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.
If any of this sounds like you, we can help
You probably didn't land on this page by accident. Most people who come to us about sleep are dealing with one of these:
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You're waking up at 3am and can't get back to sleep, maybe with a sore back, neck or shoulder
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You can fall asleep, but the sleep itself doesn't feel restorative, you wake up tired
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A recent injury, surgery or flare-up is wrecking your nights, and the lack of sleep is now making the pain worse
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You're a new parent, shift worker or frequent traveller and your body has lost its rhythm
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Your child isn't sleeping, and the whole household is paying for it
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You've tried the apps, the supplements, the lavender spray, the new mattress, and nothing has stuck
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You know your sleep set-up (pillow, mattress, position) is part of the problem but you don't know how to fix it
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You're an athlete or lifter who's plateaued, and you suspect sleep is the missing piece
If you nodded at one or more of these, you're in the right place. Book a consultation and we'll work out what's actually going on, and what to do about it.
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:​​​​​​
Full Sleep History
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.
Wind-Down Plan
Build you a wind-down and movement plan. Gentle exercise, stretches and a consistent routine that helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep.
Posture & Joints Check
Assess your posture, spine and joints. Small alignment issues can be the difference between sleeping through and waking at 3am.
Specialist Referrals
Refer on where appropriate. If we suspect a sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnoea, we'll point you to the right specialist.
Sleep Set-Up Review
Review your sleep set-up. Your mattress, pillow, sleep position and bedroom environment all matter, and Sammy literally wrote the book on this.
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 an underlying neurological condition. 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.
