Night Rituals for Better Sleep in Perimenopause
Don’t you just love a good night's sleep! Yeesh, we'll take 'em whenever we can get 'em!
Without good sleep our brains just don’t function properly the next day (but we don't need to tell you that!).
A good night sleep is really important, allowing our bodies and brains to rest and recharge.
Unfortunately, in perimenopause it’s super common to have sleep issues and whilst most of that is down to the absolute sh!tstorm of hormones, there are some things you can do to give yourself the best possible chances of a solid night's sleep.
So what part of our body looks after our sleep patterns?
We have a master clock in our brain that produces circadian rhythms which signal the production of hormones that wake us up in the morning and tell us it’s time for bed at night. Here's what a circadian rhythm looks like:
Infographic of a conventional circadian rhythm. Image Credit: elenabsl / Shutterstock.com
Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioural changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. You can see that these natural processes respond to the rising and setting of the sun.
These days we tend to have bright lights on in the house in the evening or watching screens at all hours which can impact our circadian rhythm.
Darkness prompts the pineal gland, located in the centre of our brain, to start producing the hormone melatonin. When it starts to get light the pineal gland stops the production of melatonin. Melatonin is the master controller of regulating our circadian rhythm and synching our sleep-wake cycle with night and day.
Thanks to getting older, secretion of melatonin decreases (across both genders this time). For women, we see significant reduction of melatonin levels associated with hormonal changes of perimenopause and menopause. It's for this reason, it’s super important to focus on our nighttime habits to ensure the best night’s sleep possible.
HOT TIP FOR A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP IN PERIMENOPAUSE
Here's a little secret for you: our circadian rhythm bloody loves a routine to help signal to the body to begin producing melatonin.
It’s funny we give our kids bedtime routines, we read to them, give them a hot bath, maybe a hot milk, dim the lights but we tend to forget about ourselves.
Time to reparent ourselves as we go through perimenopause.
Nighttime Rituals for a Good Night Sleep in Perimenopause
1. Does your Home have a 'Night Setting'?
When it starts to get dark, start dimming the lights in your home, and close your blinds/curtains.
Maybe think about lighting some candles and playing softer music. Have a cut-off time for screens (not just for the kids but for you too!).
2. Relax in a Warm Bath
A warm bath is super relaxing and a great way to unwind from your day. Epsom salts are a great addition as they are high in magnesium salts which helps relax your muscles.
3. Drink a Peri Chai Latte or herbal sleep tea
Our Peri Chai Latte is loaded with Magnesium to help soothe our nervous system to help you achieve a good night's sleep.
You can find out more here including the reviews here.
4. Finish Your Day with a Book
Finish your day by reading a good old fashioned book (especially if you're sensitive to blue light - sorry Kindle lovers). It can be super helpful to increase your sleepiness and help you prepare your body for sleep.
5. Yin Yoga or Stretching Nighttime Routine
A yin yoga sequence or stretching routine can help you to relax and prepare you for sleep. These days many of us are spending long hours sitting in front of computers so important to stretch out those tight muscles.
Go here to find out how yoga can be especially helpful in perimenopause.
We're busy but you can get all the benefits of yoga from as little as 15 minute session.
Conclusion
Doing whatever you can do to improve your chances of a good night's during perimenopause is so important for your body and brain to perform at their best.
Work on a ritual that works for you and family, experiment by sticking to it for one month and notice the changes (in all of you!).
Want to talk more about perimenopause with likeminded women? Join our perisister community here