MARCH - The month of good sleep!
Read on for tried and tested methods to improve your sleep
Hello there, lovely readers
Welcome to March! At least we have possibly the two worst months of the year behind us. And we have the odd bright day, leading onto much lighter evenings. As I type this, it’s 5.40pm and only just going dark! Result!
So, as it’s March and that means National Sleep Month in the UK, it's time to shine a spotlight on an often-overlooked aspect of our health: sleep. And this brings the perfect opportunity to discuss how quality sleep impacts our overall wellbeing
Those of you who know me, will know that until recently I really struggled with my sleep. It started in the autumn of around 2018 when I started to wake earlier and earlier and was unable to get back to sleep.
A lot of this was hormone-related (menopause) and because I wasn’t aware that this could happen, I tried hundreds of other remedies to try and regain the sleep I had enjoyed most of my adult life.
But, not addressing the hormonal imbalance and trying to get my sleep pattern back quite early was the worst thing I could do. I know from my sleep research over many years, that sleep IS a routine that the brain needs to learn and embed, and any changes that stick around for a few weeks (or months) will override your existing sleep patterns and establish themselves as the new “normal”. So that is why it’s very difficult to change a bad sleep pattern once it’s set in.
So, this was me for not quite 5 years where I experienced all the downsides of bad sleep - tiredness, low mood, far more anxious than normal (I know - who thought bad sleep would affect your anxiety levels - but it does - massively!). And, because I wanted desperately to get back to where I was, I tried everything that crossed my radar to try and establish good sleep again.
I frantically searched online and in books for remedies, but because my bad sleep pattern had now become a locked-in habit, very little helped me. So I went on a journey over those years to try anything and everything. One of the problems was that because sleep patterns are learned habits, I had to give each remedy a good few weeks to see if they worked. Which meant the months and years rolled by without me finding my resolution. Until a few months ago.
And, because bad sleep is so very common, especially in women in our age range, here are a handful of the things I found that worked for me:
Stick to a sleep schedule: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body's internal clock2.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine: Engage in calming activities before bed, such as reading a book or practicing gentle stretches. I’ve started a yoga routine that is published by Yoga Journal and includes 5 scientifically proven poses that help, over time, to improve both the length and quality of your sleep. You can find the article here
Limit exposure to blue light: Reduce screen time on phones, tablets, and computers at least an hour before bedtime2.
Watch your diet: Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime. These can disrupt your sleep patterns2. I’m especially mindful of this one, as I’m realising that if I limit my sugar and caffeine intake during the day - even in the morning - I sleep much better than if I don’t watch what I eat.
Stay active: Regular exercise can improve sleep quality, but avoid vigorous workouts close to bedtime 2. Again, this is another one that I personally use. A number of studies have shown that if you undertake 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day - time to suit you, but not too close to bedtime - you WILL improve your quality of sleep 3
Remember, investing in your sleep is investing in your health. By prioritizing rest, you're taking a significant step towards improving your overall wellbeing and maintaining your vitality as you navigate this exciting stage of life
Now, because I know how widespread poor sleep is and what I learnt over my years of research, I’ve written a short e-book that outlines the things I tried that helped me to improve my sleep. My book is available on my Etsy shop and you can find that here.
I hope it helps. If you download a copy let me know what you think!
Wishing you loads and loads of nights of lovely, refreshing sleep :)
See you next issue
Una x