Meet your sleep expert: Sammy Margo
If you've read about sleep in The Times, The Sun, Marie Claire, Grazia or the Daily Mail, there's a good chance you've already heard from Sammy. As a chartered physiotherapist with more than 25 years of clinical experience and a Master's in Physiotherapy from University College and The Middlesex Hospital, Sammy Margo is one of the UK's most recognised voices on sleep, and the only one who comes at it from a physiotherapist's hands-on, bedroom-and-body perspective.
Sammy is the author of two best-selling books on sleep: The Good Sleep Guide and The Good Sleep Guide for Kids (both Ebury Press), endorsed by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and described by Nigella Lawson as "a genuine life-changer." Grazia called her "the UK's top sleep guru."
Her interest in sleep didn't come from a textbook. It came from years of treating patients in their own bedrooms, watching how the right pillow, the right mattress and the right wind-down routine could turn recovery around. At SMARTPHYSIO, that expertise sits at the heart of how we help you sleep, and heal, better.
Why sleep matters more than you think
We spend roughly a third of our lives asleep, yet around two-thirds of UK adults say they aren't getting enough good-quality rest. That matters, because sleep isn't just downtime. It's when your body repairs muscle, consolidates memory, regulates pain and resets your nervous system.
Poor sleep is closely linked to:
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Increased musculoskeletal pain and slower injury recovery
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Higher levels of stress, anxiety and low mood
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Reduced immune function and energy
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Worsening of chronic conditions, including back pain, headaches and joint problems
If you're working with us on an injury, post-surgery rehab or a long-term condition, sleep is often the missing piece. Fix it, and everything else moves faster.
resources:
Sammy's sleep guides
Before you book, take a look at Sammy's books. They cover the practical groundwork most people are missing.
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Amazon: The Good Sleep Guide by Sammy Margo The bestselling adult guide. Covers the right sleep environment, mattress and pillow choices, sleep position, routine, jet lag, insomnia and sleep apnoea. Endorsed by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
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Amazon: The Good Sleep Guide for Kids by Sammy Margo A practical guide for parents of children aged 3–10. Tackles night waking, sleep terrors, sleepwalking, comfort objects, co-sleeping and bedtime routines.
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Free Download: Sammy's Good Sleep Guide for Strength Sammy's brand-new ebook on the sleep-strength connection. Covers what really happens to your muscles overnight, why most lifters are leaving gains on the table, and how to use sleep to recover faster, train harder and build a stronger body.
What sleep physiotherapy actually involves
Physiotherapy treats the whole body, and that includes how it rests. When you come to SMARTPHYSIO for sleep, your physiotherapist will:
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Take a full sleep and lifestyle history. What time you sleep, how often you wake, how you feel in the morning, what's hurting, what you've already tried.
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Assess your posture, spine and joints. Small alignment issues can be the difference between sleeping through and waking at 3am.
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Review your sleep set-up. Your mattress, pillow, sleep position and bedroom environment all matter, and Sammy literally wrote the book on this.
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Build you a wind-down and movement plan. Gentle exercise, stretches and a consistent routine that helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep.
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Refer on where appropriate. If we suspect a sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnoea, we'll point you to the right specialist.
This isn't generic sleep-hygiene advice from a leaflet. It's individual, clinical and built around your body.
Sleep, pain and recovery, how they connect
Most of the patients who come to us about sleep are also dealing with something else: back pain, a stiff neck, a recent injury, recovery from surgery, or a neurological condition such as Parkinson's or stroke. Pain disrupts sleep, and poor sleep amplifies pain. It's a loop, and breaking it usually needs both physical treatment and a smarter sleep strategy.
That's why a sleep consultation at SMARTPHYSIO often runs alongside hands-on physiotherapy for whatever else is going on: back pain, shoulder issues, sciatica, headaches or recovery work. You leave with a plan that treats both ends.
Where we see you
We see patients across London, with clinics in Hampstead, Highgate, the City and the West End. We also offer home visits anywhere in London. This is particularly useful for sleep work, where assessing your actual bed, bedroom and routine is part of the value.
Book your London sleep physiotherapy appointment
If you're tired of being tired, this is the place to start. Sammy and the SMARTPHYSIO team will help you understand why you're not sleeping well, and put a practical, clinical plan in place to fix it.
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What next?
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At SMARTPHYSIO, it is our goal to provide you with the highest quality treatment, so you can return to the activities you enjoy in life. We work with you in not only how to recover from your current injury, but also how to prevent them in the future.
During your first visit to SMARTPHYSIO, your physiotherapist will do a thorough assessment of the situation either in your home or in the clinic.
We will then develop an individualised treatment strategy that matches your personal goals and improves your overall well-being.
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Are you looking for a non-medicated way to improve the quality of your sleep? Call our clinic and find out how we can help you.