If you are a woman going through mid-life changes (aka the transition to menopause), there’s a high chance that sleep becomes one of your major issues. 40% of women have some form of sleep disturbance during their perimenopause years. If you want to understand why, check out my previous post on why women start experiencing sleep issues at this time of their life. But no matter the cause of the sleep disorder (insomnia), there are tried and true ways to reboot your system and get your sleep rhythms back in order:
Here’s seven natural ways to ensure you get a better night’s sleep:
1) MAKE YOUR BEDROOM A REFUGE
Train your body to understand that the bedroom is for sleeping or intimacy (which incidentally can also help get you off to sleep).
- Ensure it is a temperature conducive to sleep and keep a fan close by.
- Colder temperatures are better than hot as you can always add more blankets.
- Keep layers of blankets on hand so you can put them on or throw off any when you wake feeling hot.
- Sleep in natural fibres – cotton sheets/PJs etc. – helps you to stay cool at night
- Keep your room dark (investing in a set of block-out blinds could be priceless)
- Ensure it is as quiet as possible (if you can’t fix the outside noise a pair of ear plugs can be your bestfriend).
2) REVAMP YOUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHM
Your circadian rhythm is the 24hr natural flow of rest vs activity. It is triggered by melatonin (a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain) in reaction to light.
If you have a dark room and have been sleeping late or during the day, this can cause this system/hormone to get out of balance. The best way to reboot your circadian rhythm is to get out in the sunlight as soon as you wake up. Going for a walk outside (in nature is even better), as soon as you get up, also has other positive health benefits. Also, as above, keep your room dark.
3) LIMIT PHONES, COMPUTERS AND TV USAGE
Using your mobile or computer in the bedroom is a recipe for disaster. The light from your devices can make it difficult for you to fall asleep. If you are using your device at night make sure it is outside the bedroom and turn on your night-vision or blue light – try to put these devices away 1-2 hours before bed.
TV is not so bad if this watching a movie or light-hearted show just before bed helps you wind down. Avoid late-night news as this can excite your nervous system. I have many clients (and I myself) have stopped watching the news on a daily basis as it was always doom and gloom, causing our body to go into a state of anxiety – not conducive to sleep.
4) DEVELOP A BEDTIME ROUTINE
Just like when you were or had young children, your bodies become accustomed to routine and recognise cues that prepares for sleep. This can involve a warm bath, soothing music and most importantly a consistent time going to bed – preferably around 10pm. If you don’t drop off to sleep easily read a book or do some journalling for 15 mins.
5) AVOID STIMULANTS
Stimulants act to keep you awake and alert, so it is obvious this is not what we are looking for prior to bed. Nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol should be avoided, especially in the late afternoon and early evening. Apart from keeping your alert, these substances can create an additional load on your liver and the processing of them in your body disrupts sleep.
6) GET REGULAR EXERCISE
Exercise out in nature helps calm your body and sooth your soul. Even if it’s not out in nature it helps keep you fit and in a regular rhythm. The best time to exercise to improve your sleep is around 2 – 3 hours before bed time. My “go to” practice is to eat dinner and then take the dog for a walk – which helps all of us in more ways than one, as it stimulates our digestive system to process the food and use up the energy just consumed.
7) RETHINK YOUR DINNER TIME
Ensure you EAT your evening meal at least 3 HOURS PRIOR TO BED – If you must eat late at least make it a small meal (you can save the rest of it for lunch the next day), but don’t let this be a regular occurrence. Eating early can be a game-changer as it allows your body time to digest your food so when you get to be the focus of your body systems can be on sleep (rather than digesting food) when you get to bed.
These are seven of my top tips for not just getting a better night’s sleep, but improving sleep quantity and quality. Tips no.1 and 5 are particularly beneficial during the perimenopausal years. But really this is just the tip of the ice-berg when it comes to ways to improve sleep as each person has individual needs and there are so many ways to improve sleep.
Here, at The Natural Healer, we offer a four week program that will guarantee better sleep (or your money back). So if sleep is eluding you, get in touch (click on “Contact” button on the menu above) and we can book in a no obligation discussion about how I can help you.