104: Sleep Science Today with Andrew Colsky - Episode 104104: Sleep Science Today with Andrew Colsky - Episode 104
UK Health Radio Podcast
Host Andrew Colsky talks with somatic therapist and author Angel Howard about how hidden trauma, stored emotions and stress can disrupt sleep. They share real client stories and practical tools like movement, breathwork and simple nightly routines to help calm the body and mind before bed.
44:30•29 Sept 2026
Mind, Body and Hidden Trauma: Angel Howard on Sleep That Finally Sticks
Episode Overview
- Unresolved and even forgotten trauma may sit in the body and quietly drive chronic sleep problems.
- Somatic work, movement and EMDR can help surface and reprocess experiences that the mind has buried.
- Simple physical activity like daily walking can significantly improve sleep without intense exercise.
- Breathwork and body scanning before bed help release stored tension, calm the nervous system and prepare for rest.
- Rigid rules such as needing exactly eight hours of sleep can create pressure and actually worsen insomnia.
“"You can't treat your sleep but not treat your anxiety or trauma or whatever. That doesn't work. You can't separate your body into parts."”
What drives someone to seek a life with better sleep instead of endless insomnia? Sleep Science Today takes that question head-on as host Andrew Colsky chats with author, speaker and somatic therapist Angel Howard about how the body, mind and emotions all collide at bedtime. Angel breaks down somatic therapy in down-to-earth terms, explaining it as using the body to shift emotional and mental patterns.
She talks about how early messages – what she jokingly calls our "biases, beliefs, and BS" – sink into the nervous system and quietly shape self-esteem, behaviour and even long-term sleep issues. A striking story about a client who released long-buried trauma simply by moving her hips shows how memories can sit in the body for decades. The conversation speaks directly to people who have "tried everything" for their insomnia.
Andrew shares cases where all the sleep hygiene boxes were ticked, yet nothing changed, leading Angel to discuss hidden trauma and why tools like EMDR and gentle movement can help when someone "doesn't know what they don't know". From there, they move into practical, no-fuss strategies for calming a wired system.
Angel talks about adrenaline, cortisol and stress, and then offers simple physical resets: a daily walk, shaking like a dog to discharge tension, rhythmic breathing, and body scanning to soften clenched muscles. Her bedtime advice is refreshingly simple: stop engaging, put the phone away, focus on your breath, and "take your brain offline" before sleep.
The tone stays conversational and sometimes funny, but the message is serious: you can't separate sleep from stress, trauma, emotions or the stories stored in your body. If you're lying awake wondering why you can't switch off, this might get you asking a new question: what is your body trying to say when your mind won't let you rest?
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