Ep. 99 What if the secret to better sleep isn’t what you think—but what you feel?

In Part Two of the Sleep by the Senses series, sleep health educator and certified sleep coach Soda Kuczkowski explores how touch shapes every stage of sleep. From the texture of your pajamas to the pressure of your pillow, every surface sends messages to your nervous system—telling your brain either you are safe or stay alert.

When those signals feel soothing and supportive, your body lets go. W

Soda breaks down how fabrics, seams, alignment, and even small pressure points influence how quickly you drift off, how deeply you sleep, and how often you wake. Then she shares her seven-night Touch Audit, a practical, step-by-step way to redesign your sleep environment—no shopping spree required.

What’s Inside?

✅ Why touch is a “language” the brain responds to instantly

✅ How bedding and pajamas influence movement, relaxation, and alignment

✅ What to adjust for cooler sleepers, hot sleepers, and couples who share a bed

✅ Whether weighted blankets help and how to choose one

✅ Small fixes—like pillow height, fabric swaps, and body pillows—that

make a big difference

"Comfort is often a geometry problem. Once your body finds the right angles, sleep follows naturally."

Design the feeling of your bed to match what your body needs—and sleep becomes simpler.

Resources:

🔗thedoze.co

🔗startwithsleep.com

What To Do Tonight: Touch + Pressure Power Move Checklist

Night 1: Remove the single most irritating thing: tag, seam, waistband.

Night 2: Test pillow height. Your neck should feel neutral.No pinch. No push.

Night 3: Add an anchor: tuck the top sheet lightly or use a body pillow.

Night 4: Create glide: switch pillowcase fabric or loosen tight sheets at the feet.

Night 5: Align and add smart support: pillow between knees for side sleeping or under knees for back sleeping.

Night 6: Split the covers if you share a bed. Notice movement and temperature changes.

Night 7: Journal a simple score: settled quickly, stayed asleep, woke restored. Keep what helped and worked, drop what does not.

Chapters:

0:00 The Impact of Touch on Sleep Quality

3:17 Choosing Comfortable Sleepwear and Bedding 

3:55 Pillow and Mattress Adjustments

6:05 Weighted Blankets and Bed Sharing

7:08 Seven Nights to Better Sleep Through Simple Adjustments

9:31 Bedding Choices and Alignment

10:49 Enhancing Sleep Through Temperature, Touch, and Aroma 

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