Do you stay up late burning the midnight oil? Or have a hard time falling asleep? Do you wake in the night and have difficulty falling back asleep? Are you just not rested in the morning? 

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If you ask, “why can’t I sleep?” you aren’t alone. Based on 2017 data, sleep problems affect almost 50 percent of people. While poor sleep is commonplace in our culture (and strangely enough, it’s even praised), it likely isn’t serving your health. In my practice, women often come in wanting to balance their hormones and feel better, and we end up discussing why sleep is important and how to sleep better. 

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“If you ask ‘why can’t I sleep?’ you aren’t alone. Based on 2017 data, sleep problems affect almost 50 percent of people.” 

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The health benefits of sleep are far-reaching. When we sleep, the body rejuvenates, detoxifies, and repairs. Sleep sets the circadian rhythm, influences metabolism, and is critical for hormonal balance. The focus on sleep quality and habits seems so simple, but it can be one of the most challenging pieces for my patients to put into place.

In this article, I’m going to walk you through the basics of sleep science, the connection between sleep and mood, and simple ways to improve your sleep. In Part 2 of this series, we will dive into how getting adequate sleep is an important part of physical health, and critical for hormonal health. 

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Let’s get started! 

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How Much Deep Sleep Do You Need? 

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One of the most common questions I hear is, how much sleep do you need? While everyone is different, you likely need between seven and nine hours per night to feel your best and have the greatest benefits to your health. Too little sleep can be detrimental to health and could be related to a sleep disorder. Too much sleep might be a sign that a deeper medical issue is going on, such as depression or HPA-axis dysfunction.

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Stages of Sleep and Sleep Cycles 

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While you sleep, your body cycles through different stages of sleep, for a total of three or four cycles per night. Each sleep cycle consists of: 

● Sleep stages 1 and 2 - light sleep 

● Sleep stages 3 and 4 – deep sleep 

● Sleep stage 5 - REM sleep (rapid eye movement sleep) 

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You need each of the sleep cycle stages for the body to function. For example, REM sleep is associated with short-term memory, learning, and dreams, whereas deep sleep is associated with immune health and hormone regulation. 

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Effect of Sleep on Mood 

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Sleep and mental health are intricately linked. Perhaps you’ve had the first-hand experience of postpartum sleep deprivation affecting your mood? If so, you understand how lack of sleep affects mood, which I commonly see in my practice. 

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The effect of sleep on mood is also apparent during the menopausal transition, where sleep disturbances, including insomnia, increase along with a host of other brain-related symptoms, including anxiety and other mood changes, migraines, and brain fog. 

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Conversely, higher rates of sleep issues occur in those with mental health disorders, including mood disorders. So it begs the question, what came first: the mood swings or the poor sleep? 

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How to Improve Sleep Quality 

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The connections between sleep and health are apparent, and I’ll discuss the specific hormone aspects in my next article. When it comes down to it, how to improve sleep quality might be your most burning question. 

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Here are some tips for better sleep: 

1. Prioritize sleep. If getting to bed at a reasonable hour is hard, you’ll have to shift your mindset to make sleep a priority in your life. This might mean giving up some TV or scrolling time, eating dinner earlier, or adjusting your life in other ways. 

2. Create a bedtime routine. Set a regular bedtime and try relaxing activities before bed to cue your body to transition into sleep mode. 

3. Optimize your bedroom. Make sure your room is dark, comfortable, and cool. Some tout the benefits of sleeping naked. While that is optional, make sure your clothing and sheets are breathable, especially if you are prone to hot flashes.

4. Restrict screen use. One study shows that limiting cell phone use before bed made it easier to fall asleep, increased sleep duration, and improved memory. 

5. Try natural sleep supplements. One of my favorites is magnesium which supports relaxation and improved sleep, but you’ll find many other options from chamomile tea to melatonin. 

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Whether your sleep habits need a total overhaul, or you are looking to optimize your current routine, I can help. Please reach out for support around sleep to understand how sleep patterns might contribute to symptoms. In Part 2 of this sleep series, I’ll dive more into the connections between sleep and hormones. After all, hormones are one of my favorite topics, and chances are if you’ve read this far, you care about your hormonal health too. 

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References 

1. Voiß, P., Höxtermann, M. D., Dobos, G., & Cramer, H. (2019). The use of mind-body medicine among US individuals with sleep problems: analysis of the 2017 National Health Interview Survey data. Sleep medicine, 56, 151–156. 

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). How Much Sleep Do I Need? Accessed 3/15/22. 

3. American Sleep Association. Stages of Sleep: The Sleep Cycle. Accessed 3/15/22. 4. Fraigne, J. J., Torontali, Z. A., Snow, M. B., & Peever, J. H. (2015). REM Sleep at its Core - Circuits, Neurotransmitters, and Pathophysiology. Frontiers in neurology, 6, 123. 5. Takahashi, Y., Kipnis, D. M., & Daughaday, W. H. (1968). Growth hormone secretion during sleep. The Journal of clinical investigation, 47(9), 2079–2090. 

6. Bei, B., Coo, S., & Trinder, J. (2015). Sleep and Mood During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period. Sleep medicine clinics, 10(1), 25–33. 

7. Gava, G., Orsili, I., Alvisi, S., Mancini, I., Seracchioli, R., & Meriggiola, M. C. (2019). Cognition, Mood and Sleep in Menopausal Transition: The Role of Menopause Hormone Therapy. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 55(10), 668. 

8. Baglioni, C., Nanovska, S., Regen, W., Spiegelhalder, K., Feige, B., Nissen, C., Reynolds, C. F., & Riemann, D. (2016). Sleep and mental disorders: A meta-analysis of polysomnographic research. Psychological bulletin, 142(9), 969–990. 

9. He, J. W., Tu, Z. H., Xiao, L., Su, T., & Tang, Y. X. (2020). Effect of restricting bedtime mobile phone use on sleep, arousal, mood, and working memory: A randomized pilot trial. PloS one, 15(2), e0228756.