Health: Sleep

Garden at Lytes Cary Manor

I have tapped a rich vein of health resource in discovering Dr Rangan Chatterjee’s podcast series Feel Better, Live More. The podcasts are fascinating interviews with a variety of professionals on their experiences of improving health in their own specialisms. 

It was useful to have the link highlighted between poor sleep and poor food choices which in turn lead to lack of energy for exercise. And actually, that can be a circular problem, whereby lack of exercise can also lead to poor sleep. 

I have much better quality sleep since starting HRT (night sweats were awful) and increasing the number of alcohol free nights I have. Very occasionally, if I’m having a rough few nights, I will take a Kalm (valerian based) which seems to reset my sleep. In turn, having better sleep is helping to ease the back pain which I have been experiencing for the past six years.

Here are some things that have really improved the quality of my sleep.

1. Invest in some blackout blinds/curtains

Seriously, for the first 9 years living in this house, I had an ill-fitting (but pretty) blind which let in so much light. I bought some (footballers wives) curtains in the Next sale and the bedroom is so much darker. This has the added bonus of also being warmer in Winter.

2. Keep to a routine

At one point I was so desperate, that I actually took a FutureLearn course on sleep. One of the most important things mentioned was to keep to a sleep routine. Going to bed at 10pm in the week and 1am at the weekends does not lead to healthy sleep habits. Many of the other suggestions (no caffeine after 1pm, no screens before bed etc) are fairly obvious.

3. Pillow Spray

I am a complete convert to This Works Sleep Plus Pillow Spray. I have previously liked their others (might have been Deep Sleep) but this one has the edge. I always feel like I’ve had a fulfilled night’s sleep if I have spritzed my pillow with this.

4. Address the Menopause (if applicable)

So, I’m 47 and had definitely noticed an increase in night sweats. So much so that I was probably waking 4/5 times in the night. I did try Menopace night tablets and although they helped, did not cure my night sweats. However, since starting HRT, it is so much better. Obviously one to discuss with your GP, but I’m saying “Don’t put up with it” - it is possible for the peri-menopause to last 15 years!

5. Regular Exercise

If you had asked me a year ago, I would not have believed the power that regular exercise has. Apart from walking and the odd bit of a Pilates, I have shamefully only been a regular exerciser since March when lockdown began. But really going back to the cycle that I mentioned earlier, I think that the exercise may have been the key to improving my sleep, and therefore me making healthier food choices.

6. Ear Plugs

I didn’t think I was a light sleeper, but maybe children changed that. I mean, I infamously once slept through a fire alarm at uni which was sounding off right outside my door. My husband’s snoring, the (now adult) children rolling in at whatever hour of the morning will all interrupt me unless I wear my earplugs. I have become so accustomed to them that I have to wear them even if I am alone in the house - although with Covid, I don’t think I’m ever going to be in that situation again.

Do you have any good sleep habits that you would like to share?

Love Mrs Jones x