into the mattress. Your body is grateful for this chance to rest, to relax, and recharge.We're going to start with some gentle breathing. And I want you to pay attention to what's happening in your body as we do this. When you breathe deeply and intentionally, your heart rate naturally starts to slow.Stress hormones like cortisol begin to decrease, and your blood pressure slows as well. As your heart rate gently slows its rhythm, take a slow, deep breath in. Feel the air filling your lungs, and then hold that breath gently for just a moment.And then breathe out, letting all that air flow out with a soft sigh. Notice how even that single conscious breath begins to shift something in your body. Let's do that again, but this time as you breathe in, slowly raise your shoulders towards your ears, and feel how that stretches and engages those hard-working muscles. Hold your breath for a moment with your shoulders raised. Allow your shoulders to drop as you exhale, letting them settle away from your ears, and feel that contrast, the release as those muscles let go. Let's repeat this. Breathe in slowly, raising your shoulders toward your ears, hold, and then breathe out. Letting your shoulders drop as you imagine all that accumulated tension flowing from your body. Now let your breathing return to its natural rhythm.Keep it slow and deep. Those stress hormones that were keeping you alert and anxious are being replaced by calming chemicals. Your nervous system is shifting from Sunday's state of alert preparation into Monday's readiness, but a calm, confident readiness rather than an anxious dread. Now I'm going to guide you into a deeper state of relaxation. Hypnotherapy is just a state of focused relaxation where your mind becomes more receptive to positive suggestions. You'll remain completely in control the entire time, aware of everything around you, and able to emerge from this relaxed state whenever you choose.All you need to do is trust the sound of my voice. Let my voice become your guide. Feel how my words naturally pull you deeper into relaxation.Each sentence is like a gentle current, carrying you further from wakefulness. Allow all other sounds to fade into the background. As you focus completely on my voice, feeling it guide you toward rest, notice how your body is already gently responding as my voice gently drives you away from the world of Sunday evening worries and into the soft embrace of approaching dreams.Imagine yourself walking along a secluded beach that exists far beyond the physical world, a place utterly remote and untouched by human hands. This is a liminal shore, existing in that mysterious space between sleep and waking, between Sunday's ending and Monday's fresh beginning. You're completely alone here, safe and undisturbed on this magical stretch of sand that seems to have been waiting just for you. The sand beneath your feet is unlike any earthly sand, finer than powder. Each grain feels incredibly soft between your toes, and as you walk, your footprints fill in with tiny sparkles of light that fade gently. The air carries the most perfect scent, lean salt water mixed with the warm fragrance of sun-warmed stone and the sweet smell of wild honeysuckle that grows somewhere beyond the dunes.Above you, the sky is painted in the most extraordinary colors, deep amber fading to soft coral with wisps of clouds that seem to glow from within. A crescent moon hangs delicately in the twilight, casting a gentle silver path across the water that seems to lead directly to where you stand. Stars are beginning to appear, not harsh and bright, but soft and welcoming, like tiny lanterns lighting your way to rest. You can hear the rhythmic sound of waves rolling onto this enchanted shore, that ancient hypnotic rhythm that seems to sync perfectly with your heartbeat, with your breathing. But notice how quiet this place is otherwise. There are no cries of gulls, no sounds of the busy world.Along the high tide line, you can see why. Dozens of shorebirds sleep peacefully, their heads tucked beneath soft wings, their bodies perfectly still. Sandpipers and plovers rest in small clusters, so deeply asleep.They seem like smooth stones scattered along the beach. Even the wind seems to whisper more softly here. Behind you, gentle dunes rise and fall like sleeping giants, covered in seagrass that ripples and waves in the warm breeze.The grass makes the softest whisper as it moves, like hushed lullabies scattered among the dunes or pieces of smooth driftwood, weathered to perfect smoothness by countless storms. And now, resting peacefully in the soft sand like ancient sculptures, as you walk slowly along the water's edge, notice how the waves have left the most beautiful treasures, smooth stones borne perfectly round by countless tides. Some deep blue, like midnight sky, others pale green, like seaglass, a few the color of rose quartz, catching the eternal twilight.Perfect shells spiral on golden curves, their surfaces polished to mirror-like perfection. Pieces of seaglass lie scattered like jewels, amber, sea foam, and the palest lavender. Each piece softened and perfected by the ocean's patient work.Find the most comfortable spot in this warm, fine sand. Feel how the sand seems to welcome your body, conforming perfectly to your shape as you sink into its embrace. The grains are so fine they feel almost like liquid cradling your back, your shoulders, your arms.Notice how your body grows naturally heavier here, as if this magical place is already beginning to pull you toward the deepest rest. Rest your hands on the warm sand beside you, and feel the texture so soft, it's like touching the finest velvet. The warmth penetrates through your palms, traveling up your arms, encouraging every muscle to soften.Your shoulders can drop completely. Your breathing naturally deepens as you absorb the peace of this place. From where you rest, you can see wild beach roses blooming along the dune edges. From their delicate pink petals catching the last light, the gentle breeze carries their sweet fragrance to you. Mixing with the salt air and the warm scent of sun-heated sand, long strands of kelp have washed ashore, lying in graceful curves like nature's calligraphy written across the beach. As you watch, the tide begins to shift, the waves that have been gently lapping the shore start to reach a little further up the beach.With each cycle, you feel the first touch of this magical water as it flows around your feet, perfectly warm, incredibly soft, and carrying the faintest scent of flowers. You can't quite name, but the water feels alive somehow, filled with healing energy that seems to dissolve any tension it touches. Another wave rolls in, this one reaching your ankles.The water is so soft and warm, so welcoming, like being embraced by liquid comfort. You can feel the salt water working its ancient magic, drawing out any remaining stress from your muscles, any lingering worry from your mind. The water seems to know exactly what you need, providing the perfect amount of gentle support and soothing warmth.As the tide continues its slow rise, the waves reach your knees and then your waist, but instead of feeling cold or overwhelming, each wave feels like a warm, loving embrace. The water is so buoyant, you couldn't sink here if you tried. Your body naturally begins to flow, supported completely by this magical ocean that exists between worlds.Feel yourself being gently lifted and cradled by the waves. The water holds you with perfect tenderness, like being rocked in the most loving arms. Your entire body is weightless now, floating effortlessly in water that's exactly the right temperature, exactly the right saltiness, to make you feel completely supported and free.Beneath the surface, you can see the sandy bottom through the crystal clear water. Long ribbons of seaweed sway gently in the current, moving like green dancers in an underwater ballet. Everything here moves in perfect harmony with the waves, with your heartbeat, with the deep rhythm of approaching sleep.The water rocks you so gently, each movement like a lullaby, made liquid. Tiny, phosphorous lights drift through the water around you, like underwater stars that pulse gently with their own inner light. They move so slowly, so peacefully, creating the most beautiful, dreamy patterns that seem to match the rhythm of your breathing. Small anemones wave from the sandy bottom, their delicate tentacles moving like fingers blessing the water around them. As you float here in this state of perfect weightlessness, you begin to understand something important. Just as this ocean continuously refreshes itself, just as each wave is both ancient and completely new, you too have this power of renewal. You've successfully navigated so many Mondays before, handled countless challenges, found your way through every difficulty that's ever come your way. This strength, this resilience, it's part of you, as natural as the tide. Take a moment to feel grateful for this perfect sanctuary, for your body that floats so effortlessly, for this magical place that exists just for your rest and renewal.The warm salt water continues to draw away any remnants of Sunday's tension, any concerns about tomorrow. Each wave that passes beneath you carries those worries away to the vast, peaceful depths. Tomorrow offers you the same gift as this ever-renewing ocean, a fresh beginning, a clean horizon, the first page of a seven-day story you get to write. But here, floating in this place between sleep and waking, between Sunday and Monday, you don't need to think about that story. Tomorrow's rested version of yourself will handle whatever comes with the same graceful ease as these gentle waves. Feel yourself drifting deeper into the most restorative sleep, carried by these loving waves toward the softest dreams. The ocean continues its eternal rhythm, washing away what's finished, bringing in what's new, preparing tomorrow's fresh beginning while you rest in perfect, weightless peace. The water grows even warmer until you can barely tell where your body ends and the ocean begins. You are floating in perfect comfort, perfect safety, pure peace. Sleep comes now, as naturally and inevitably as the tide, carrying you into the deepest, most healing rest.