3 Somatic Exercises That Help Me Sleep Better

I Used to Lie Awake For Hours

At night, my mind would race. My body felt tight. No matter how tired I was, I couldn’t relax.

I tried reading. I tried apps. I even tried counting sheep. Nothing worked.

Then I learned something simple: My body needed help letting go of stress before my mind could rest.

That’s where somatic therapy comes in.

Somatic Exercises Help Calm Your Body For Sleep

Somatic therapy means using your body to help your nervous system relax.

These exercises are simple. They only take a few minutes. But they helped me fall asleep faster — and stay asleep longer.

Here Are 3 Exercises I Use Every Night

1️⃣ Deep Belly Breathing

When I was anxious, I would breathe fast and shallow. Deep belly breathing teaches your body to slow down.

How I do it:

• I lie down in bed and place one hand on my belly.
• I breathe in slowly through my nose, filling my belly like a balloon.
• Then I slowly exhale through my mouth.
• I repeat this for 1-2 minutes, letting my body feel heavy and calm.

2️⃣ Breath Counting

This simple trick helps stop racing thoughts at bedtime.

How I do it:

• I breathe in and silently say “one.”
• I breathe out and silently say “two.”
• I count up to 10, then start again at one.
• If I lose count, I gently start over. No pressure.

This gives my mind something gentle to focus on while my body relaxes.

3️⃣ Somatic Humming

Humming sends calming signals to your vagus nerve — the part of your body that helps you feel safe.

How I do it:

• While lying down, I take a slow deep breath.
• As I exhale, I gently hum like “mmmm” for as long as I can.
• I feel the vibration in my chest and throat.
• I repeat this for 1-2 minutes.

Humming always makes me feel more peaceful. It’s like a reset button for my body.

Somatic Therapy Cards Help Me Stay Consistent

The hardest part was remembering to practice every night. That’s when I started using my Somatic Therapy Exercise Cards.