What Is Somatic Regulation and Why Is It Important for Stopping the Overthinking Spiral Before Bed?
Look, I know you're not new to self-care, therapy, or routines. You’ve done the breathwork. You’ve downloaded the meditation app. You’ve lit the candle, filled the journal, even scheduled your rest.
But when you’re deep in survival mode, you lose track of what regulation actually feels like.
Next thing you know, you’re lying in bed at 10:47 p.m., spiraling about whether your spiral is proof that you haven’t healed yet. You're too exhausted and overwhelmed to figure out why the things that are supposed to help you calm down aren’t working.
Don’t worry—that’s what this blog (and this recovering perfectionist therapist) are here for.
Today I’m breaking down the concept of somatic regulation—what it is, how it works, and why it’s often the missing link between you and the softness you crave.
🧠 What is Somatic Regulation?
Somatic regulation is the process of using the body (soma = body) to shift your nervous system out of overdrive and into emotional safety.
In other words: it’s a physical, sensory-based way to actually calm your nervous system—even when you can’t meditate or talk your way out of anxiety.
At its most basic, somatic regulation involves using repetitive movement, touch, temperature, breath, or sound to let your body know that you’re safe.
Let’s go deeper:
Somatic regulation works by building bottom-up safety—regulating from the body to the brain—instead of relying on mental strategies to calm physical symptoms.
Imagine an Elephant
A client gave me the following metaphor, and I fell in love with it and use with everyone now.
Your brain is like a human riding an elephant. The human feels in charge - they pull the elephant left, it goes left. They tell it stop, it stops.
But when the elephant gets spooked… it doesn’t matter what the human does.
The human’s logic and language don’t matter to the elephant. And the human isn’t going to overpower the elephant either. After all - it’s an elephant.
The elephant is going to need to experience signs of safety in order to calm down. It will need to experience sights, sounds, touch, and tastes that signal the threat has passed. Then, it’ll happily carry that cute little smarty pants human where they wanna go.
The elephant is your survival brain. Your mammalian brain. And it is more powerful than your whip smart intellectual savvy. It’s also why somatic therapy is so effective.
And at the highest level, somatic regulation becomes a way to re-pattern your relationship with safety, vulnerability, and discomfort in real-time—so you stop performing softness and start feeling it.
If you’re only at the first level of understanding, don’t stress. You don’t need to master it—you just need to begin practicing. Your body will do the rest.
🧶 Want a gentle place to start?
Download Stitch by Stitch for 3 fiber arts-based regulation practices that don’t require stillness, silence, or perfection.
💡 Why Should You Care About Somatic Regulation?
Look—I’m all for you making your own meaning. But here’s why somatic regulation might actually be the thing you’ve been looking for:
Somatic regulation is important because…
✅ It helps you calm your nervous system without overthinking it because it speaks directly to
✅ It gives you tools that work even when you feel numb, buzzy, or “off”
✅ It teaches your body how to feel emotionally safe again—gently and gradually
Don’t fall for the myth that just because you understand your anxiety, it should magically go away.
The truth?
Knowing why you feel overwhelmed is not the same as helping your body feel less overwhelmed. That’s where somatic regulation comes in.
🛏️ Somatic Regulation in Context:
So how does it helps with overthinking before bed?
You know that moment when you’ve brushed your teeth, turned off your phone, and you’re finally horizontal—only to have your brain say:
“Cool. Time to review that awkward thing you said in 2018.”
That’s not a personality flaw. It’s a nervous system that’s been stuck in vigilance mode all day and finally has time to panic.
Somatic regulation gives your body a different pattern to follow—something rhythmic, safe, and slow. That’s why I recommend craft-based rituals before bed:
Knitting a few rows
Massaging your feet with lotion
Shading in a coloring page
Rocking gently or swaying to soft music
My client Jess (not real name) started knitting swatches before bed—not to be productive, but to regulate. She told me:
“I’m not in love with this project I”m making. But my hands love the rhythm. And I finally feel quiet when I lay down.”
🧵 Want an easy way to try this? Download Stitch by Stitch —it includes 3 patterns designed to calm perfectionism and regulate your nervous system in motion.
🧶 3 Tips for Somatic Regulation at Night
🙋♀️ Still feeling unsure how to do this? Let’s break it down even more.
Tip 1: Choose Rhythm Over Stillness
Can’t meditate? That’s fine! Choose something repetitive and body-based instead: knitting, swaying, walking, slow stretching.
Tip 2: Use Your Hands
Your hands are rich in sensory receptors and are perfect for grounding. Try yarn, textures, warm water, or even kneading dough.
Tip 3: Try My Free Guide — Stitch by Stitch
If you don’t know where to start, Stitch by Stitch is a free guide that walks you through 5 reasons why knitting regulates, introduces you to accessible patterns, and gives you a manifesto for Imperfect Making. It's cozy, science-backed, and shame-free.
👉 Download Stitch by Stitch here to start practicing somatic regulation tonight.
Want a deeper dive into why fiber arts regulate the nervous system? Check out: The Perfect Ritual for a Nervous System That Can’t Turn Off
✨ Key Takeaways
Let’s wrap it up, shall we?
Somatic regulation is the body’s way of calming the nervous system
It works especially well when logic and mindset tools fall flat
You can start regulating tonight—with yarn, touch, rhythm, or breath (although yarn is obviously my preference).
At The Cozy Syllabus, I teach recovering perfectionists how to reconnect with their nervous systems through fiber arts, rest rituals, and imperfect making. Live in SC and looking for a therapist? Schedule a 15 minute consult with me today!
Because softness shouldn’t be something you earn—it should be something you embody.
🎁 CTA: Free Resource
Ready to stop spiraling and start settling?
Grab my free guide, Stitch by Stitch—your gentle intro to nervous system rituals that don’t require stillness or silence. Includes:
5 reasons knitting supports emotional regulation
3 cozy patterns for healing perfectionism through process
A manifesto on Imperfect Making
A printable affirmation to keep beside your bed
👉 Click here to download Stitch by Stitch now
And hey, come say hi on Instagram (@thecozysyllabus) and join our fiber arts for healing circle—I’d love to see your wonky swatches and quiet rituals in the wild. 🧶✨
