This audio includes two full meditations: The first to help you to develop inner strength and the second to help you to achieve deep restful sleep.

Inner strength: The intention of the first meditation is that you will feel physically, emotionally and mentally strong by the end of it. Inner strength resides within you. Sometimes it gets covered up by the strains and stresses of life.

Deep restful sleep: This short meditation is designed to help you to achieve deep restful sleep through exercises to relax the body and the mind while focusing on your breathing and the gentle voice of Virginia Harton creating a secure environment conducive to sleep. Having discussed possible causes for your insomnia with your doctor and addressed these causes with treatments this meditation will assist in your efforts to achieve a true experience of deep restful sleep.

What is insomnia?

Since there is no "normal" amount of sleep, a diagnosis of insomnia does not depend on the number of hours a person sleeps. Instead, it's defined as an inadequate quantity or quality of sleep that interferes with normal daytime functioning. For some people, insomnia means difficulty in falling asleep, for others it's difficulty in maintaining sleep, and for still others it's early awakening.

Everyone has a rough night or two, and about 30% of adults have occasional or short-term insomnia. Chronic insomnia, though, lasts for more than three weeks. About 10% of adults experience chronic insomnia, and most need treatment to get relief. You can help your doctor evaluate your problem by keeping a sleep diary, which tracks such things as: number and time of caffeinated beverages during the day, naps during the day, your bedtime the previous night, and number of awakenings during the night.

Treating insomnia
Relaxation training. Learn deep breathing, progressive muscular relaxation, or meditation. Relaxing your mind at bedtime will help you drift off to sleep.