by Lucienne Steel – Naturopath
In the previous post, we talked about the link between your blood glucose levels and perimenopause. In this post, we will be talking about perimenopause and the importance of quality sleep.
- Low amounts or poor quality of sleep increases cortisol, inflammation & oxidative stress and these all raise glucose levels, and decrease insulin sensitivity. Sleep is also when our bodies repair and grow, so poor sleep = slower healing, lower mood & brain fog, etc.
- Low estrogen levels typically cause insomnia, because estrogen helps move magnesium into tissues. Magnesium is crucial for muscle relaxation and melatonin production.
- One of the best ways to rid yourself of anxiety and a busy mind is to do a brain dump before bed – grab a journal and write out about what’s challenging you, your worries, your problems. Then give yourself permission to rest – these issues will be there in the morning, but you need adequate sleep to be able to tackle these challenges
- It is also important to have non-sleep deep rest – you can rest without sleeping, but switch off your devices, rest close to nature if you can and let your body rest – it deserves it!