Can’t Sleep? Try These Two+ Simple Practices to Calm Your Nervous System and Rest Better

Ever had one of those nights where your brain just won’t switch off? 

You’re lying in bed, completely exhausted, but your thoughts keep racing. Emotions are all over the place. Your body feels anything but calm. I’ve been there.

Over the years, I’ve found a way to handle those nights — gently, creatively, and without needing to force anything. In this post, I’ll show you two powerful techniques I personally use to calm the nervous system and find rest. You’ll also find a few bonus body-based rituals that help prepare your system for deeper, more restful sleep.

 

1. Neurographic “Release” Drawing

Unload your thoughts. Regulate your emotions. Sleep better. 

Neurographic Art is more than just messy scribbling.  It’s a research-backed method for releasing internal stress and restoring inner calm through drawing.

When your thoughts feel chaotic, you can’t sleep because of your “monkey mind”, stress or anxiety, and your emotions are spiralling out of control, try this exercise before you go to bed.

How to Practice:

Step 1️⃣: Start with one wild crazy line. Let all your tension pour out onto the page.

Step 2️⃣: Find where the lines intersect and create sharp angles. Soften those angles by rounding them.

Step 3️⃣: Add colours that feel calming and make you happy.

Step 4️⃣: Draw on your paper in a calming shape like a circle.

Step 5️⃣: Admire your drawing. Observe what shifts within you. Most people feel noticeably calmer, even after just 10–15 minutes.

See the tutorial here

This is a nervous system regulation tool through simple drawing.

And when you learn it properly, it becomes a life-changing practice!

I teach this step-by-step in my Basics of NeuroGraphica Course — a place where neuroscience meets creativity, and healing happens one line at a time.

 

 

 

2. Somatic Grounding Technique

Come back into your body. Calm the anxious mind. 

When anxiety keeps you awake — especially if you’ve woken up in the middle of the night — grounding yourself in your physical body can be incredibly effective.

Here’s how to do it:

Step-by-step:

1.  Start by saying out loud:
   “My name is [Your Name]. This is my arm.”
   As you say it, gently touch your arm and feel your own touch. Let yourself arrive in that moment.
2.  Repeat with other parts of your body:
   “This is my other arm.”
   “These are my legs.”
   “This is my chest.”
   Move slowly and consciously. Feel the physical contact. Speak each part aloud.
3.  Then, name absolute truths about yourself:
   “I have brown eyes.”
   “I am a mother.”
   “I live in [your city].”
   “It’s nighttime and I’m safe.”

These simple truths anchor you in reality. They help your mind stop spiralling and let your nervous system begin to calm. With every breath and every truth, you’re guiding your system back into a place of safety.

This practice is incredibly effective when your thoughts feel overwhelming or disoriented.

 

 

3. Bonus: Other Body-Based Sleep Rituals

Support your body in winding down for deep, healing sleep. 

While Neuro Art and grounding techniques work wonders, supporting your body physically will take your sleep hygiene even further.

Try adding one or two of these gentle practices to your evening routine:

•  Apply lavender-scented magnesium oil or a lotion to your neck, shoulders and legs before bed. Magnesium relaxes muscles, and lavender helps calm the mind.
•  Take a warm bath or foot soak with Epsom salts and essential oils like chamomile, lavender or ylang-ylang.
•  Use a weighted blanket to create a feeling of comfort and safety.  My daughter swears by it!
•  Dim lights or use reddish lights (I have a Himalayan salt lamp on my bedside table) and avoid screens at least 30 minutes before bed to encourage melatonin production.
•  Pair your journaling with drawing: Write down your top racing thoughts, then move into a Neurographic drawing session to process them visually.

                                   

Why Neuro Art Works So Well for Sleep

When you create with the Neurographic method, you’re not just making lines — you’re accessing the subconscious mind, processing stress, and visually rewiring the nervous system.

You release the noise.
You transform the chaos.
You restore your peace.

This is why I always come back to it — especially on the nights when nothing else helps.

Once you’ve learned the full method, it becomes a powerful part of your personal toolkit. I teach this in my Basics of NeuroGraphica Course, and I’ve seen again and again how therapeutic it is.

 

Try It Tonight

If you’re struggling with anxious thoughts or restless sleep, pick just one of these tools and try it tonight.

You might be surprised how deeply your body responds to something so simple.

And if you’d love to learn the full method and unlock its potential in your own life, come join us here:
👉 www.annadenning.com/basics