Do you ever crawl into bed exhausted, only to find your mind racing and your body buzzing? For sensitive women, this is often a sign of overstimulation. When your nervous system has been “on” all day from noise, screens, conversations, and constant to-dos, it doesn’t just switch off at night. The good news? With the right yoga and mindfulness practices for you, you can gently guide your system from overstimulated and overwhelmed to calm so that sleep finally feels possible.

Why Sensitive Women Struggle to Fall Asleep

I am constantly amazed that my husband can start snoring the second his head hits the pillow. He can literally fall asleep instantly! As a highly sensitive woman, I have never had sleep come that easily.

Even if we are logically prepared for sleep, there can be subconscious stressors holding on to our attention that keep us activated. The nervous system is the reason your brain won’t just switch off when you go to bed. It’s still up, keeping you safe, going over the events of the day and analyzing. 

When the nervous system keeps you up at night, it’s probably also affecting you during the day. Making you jumpy, reactive, or short-tempered. Let’s learn to regulate the nervous system to benefit our sleep and our self-management throughout the day.

What Happens When You’re Overstimulated

You know when someone leaves the kitchen fan on? It’s a background noise that your conscious mind can tune out, but it can grate on the subconscious and dial up your stress. For sensitive women, the world can feel like it’s full of kitchen fans - small stressors that others ignore but that keep your system on high alert.

For example, how bright your device screens are. Someone at home or work watching the news in the next room. Construction noise outside your office. The overhead lighting. That email that was way too direct.

For you, all of these things probably add up and keep you in an overwhelmed state where you feel jumpy and uncomfortable in your skin.

This is your sympathetic nervous system - the fight or flight reaction - activating. Calming your nervous system is key to falling asleep and resting well.

How Yoga Can Help you Regulate Your Nervous System

For sensitive women, moving meditations like yoga are one of the most effective tools, because they meet your busy mind where it’s at — giving it something to focus on while guiding the body toward calm.

You can also use the breath to signal safety in the nervous system. Try gently increasing the length of your exhalations, and focus on smooth, steady breaths. This helps activate the ‘rest and digest’ part of the nervous system function.

If your mind is busy from overstimulation and your thoughts are going a mile a minute, gentle movement is your key to peace right now. For many people in this situation, trying to sit still in traditional meditation will be an uphill battle and quite uncomfortable. Start with some gentle, rhythmic movement, and see if you can settle towards relative stillness and quiet.

Bedtime Yoga Practices for When You’re Overwhelmed

Tonight when you’re winding down for bed, start by shutting your social media/emails off, and do 5 minutes of stretching.

Sit on your bed or on the floor for butterfly pose (soles of the feet together, knees out wide), from all-fours move through cat-cow and child’s pose. You can move intuitively, adding any other gentle movements that the body calls for.

Another nice option is “Legs Up The Wall.” That can be hips on the floor or on your pillow and your legs up the wall literally, or otherwise legs are elevated onto something. Add this simple breath technique: inhale through the nose, exhale through an imaginary straw with the lips, 3-5X times.

Try This: Guided Meditation for Sleep

An easy first step towards this nervous system regulation with support is this guided meditation for sleep. It’s a 7 minute audio to listen to once you’re already lying in bed. This meditation helps quiet racing thoughts, relax tense muscles, and create a feeling of safety so your nervous system can finally let you drift off. You will also set your internal alarm clock and set your intention for feeling rested when you wake up in the morning.

Sign up for free here.

From Overstimulated to Rested

Being sensitive isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength. But this sensitivity comes with the potential for being overwhelmed in everyday situations.

Use easy nervous system regulation practices to keep your mind sharp and present even when you’re feeling a lot.

If you’re ready to feel more in control of your sensitivity instead of ruled by it, try one of the practices above tonight. And if you want more support, come join me on Instagram for regular tips on nervous system regulation and moving meditations.