Let’s Talk Sleep
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Sleep. Snooze. Shut Eye. Is there anything better than a good night’s sleep? A solid eight hours that started at a reasonable time, with cool sheets, a pleasing pillow, the soft weight of perfect blankets, and completely uninterrupted slumber? There is very little that can’t be remedied by sleep. It completely changes the way I see the world. I don’t often go to bed with negative emotions taxing my brain, that’s what running is for, but I have my share of rough and exhausting days. After a good night’s sleep, I feel like I can face the world again and not just face it but charge after it. Sleep is so important. I know there are the hustle culture proponents who like to tout their work ethic and lack of sleep, but I call bullshit.
I am a champion sleeper. Put me on a plane, I am out before we taxi from the gate and have at times been woken up only by the touch down of the wheels. I am not averse to a weekend nap on the couch. I am usually asleep within fifteen minutes of turning off the light. I am not an evening ruminator, not one to dwell on problems from the day, believing tomorrow is another opportunity to work it out. Blackout curtains in a hotel, forget about it, I might never get out of bed. Sleep is my jam. But not all sleep is created equal.
Lack of quality sleep can cause everything from poor concentration to overeating to depression to inflammation. I don’t want any of those things! If you don’t get proper sleep your body can’t reset its hormones and hormonal imbalance can cause all sorts of issues. Not only that, when you don’t get enough sleep you often reach for coffee or sugar to pick you up and fatigue makes it tough to motivate yourself to get your workout in or perform at your best.
I started tracking my sleep a few months ago with an app called REM because I love a good quest and it’s been fascinating to see how my choices during the day affect my sleep. Everyone knows alcohol is a depressant but it actually messes with your REM cycles so you don’t get restful, restorative sleep. On the nights when we have drinks, my heart rate stays way higher than it should be. That was eye-opening. Alcohol increases your body’s levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that increases your resting heart rate and generally stimulates the body. Not exactly what you want once you get in bed. Your body does so much repair at night, you want to give it all the best tools to accomplish those tasks.
Blue light, from phones, computers, and tablets, is another sleep disruptor. I try to stay off my phone for two hours before I plan to get to bed. Yes, I had to set a bedtime reminder on my phone otherwise I am prone to scrolling just like everybody else. And I got a cute pair of blue light-blocking readers* that I try to wear in the evenings. You can find similar ones here.* I guess that’s the beauty of wisdom that comes with being a woman of a certain vintage. You research what you want to know more about and you implement those things that help you reach your goals to age well.
I know perimenopause can cause sleep disturbances in some women. My first taste of it was when I had a week of very hot nights. Thankfully it just seems to have been the combination of radiator heat and the comforter needing to be stored because those few nights were miserable. Waking up cold and wet after a presumed hot flush made my nights wearisome to say the least. When I don’t get proper sleep I am anything but amiable. I am grumpy and lethargic and easily distracted from my productivity. I get circles so dark under my eyes, no amount of concealer or R+F Bright Eye Complex is sufficient. It’s not a good look. Sleep has become priority number one….sorry champagne, I mean Scott.
