Reading time: 2 min 36 sec
Topic: better sleep for better periods
Hey Reader,
You don't need me to tell you that sleep is important. I know that you know that.
But then why the heck aren't we all getting perfect, high quality shut eye in?! Let's looks at a few ways that you can get better sleep. Easily.
Whenever I'm working with a client--whether our focus is improving gut health, getting your period back, regulating your periods, keeping PMS at bay--sleep is one of the first areas that we focus on.
Better sleep will help support your hormone goal. Hands down. Start here.
But life happens. Early flights... late night birthday celebrations... the occasional doom scroll... babies... we've all got our different things. Before we get to what you can start doing now--let's look at what inadequate sleep does to your hormones.
Three focus areas:
1️⃣ Blood sugar dysregulation. Poor sleep leads to more erratic changes in blood sugar, which leads to more stress on your body. That leads me to...
2️⃣ Stress. Cortisol levels will be higher the day after you opt for that red eye instead of a daytime flight. This is a natural response, but it can also impact...
3️⃣ Appetite. Your hunger and satiety hormones (leptin and ghrelin--ever heard of them?) are more prone to being out of whack, leading to you overeating and opting for sweeter options that spike your blood sugar.
Then you cycle through those three areas again, and it's just a compounding situation that keeps on keepin' on.
Increased stress levels and dysregulated blood sugars can lead to problems with your sex hormones. Namely, lack of ovulation, relatively high estrogen (if you're not clearing it) and these circumstances often lead to unruly periods.
Okay. So. Now we're clear on that, what can you do? Let's take a look. ⬇️
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Welcome to those of you who have joined the community since my last email! As a Women's Hormone Coach, my goal here is to share with you the ways that you can support balanced hormones. Naturally. And so it actually works for your busy life! Happy that you're a part of this community off 500+ gals looking to feel their best.
— Bridget Walton, @bridgetwalton
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Yes, you can "just get more sleep." But what else is there?
✨ Stop eating 3-4 hours before you fall asleep.
Why? Some mid-snooze wake ups are because blood sugar levels are dropping. If you eat dessert before bed or consume alcohol, this is more likely to happen.
Enjoy your treats a bit earlier in the evening and see how you feel. 3 hours is too lofty of a goal? Start by aiming to complete your last meal just 2 hours before sleep then.
✨ Get out into the sunlight as often as possible throughout the day.
Can you drink your coffee on the patio? Can you park a little further from the door at work, so you have a wee bit more time in the sun on your stroll in? Eat lunch outside. Take a walking meeting. Watch sunset (my favorite).
Why? The light changes throughout the day, so getting sun exposure helps to tell you brain what time of day it is.
✨ Skip the caffeine after lunchtime.
Friendly reminder on this one 😉 .... this will make a huge deal. Opt for decaf at least. You might not think that it's impacting your sleep, but that's literally what caffeine does. Even if you fall asleep quickly, it can still impact the quality of your sleep if it's lingering.
✨ Listen to this week's episode of I'm Hormonal for more details and tips. Check out Pillow Talk: Simple Ways to Start Getting Better Sleep | Ep. 90 -- you'll find it wherever you get your podcasts.
✨ Melatonin--I think it's a great tool, especially if you're traveling to another time zone. But don't take one of those crazy huge doses. Let's not be wild.
And let me tell you, I've been where you are...
I used to:
😴 sleep only 6.5 hours per night (thank you, Marine Corps).
😴 wake up at 3:30 for flights on the reg (still do once in a while, oof).
😴 look at sleep as something I'd just "do later" because I "don't have time for it" now.
Recalibrating your sleep could be the next step you need to straighten out your periods. To start feeling strong during times of stress. And to feel like yourself again, with ease.
Check out this week's episode of I'm Hormonal for more juicy sleepy goodness.
🚨 Heads up: coaching packages will be revamped and pricing will be ⬆️ going up ⬆️ when the rebrand comes out. If you've been on the fence about 1:1 support but want to snatch current pricing, book your strategy call today.
Hit "reply" if you have any questions! I'd love to hear what you think and I actually read all of the emails that you send, so don't be scurred. Would love to hear from you.
You deserve the best sleep of your life,
Bridget
P.S. One major change: LinkedIn is going to be where it's at. You'll still get these emails from me (now weekly, instead of bi-weekly!) and I'll share on LinkedIn about how you can support gut/hormone health as a busy professional who's trying to keep your period in line while also on the road.
