The One Thing You Can Do Today to Improve Your Sleep All Year Long
Hi, y’all! I’m Leigh and I have Hashimoto’s.
Hashi’s is an autoimmune thyroid disease where your body mistakenly attacks your own healthy thyroid cells. As your thyroid is damaged, it can cause bouts of both hypo- and hyperthyroidism. This can make recognizing and treating symptoms really tough, because your body and your numbers are all over the place.
In my 12-week intensive, Thriving Through Hashimoto’s, sleep is one of the number one complaints for my HashiGirls.
Women who have hormone issues, not just Hashi’s, report significant sleep issues ranging from insomnia to temperature fluctuations to waking up feeling as though they haven’t rested at all.
The main issue with this is: if you can’t sleep—you can’t heal.
So sleep is one of the first issues I tackle with my HashiGirls and where I suggest you get started, too.
So what is the one thing you can do today to improve your sleep all year long?
Grab a pen and some paper.
We’re creating a sleep routine!
Why should you create a sleep routine:
Our bodies and brains love routines. Knowing what is going to happen next, allows for your body to start getting ready. Ever smell something wonderful in the kitchen and felt your stomach rumble in anticipation? Or maybe even salivate?
That is your body responding to hunger cues.
The purpose of a sleep routine is to define and create sleep cues for your body!
I’ve had so much success with clients and this process, I created a mini-course all about sleep and sleep routines. If you want to jump in and get started click here: https://thriving-through-hashimotos.teachable.com/p/hashi-girl-healing-sleep (Use Code: COACHTAZ for $7 off).
If you google “sleep routine” you see tons of articles from National Health Institute, Mayo Clinic, CDC, and more, all touting the positive effect a sleep routine can have on your health and well-being. They’re not lying, y’all.
The reason my course addresses sleep first, is that it is the foundation for the rest of the changes my clients see. I’ve had women eliminate chronic migraines and clear their skin. I’ve had women lose 30lbs+ and get rid of joint pain.
But none of this would’ve worked, had they not learned how to sleep first.
2 Elements of a Successful Sleep Routine:
Address timing. You should go to bed around the same time each night and you should go to bed earlier. I know that is a blanket statement, but for women with hormone issues, adrenal fatigue, and autoimmune disease–I have yet to be wrong. There very likely comes a point in your evening where you are tired. That is when you need to listen to your body. Ride that wave of fatigue straight into your bedroom.
Yes, I understand that you can’t always get in bed immediately at 6:45PM. Maybe you need to take care of kids or finish up a project for work or at least wash the dishes from dinner.
Fine. But your sleep routine should start within the hour. If you miss this tired window it is possible you’ll catch a second wind and end up lying in bed for hours wishing for a sleep that will not come.
Address environment. Do you need to kick technology-before-bed to the curb? Are your pajamas making you too warm? Did your neighbor’s kid get a drum set for his birthday? You need an environment that is conducive to sleep. Get new sheets. Turn the lights low earlier in the day. Find a white noise machine that doesn’t make you want to pull your hair out.
Set the tone for bedtime and make that space your own. We are setting up sleep cues. When you walk into your bedroom your body should loosen up and relax, because it knows that it’s time for bed.
As you add actions or steps to your routine decide what category they fall into. If they aren’t addressing either of these two elements you might find that they aren’t necessary. If exercising after dark doesn’t allow you to go to bed on time, then it shouldn’t be a part of your sleep routine. You don’t have to be a nut about it, but guarding your sleep is important. If watching a show with your partner in bed is the highlight of your week, maybe hit record and save it for another day. You could watch earlier, and on the couch. Or while you sip on some caffeine free herbal tea. I am not against cuddly, feel-good, Netflix hormones, but make them fit into your schedule.
Guarding your sleep is being proactive about your health.
If you can’t sleep—you can’t heal.
If you want to learn more about how to set up a successful sleep routine in just seven days click the link below.
Thanks for having me!
BETTER TOGETHER.
Leigh Montgomery
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