Bedtime Nervous System Reset (Gently Wind Down for Deep Sleep)
Bedtime Nervous System Reset: Gently Wind Down for Deep Sleep
As we approach bedtime, many of us are still carrying the day inside our bodies. The conversations, the stress, the to-do lists that never seem to end.
Even if we feel tired, our nervous system can still be holding on to activation - the kind of underlying tension that makes it hard to truly let go and rest.
The truth is, the quality of our sleep is directly tied to the state of our nervous system. If our body is still running on stress hormones, or if our mind is still in problem-solving mode, we may fall asleep, but our rest will be light and easily interrupted. On the other hand, when we take time to regulate before bed, we create the conditions for deeper, more restorative sleep — the kind of rest that allows our body to heal, repair, and truly recharge.
Why Regulation Matters for Sleep
Deep, restorative sleep is about more than being tired. It depends on whether our body feels safe and settled enough to let go. When you go to bed in a regulated state, your body is more likely to fall asleep quickly, stay in deeper sleep cycles, and wake up less often during the night.
When you take a few intentional minutes to slow yourself down before bed, you give your body the chance to change gears. Your heart rate begins to settle. Your breathing slows. Muscles that have been holding on all day start to release. Your mind begins to unhook from the to-do list and sink into the present moment. This is the shift that opens the door to deep, restorative rest - the kind where you wake up feeling like your body and mind actually had a chance to recharge.
Caring for your nervous system at night is not another chore to add to your to-do list. It is an act of kindness, a way of tending to the parts of you that have worked hard to get you through the day.
Your Bedtime Nervous System Reset
To support you in this, I’ve created a guided practice: Bedtime Nervous System Reset (Gently Wind Down for Deep Sleep). In this soothing somatic meditation for deep sleep, you’ll be guided through gentle, body-based practices that calm your mind, release tension from your body, and create the inner conditions your system needs to rest deeply.
This practice is simple, compassionate, and designed to help you make that shift from holding on to letting go. It’s a few minutes you give yourself at the end of the day, but the effects ripple into the night - and even into how you feel when you wake in the morning.
A Simple Tool I Love for Sleep Support
Over the past six months, one of the things that has made the biggest difference for me at night is a small handheld device called The Chill Pill. I didn’t expect it to make such a difference, but what I’ve found is that it has definitely deepened my sleep and become one of my favorite tools for helping my nervous system settle at the end of the day.
It works by sending gentle electrical pulses into the palm of your hand, stimulating specific pressure points that cue the body to shift out of high alert. The sensation is kind of strange at first but I find it incredibly calming, especially when I’m lying in bed. My kids have even started using it to help them fall asleep more easily.
If your system has a hard time letting go at night, or if you’d just like a simple way to support regulation throughout the day, I can’t recommend it enough.
You can find it here, and if you use the code KARENA, you’ll save 15%. (This is an affiliate link, which also helps support my podcast — so thank you for that!)
https://chillpillshop.com/?ref=KARENA
An Invitation
Tonight, instead of carrying the stress of the day straight into bed, give yourself these few minutes to reset with me. Press play on the Bedtime Nervous System Reset meditation, and let your body feel the shift from doing to resting.
Allow your breath to slow.
Let the tension drain from your shoulders, your jaw, your belly.
Notice how your mind softens as your body begins to release.
This practice is here to guide you into the calm your nervous system has been longing for. These few minutes of tending to yourself can be the difference between a night of tossing and turning and a night of true, peaceful rest.
Try the Bedtime Nervous System Reset now!
Episode timing:
00:00 - Deep Sleep and Nervous System Regulation
04:32 - Bedtime Nervous System Reset (Gently Wind Down for Deep Sleep)
If this kind of gentle, body-based healing speaks to you, I’d love to invite you into Somatic Healing Hub - my membership community where we practice this work together.
With live classes, workshops, and coaching you’ll:
Create a steady rhythm of nervous system regulation, so you can feel calmer, clearer, and more grounded in daily life
Gently process the emotions held in your body, instead of getting stuck in reactivity, overwhelm, or shutdown
Break free from chronic stress patterns by addressing what’s underneath - not just managing the surface
Reclaim your attention from spiraling thoughts or anxiety, and reconnect with what your body is truly asking for
Feel supported and not alone, inside a community that honors your sensitivity and your pace
BONUS: You’ll also get AD-FREE ACCESS to my entire podcast library! (Somatic Healing Meditations)
How did you enjoy that Bedtime Nervous System Reset?
What shifted within? And how did your sleep feel?
Please let me know in the comments!
➡️ If you enjoyed this episode, I would love it if you would subscribe, rate, and review this podcast!
And please join me every Friday on this beautiful journey out of your head, and into your more embodied and authentic self. 🩷🩷🩷
Thanks so much for joining me today!
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Enjoy more like this: Regulation Exercises, Body Scan, Deep Relaxation Meditations, Sleep Meditations
About me
Hey, I’m Karena!
I’m a somatic emotional healing coach here to help you quickly identify and heal the subconscious blocks, old emotional wounds and self-sabotaging core beliefs that are holding you back!
Want to go deeper? Sign up for the Feel it to Heal it Mini-Course now!
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