Waking Up in the Middle of the Night?

Do you struggle getting a full night's sleep and end up staring at the ceiling instead of sleeping? This is a common problem, especially for mid-life women and it can point to hormonal and metabolic imbalances.

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Why Am I Awake!

If you struggle with feeling tired but not able to sleep throughout the night, along with some of these common issues like:

• Climbing weight.

• Cravings, especially at night.

• Fatigue and anxiety.

• Waking several times at night.

• Sluggish, slow starter in the morning.

Then read on to discover how to fix your sleep for good!

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5 Reasons We Are Waking At Night.

1. Blood Sugar & Metabolic Inflexibility.

Our body should be able to regulate blood sugar levels throughout the night. Unfortunately for many of us, our diet and lifestyle of consuming a high carbohydrate diet can cause us to become metabolically inflexible. This means that our body has trouble switching between burning glucose and burning fat.

For a better night's sleep, we need to make sure our final meal includes an adequate amount of protein [25-30 grams], healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbohydrates found in nature like fruits and vegetables.

If we include lots of processed foods that are high in quick-buring carbohydrates, our blood sugar will spike and require a larger delivery of insulin to bring stability back to our blood sugar.

This rise and fall can put a huge strain on our ability to have a restful night's sleep.

Why Am I Awake?

• Eating too many processed carbohydrates at night?

• Eating too close to bedtime?

• Eating a low protein and limiting fats at meals?

• Drinking coffee, soda, and teas throughout the day?

  
  

Try This.

• Create a balanced plate by including enough protein and quality fats, especially at dinner.

• Avoid late-night snacking.

• Avoid blue lights from screens in the evening without blue light-blocking glasses.

• Limit added sugars, especially fructose.

2. Low Melatonin Levels.

Melatonin is the 'hormone of darkness', secreted in the absence of light. Our modern lifestyle of living under the glare of blue lights through screens, grazing and snacking until bedtime, staying indoors most of the day, all these practices contribute to lower melatonin production.

Without enough melatonin, our deep sleep is distrupted and we find ourselves awake and unable to go back to sleep.

Try This.

• Turn-off screens at least 30 minutes before bedtime.

• Use blue light-blocking glasses 2 hours before bedtime.

• Create a dark, cool bedroom and wear a sleep mask if necessary.

• Expose yourself to morning sunlight to reset melatonin production.

3. Shifting Hormones & Menopause.

Mid-life women experience shifts in hormone production, especially estrogen and progesterone. These key hormones greatly impact the quality and quantity of consistent sleep. These decreasing hormones, especially progesterone is linked to light, restless sleep.

When our hormones diminish, our body experiences additional stressors through spiking cortisol levels and the ever- increasing insulin resistance which disrupts our natural sleep cycle.

Try This.

• Eat progesterone-boosting foods rich in B6, magnesium and zinc, including; bananas, leafy greens, shellfish, lean meats, cruciferous vegetables, nuts, seeds, and dark chocolate.

• Adopt a stable, regular sleep/wake routine, aiming for a 11pm bedtime or even earlier.

• Keep bedroom cool and dark.

• Expose your body to morning light every day.

• Move your body every day.

4. Cortisol Imbalances.

Cortisol is the body's stress hormone that follows a natural rhythm by rising in the morning and falling at night.

When cortisol is dysregulated, it can spike in the early hours of the morning, causing our body to wake up when we should be sleeping.

Why is this happening?

• Chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation.

• Exposure to artificial blue light at night.

• Late night eating.

• Irratic bedtime.

Try This.

• Begin with exposure to morning sunlight.

• Find ways to reduce stressors through deep breathing, walking, listening to music, connecting with friends & family.

5. Circadian Rhythm Disruptors.

Our body has an internal clock that controls our wake and sleep cycles. Thousands of systems are triggered in response to our light and dark rhythms so becoming midful of this and adjusting lifestyle habits will imporve sleep.

When our circadian rhythm is unregulated, cortisol and melatonin become out of sync - leading to disrupted sleep.

Try This.

• Begin aligning your light and dark rhythms [circadian] by getting bright morning light.

• Limit artificial light at night.

• Maintain a consistent bedtime, aiming for before 11pm.

Eliinating early morning wake-up's requires diligence and consideration around your actual lifestyle practices.

The goal of deep, restful sleep is possible - it just takes time.

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Here's a Simple Approach That Works.

1. Get moring sunlight within 30 minutes of waking to set your circadian clock.

2. Take occasional 'light' breaks throughout the day by going outside for a few minutes.

3. Don't fear the sun and be wise, but safe sun exposure is a healthy vital practice for a healthy life.

4. Eat a blood sugar-balancing dinner that contains 25-30 grams of protein, healthy fats, and fiber found in nature's carbohydrates [vegetables & fruits].

5. Close the kitchen 3 hours before bedtime.

6. Reduce exposure of blue light at night by dimming lights, using yellow bulbs in lamps, and blue light-blocking glasses in the evening.

7. Find a way to de-stress before bedtime. Try deep breathing, gentle stretching, prayer, or journaling.

8. Prioritize a dark, cool bedroom to improve melatonin production.

Begin Today!

I encourage you to begin today by following these simple steps to improve your sleep.

Remember, our body is amazing always striving for balance. Practicing consistency, over time you will begin to see great improvements in your sleep patterns.

Do you need help in regulating your sleep?

You can find me here - https://www.janlindquistntp.com

Thanks for reading,

Jan