Tool for Happy Hormones!

Sleep and Your Hormones

Did you know that sleep is a super important foundation for happy hormones?  Not just any any amount, but the quality of your sleep is super important.

Waking up in the middle of the night and then not being able to fall back asleep or maybe you just feel the effects of that disrupted sleep throughout the next day – is soooo frustrating!

Why does it feel almost impossible to sleep through the night?

Usually there is more than one thing going on with cortisol which is the stress hormone, and blood sugar.

Stress affects your blood sugar and blood sugar can affect the stress response in your body.  So we need to address both.  There are a few simple shifts you can make to improve your night’s sleep and not feel like a zombie every day!

1. Have a small snack before bed – something like fruit and nut butter.  This can help prevent that crash and wake up.
2. Keep caffeine intake before noon.  Try to stick to 1 (2 max) cups of coffee before noon or opt for lower no-caffeine swaps.
3. Focus on blood sugar  balance.  Eat 3 meals a day, don’t skip any and try to eat every 3-5 hours making sure you include carbs, protein and fat at every meal.
4. Turn off screens before bed.  Blue light can block melatonin which is your sleep hormone.
5. Incorporate a wind-down routine to let your body and mind know it’s time to rest.
6. Switch to lower intensity workouts.  If cortisol is off a bit, opt for lower, moderate intensity workouts.

If you are concerned about how your stress hormone pattern could be affecting your sleep – let me know.  Contact me and we can chat and set up a plan of action.

Have any questions?  Get in touch!