Quick, how much sleep do you need a night? The answer is that it depends on the person. Length of sleep, quality–all of these elements add up to what you really want to gain–the feeling of being rested to tackle the everyday stresses of life.
When patients come to me with sleep conditions, we work on developing their sleep hygiene – we review elements from diet to your bedtime routine.
Some common tips?
- Go to bed at the same time each night
- No screens an hour before bed
- No coffee or caffeine after noon (sorry!)
For some patients, sleep aids help. These can be as simple as lavender oil to relax you before bed. Other supplements can help to work with your brain to signal sleepiness. Did you know that insomnia can also be a symptom of perimenopause and menopause? So hormone therapy can also help.
While sleep can come and go at various points in our life (as anyone who has dealt with a newborn knows), if you’re going through an extended period of sleeplessness, it can be worth investigating. Let’s work on it together.