We humans often take the natural act of sleeping for granted until the moment we do not get enough. Stress from relationships, finances, work, school, or health issues can keep us awake, anxious, and stuck in recurring thoughts, or physically uncomfortable. When we cannot wind down, sleep cycles can get disrupted causing next-day brain fog, sluggishness, and exhaustion.
Even though sleep is a natural part of the human experience, sleep can be mysterious, evasive, and not easily achieved. It is important to understand sleep since it supports essential processes in our bodies such as the “heart and circulatory system, hormone balance, and healthy metabolism, thinking and memory” according to the National Institute of Health’s NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (2022). In other words, sleep can impact the most crucial aspects of our wellbeing.
A little known free and holistic approach to improve sleep quality is utilizing the mind and body connection. In somatic psychology we focus on thoughts, feelings, and where these aspects of the psyche might be felt in the body. Often just bringing awareness to this mind and body combo and staying with whatever presents in the moment, helps people move through uncomfortable feelings and they are better able to relax. Brain integration however, adds another layer to the somatic approach. With brain integration the actual processes within the brain and body are also brought into awareness and incorporated. Hence this article attempts to bring awareness to the different aspects of the brain involved with sleep and offers experiential somatic and brain integration exercises to help you relax your mind and body and get to sleep.
This guide explains:
· The effects of sleep on the mind and body and what happens when we do not get enough;
· Four theories that explain why we need sleep;
· The areas of the brain involved in sleep;
· A somatic and brain integration therapy exercise you can do tonight to help you calm your nervous and prime yourself for optimal sleep.
Short on Time? Quick Reading Guide Below!
What Happens When We do Not Get Enough Sleep?
Lack of sleep negatively impacts blood pressure, hormone balance, and creates an imbalance in the two aspects of the autonomic nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system, and sympathetic nervous system. This imbalance disrupts the body’s homeostasis or balance needed for wellness, rest, and innate healing.
Four Theories of Why We Sleep
· Inactivity theory (humans slept and were inactive at night to protect themselves from predators in the dark).
· Energy conservation theory (human metabolism, the endless mechanisms within the body that support life, slows down slightly at night to conserve energy for daytime activities).
· Restoration theory (restoration and repairing of internal cells and corresponding biological functions within the body occurs during sleep).
· Brain plasticity theory (the brain reorganizes and strengthens neural associations during sleep).
The Areas of the Brain Involved In Sleep
Specific areas of the hypothalamus are involved in the homeostatic processes involved in sleep cycles, the non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep cycles, as well as the production of the hormone melatonin that regulates the circadian rhythm, the inner clock responsible for cyclical wake and sleep cycles.
Three Brain Integration Practices to Help You Calm Your Nervous System So You Can Get To Sleep
Get comfortable in bed as if you are going to sleep. Think of a favorite place to visit or spend time at that makes you feel calm and peaceful. Try to engage your senses and remember the sights, sounds, smells, and physical textures of the place. Your nervous system will calm with focused attention on something that feels positive and peaceful. Once the feelings and sensations of your favorite place are strong, place your index finger together with your middle finger and spread your thumb away. Place the index and middle fingers directly above your left eye in the middle of your forehead, and place thumb over your right eye. Now, take your other hand and place it at the base of your neck and hold this position until you feel a pulse in one or both of your hands (approx. one to three minutes). This will relax your body.
Bring awareness to your body. Is there a place that you notice feels more calm than the rest of your body? Focus on that area of your body and let the feeling of calmness expand in your mind and body. Next do the head hold until you feel a pulse in either or both hands (for approximately one to three minutes).
Think of how you cannot get to sleep. Stay surface level and focus only on the physical act of sleeping. Now, think of what you want in an exaggerated way. For example, you could think of falling asleep immediately and having the best sleep of your life. Be creative and outrageous. Now do the head hold for one to three minutes or until you feel a pulse in one of your hands. This activity can be repeated if new thoughts arise about not falling to sleep. You are in the driver’s seat now shaping the moments before falling asleep.
Extended Guide
What Happens When We Do Not Get Enough Sleep?
Sleep and rest play a crucial role in human physical, emotional, and mental health, but why? According to Brinkman, Reddy, et. al (2023) sleep is actually “an active state of unconsciousness” (para 1). What this means is the body and mind transition into a state of unconscious rest marked by the lowering of one’s heart rate and blood pressure.
During sleep, the body is regulated by the parasympathetic nervous system (calming) which is responsible for creating the optimal condition in the mind and body for rest by releasing specific hormones. When a person doesn’t get enough sleep, University of Chicago Medicine cardiologist Drinan and Sleep Surgeon LoSavio (2024) warn, the body will rely on the sympathetic nervous system (arousal) more so than the parasympathetic system (calming).
The sympathetic nervous system according to Tindle and Tadi (2022) is responsible for creating responsive and active conditions in the body related to fight or flight actions. The two aspects of the nervous system (parasympathetic and sympathetic) work symbiotically to create a balanced symphony of rest and activity in our bodies to support optimal health.
When we lack sleep, our sympathetic nervous system (arousal) works overtime which Drian and LoSavio (2024) explain, may create hormonal imbalances in the body such as an excess of cortisol – the stress related hormone which can impact the endocrine system (the hypothalamus, pineal gland, pituitary gland, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, thymus, adrenal glands, and pancreas), or create an imbalance in leptin and ghrelin - hormones that regulate hunger and satiety (fullness) which can influence body weight management. Even with this knowledge, Brinkman et. al (2023)share the larger overall purpose of sleep is not yet fully understood. Four theories that hypothesize why we humans need sleep is discussed next.
Four Theories of Why We Sleep
Brinkman et. al (2023) share that based on neuroscience the following four theories have emerged about why humans need sleep: the inactivity theory, energy conservation theory, restoration theory, and brain plasticity theory.
The inactivity theory reflects on Darwin’s notion of evolution and posits historically humans slept and were inactive at night to protect themselves from predators in the dark, which thus limited the loss of human life.
Energy conservation theory has a historical context too, whereby scientists propose human metabolism (the endless mechanisms within the body that support life) slows down slightly at night to conserve energy for daytime survival activities such as food gathering and hunting.
Alternatively, the restorative theory focuses on the restoration and repairing of internal cells and corresponding biological functions within the body. Research confirms the validity of the restorative theory and reveals “muscle repair, tissue growth, protein synthesis, and release of many of the important hormones for growth occur primarily during sleep” (para 4).
Lastly, the brain plasticity theory suggests that during sleep the brain reorganizes and strengthens neural associations. In fact, in a study cognitive scientist Jing Zhang et. al (2024) discovered that dreaming during the REM sleep cycle, in conjunction with recalling dreams the next morning, was shown to have a positive effect on both emotional processing and on remembering challenges in waking life for participants. Zhang reported that, “the more positive the dream report, the more positive the next-day emotional reactivity is compared to the night before” (para 1). This study suggests the brain is active during sleep and may play a role in resolving emotional memories and take the edge off of highly charged memories upon waking. Future research into dreaming will hopefully further elucidate the brain’s role in sleep. What scientists know so far regarding the role of the brain during sleep will be discussed next as we continue with the task of demystifying sleep.
The Areas of the Brain Involved In Sleep
Although the following explanation of the brain and sleep is simplified and condensed in this discussion, we can still bring awareness to the mystery of the processes of the brain involved in sleep. Brinkman et. al (2023) explain that sleep occurs in two recurring cycles referred to as non-rapid-eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye-movement (REM) sleep. Both cycles occur throughout the night in three stages. The three stages are characterized by lighter and deeper levels of sleep, brain wave activity, and as the name implies, eye movement. The processes in the brain that control NREM and REM cycles are two mechanisms that work together and are the homeostatic processes, which are responsible for regulating the body’s need for sleep (tells us we are tired) and the circadian rhythm which regulates the body’s wake and sleep cycles (puts us to sleep).
The hypothalamus is involved in NREM as well as the production of hormones, the regulation of body temperature, heart rate, hunger, sex drive, and blood pressure to name a few areas. Specialized neurons within specific areas of the hypothalamus inhibit areas of the brain involved in awareness and communicate with the brain stem and the thalamusin a way that regulates the shifts in the cycles of NREM and REM sleep. REM is the cycle where dreaming occurs and as mentioned previously, Zhang et. al (2024) showed may support emotional processing.
The circadian rhythm, according to Reddy et. al (2023), “is the 24-hour internal clock in our brain that regulates cycles of alertness and sleepiness by responding to light changes in our environment” (para 1). Specific areas of the hypothalamus are again involved here, however, this time the hypothalamus signals the pineal gland to make and release melatonin at night and to decrease production of melatonin during the day. In this way researchers propose melatonin plays a role in sleep, though the role is not fully understood. Now that we have discussed what happens when we don’t get enough sleep, the four theories of why we need sleep, and the processes and areas of the brain involved in sleep, we now turn to focus to you and what you can do to take action to get more sleep tonight!
Three Somatic Brain Integration Techniques To Help You Sleep (Same as in Quick Guide)
The mind and body are connected through the central nervous system which connects to every organ, tissue, muscle, cell, and system within us including the biofield, the body’s energy system. Every inch within our bodies is engaged in a symphony of bidirectional communication. This means our thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors may influence our physical bodies, and equally our physical movements and activities may influence our minds. We can direct our thoughts and bring awareness to the contents of our minds and physical sensations in our bodies intentionally to relax ourselves. We can create optimal conditions in our bodies for sleep utilizing the connection between our minds and bodies. Following are three somatic and brain integration techniques to help you fall asleep.
Get comfortable in bed as if you are going to sleep. Think of a favorite place to visit or spend time at that makes you feel calm and peaceful. Try to engage your senses and remember the sights, sounds, smells, and physical textures of the place. Your nervous system will calm with focused attention on something that feels positive and peaceful. Once the feelings and sensations of your favorite place are strong, place your index finger together with your middle finger and spread your thumb away. Place the index and middle fingers directly above your left eye in the middle of your forehead, and place thumb over your right eye. Now, take your other hand and place it at the base of your neck and hold this position until you feel a pulse in one or both of your hands (approx. one to three minutes). This will relax your body.
Bring awareness to your body. Is there a place that you notice feels more calm than the rest of your body? Focus on that area of your body and let the feeling of calmness expand in your mind and body. Next do the head hold until you feel a pulse in either or both hands (for approximately one to three minutes).
Think of how you cannot get to sleep. Stay surface level and focus only on the physical act of sleeping. Now, think of what you want in an exaggerated way. For example, you could think of falling asleep immediately and having the best sleep of your life. Be creative and outrageous. Now do the head hold for one to three minutes or until you feel a pulse in one of your hands. This activity can be repeated if new thoughts arise about not falling to sleep. You are in the driver’s seat now shaping the moments before falling asleep.
These somatic and brain integration practices are intended to naturally bring balance to the parasympathetic and sympathetic aspects of your autonomic nervous system and bring bodily awareness to your prefrontal cortex (through the head holding). The prefrontal cortex is responsible for readying the body for sleep according to Tossel, et al., (2020). The aim of these exercises is to create new neural connections in your brain using focused attention and by being in your body in a new way (doing the exercises) in relation to sleep. Creating change is a process and may take time. Be gentle with yourself and keep practicing. I am wishing you the most restful sleep and the sweetest of dreams.
Book a one-to-one session for individual somatic and brain integration therapy (virtual or in person) to support overall cognition, emotional processing, stress, and trauma relief.
References
Brinkman, J. E., Sharma, S., & Reddy, V. (2023, April 3). Physiology of sleep. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482512/#:~:text=The%20mechanism%20through%20which%20sleep,for%20the%20sleep%2Dwake%20cycle
Drinan, K., LoSavio, P. (2024, January 10). How sleep deprivation and sleep apnea impact heart health - uchicago medicine. How sleep deprivation and sleep apnea impact heart health - UChicago Medicine. https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/heart-and-vascular-articles/2024/january/how-sleep-deprivation-and-sleep-apnea-impact-heart-health#:~:text=This%20chronic%20sleep%20deprivation%20takes,and%20blood%20vessels%20over%20time
National Institute of Health. (2022, March 24). Why is sleep important?. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep/why-sleep-importantReddy, S., Sharma, S., & Reddy, V. (2023, May 1). Physiology, Circadian Rhythm. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519507/
Tindle, J., & Tadi, P. (2022, October 31). Neuroanatomy, parasympathetic nervous system. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553141/Tossell, K., Yu, X., Giannos, P. et al. Somatostatin neurons in prefrontal cortex initiate sleep-preparatory behavior and sleep via the preoptic and lateral hypothalamus. Nat Neurosci 26, 1805–1819 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-023-01430-4
Zhang, J., Pena, A., Delano, N., Sattari, N., Shuster, A. E., Baker, F. C., Simon, K., & Mednick, S. C. (2024). Evidence of an active role of dreaming in emotional memory processing shows that we dream to forget. Scientific Reports, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-58170-z
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