As leading sleep expert, Dr Matthew Walker says, “There is absolutely nothing you can do to improve your health more than to improve your sleep quality. The quality and quantity of your sleep directly affect your overall health and longevity.”
In our fast-paced world, quality sleep—defined as anything less than seven hours constituting sleep deprivation—often takes a backseat. However, neglecting this fundamental need has severe consequences, as a lack of good sleep is linked to reduced Immune System function, Cancer, Nervous System and Mental Health Issues, and Dementia. The World Health Organisation has even stated that shift work is a probable carcinogen due to the strong relationship between sleep routine and cancer. Dr Matthew Walker compares sleep to a "power cleanse" for the brain, explaining that it is an active state where the brain and body work to remove toxic proteins, including those linked with Alzheimer’s, and metabolic toxins.
As Lewis Howes notes, “sleep might be the single most important aspect of achieving a high-performing body and mind and building a great business”.
Sleep difficulties are often rooted in nervous system dysregulation. In our modern lives, we frequently remain stuck in the Sympathetic Nervous System mode, which is the state of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. To achieve restful sleep, the goal is to shift the body into the Parasympathetic Nervous System, also known as rest, restore, and digest mode. This shift is crucial because calming activities help to lower the stress hormone, Cortisol, which, when elevated, prevents a good night's sleep. The path to achieving better sleep requires more than just passive knowledge; "Knowledge means nothing without Action".
But no need to feel overwhelmed by this, as even making small changes to daily habits can have a profound effect on re-balancing your system, and this is where focused practices like yoga and somatics become invaluable.
Yoga and somatic tools are highly effective at addressing nervous system dysregulation and facilitating the transition to rest. Many pre-sleep practices—including breathwork, bilateral movements, self-soothing, orienting, and vibration exercises—are specifically designed to stimulate the Vagus Nerve. This nerve stimulation actively moves the body from the Sympathetic to the Parasympathetic Nervous System, thereby reducing stress hormones such as Adrenaline and Cortisol and creating the necessary conditions for sleep. Furthermore, these practices help break the "busy brain cycle" by requiring a single point of focus. Practical suggestions for a calming pre-sleep routine include gentle yoga or stretching, breathwork, bilateral stimulation, self-soothing, restorative poses. Start simply with just one or two practices, cultivating patience and consistency, and gift yourself this time to unwind.
