HOW TO 'SLEEP BETTER THROUGH THE MENOPAUSE' CHECKLIST
1. Practice Morning Light 'Bathing' - First thing in the morning, step outside if you can for 10 minutes without sunglasses. Let the natural light bathe your eyes. This hits the pineal gland and sets your circadian rhythms for the day.
2. Take some exercise at some point in your day.
3. Stop at lunchtime, lie on your back (if possible) or sit on a chair and take 10 deep breaths. Stress accumulates through the day, so we want to minimise the amount we have in our bodies by the evening.
4. No caffeine after 3pm!
5. Eat your main meal at lunch time, and a slightly lighter meal in the evening. Have this at least 3 hours before you go to bed, and try not to snack afterwards.
6. If you're having an alcoholic drink, have it 6/7pm, rather than 8/9pm. Alcohol will raise your blood sugar levels, making you more likely to have a sugar crash and wake you up if you drink too close to bedtime.
7. After 7pm, keep the lights as dim as possible, turn off main lights and use dimmers or lamps if possible. Low light triggers your body to produce melatonin (our sleep hormone) which we need for a restful sleep.
8. Buy blue light blocking glasses to wear in the evening if watching TV or looking at devices.
9. Try to go to bed around the same time each night. Take a warm (not hot) bath with some Epsom Salts. Make your bedroom a calm space, preferably with no TV, and low lighting.
10. Do a gentle stretch, and deep breathing before you get into bed. This helps to lower your cortisol levels (stress hormones). Cortisol also stops us producing melatonin (sleep hormone) so this point is SO important to try and do.
11. If you wake up in the middle of the night, don't panic! You'll never get back to sleep. Just accept your body has woken up for some reason, and be ok with that. Get comfortable again, and start to focus in on some deep breathing. Try breathing in for a count of 3, and breathing out for a count of 5, and hopefully you'll fall back to sleep.
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Please don't suffer through the menopause alone. Millions of women are feeling the same way.
Dr. Clare & Sara x