For years I had the same frustrating pattern. I'd be exhausted all day, barely keeping my eyes open. Then the moment I got into bed, my mind would start racing and I'd lie there wide awake.
It made no sense to me. How could I be so tired and so unable to sleep at the same time?
The answer, I eventually learned, had a lot to do with my vagus nerve.
Why Your Body Won't Let You Sleep
Sleep requires your parasympathetic nervous system to be in charge. That's the "rest and digest" mode controlled largely by your vagus nerve. When it's active, your heart rate slows, your breathing deepens, and your body shifts into recovery mode.
The problem is that many of us spend all day in sympathetic mode. Fight or flight. Stress response. Go, go, go.
And that doesn't just turn off when you lie down. Your nervous system doesn't know it's bedtime. It's still running the same program it's been running all day.
I'd get into bed still wired from the day's stress, and my body simply wasn't ready to switch modes.
The "Wired But Tired" Feeling
This is what it felt like for me. Exhausted but buzzing. Like I'd had too much caffeine even though I hadn't. My body wanted to rest but couldn't figure out how.
Looking back, this was a clear sign that my vagal tone was weak. My body had forgotten how to activate its own calming mechanisms. The accelerator was stuck down.
Does this sound familiar?
How the Vagus Nerve Affects Each Stage of Sleep
Your vagus nerve doesn't just help you fall asleep. It affects sleep quality throughout the night.
Falling asleep. The transition from wake to sleep requires a shift from sympathetic to parasympathetic dominance. Weak vagal tone makes this transition harder.
Deep sleep. This is where physical restoration happens. Vagal activity is high during deep sleep. If your nervous system is dysregulated, you may not get enough time in this stage.
REM sleep. This is where memory consolidation and emotional processing happen. The vagus nerve helps regulate the transitions in and out of REM.
Waking up. Natural waking involves a gradual shift back to sympathetic activity. A healthy vagus nerve makes this transition smooth rather than jarring.
I used to wake up multiple times a night for no apparent reason. Once I started working on my vagal tone, that improved significantly.
Signs Your Vagus Nerve Is Affecting Your Sleep
Some clues that your nervous system might be part of your sleep problems:
- You're tired all day but alert at night
- You wake up with a racing heart
- Small sounds or disturbances wake you easily
- You have anxious thoughts when you lie down
- Your resting heart rate stays elevated at night
- You grind your teeth or clench your jaw during sleep
- You don't feel restored even after 7-8 hours
I had several of these. I thought they were just part of being a light sleeper. They weren't.
Techniques That Actually Help
Here's what I do before bed now:
Extended Exhale Breathing
This is my most reliable pre-sleep practice. Exhale for longer than you inhale. Something like 4 seconds in, 6-8 seconds out. The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a specific version of this that works really well.
The longer exhale activates your vagus nerve more strongly than equal breathing. I do this for 5-10 minutes in bed and usually feel noticeably sleepier by the end.
Body Scan Relaxation
Starting at your feet and moving up, consciously relax each body part. This sounds simple but it works. It shifts your attention from your thoughts to your body and helps activate the parasympathetic response.
I often fall asleep before I even get to my head.
Temperature Manipulation
A warm bath or shower before bed, followed by a cool bedroom, triggers a drop in core body temperature that signals sleep. This also activates the vagus nerve through temperature change.
I shower warm, then turn it cool for the last 30 seconds. Then I keep my bedroom on the cold side.
Cutting Screen Time
Blue light and stimulating content keep your sympathetic nervous system active. I stop looking at screens at least 30 minutes before bed. This alone made a difference, though I'll admit it took discipline.
What Doesn't Work
Things I tried that didn't help much:
Sleep supplements. They might help you fall asleep but don't address the underlying nervous system issue. I'd still wake up and not feel restored.
Counting sheep. Just gave me something to be frustrated about.
Trying harder to relax. This is counterproductive. Effort activates the sympathetic system. You can't force relaxation.
Ignoring the problem. Sleep debt accumulates and makes everything worse.
Building Better Sleep Over Time
Here's the good news. Vagal tone improves with practice. As I got more consistent with breathing exercises and other vagus nerve techniques, my baseline shifted. Sleep got easier.
Now I fall asleep faster, wake up less often, and feel more restored. It didn't happen overnight. It took a few weeks of consistent practice before I noticed significant changes.
My Current Sleep Routine
This is what works for me:
- No screens after 9pm
- Warm shower with a cold rinse at the end
- Light stretching or gentle movement
- 5-10 minutes of extended exhale breathing in bed
- Cool, dark room
I don't do all of this perfectly every night. But the breathing is non-negotiable. That's the piece that makes the biggest difference for me.
If you struggle with sleep and suspect your nervous system is part of the problem, you're probably right. VagusVital has specific programs for sleep and relaxation that guide you through these techniques. The Sleep Enhancement program is designed exactly for this. 5 programs are free. Give it a try and see if it helps you like it helped me. Have questions? Check our FAQ or contact support.
