Sleep: Your Secret Weapon for Health & Longevity
Sleep: Your Secret Weapon for Health & Longevity
This post is the eleventh installment in my series of 12 simple, realistic steps to help you feel stronger, healthier, and more vibrant. Each post covers one action that supports longevity, hormonal balance, and energy, no matter your age or current health status. You can catch up on prior posts at the links below. Today we are tackling sleep, something we all need and are not getting enough of.
Sleep: We all need it, most of us want more of it, and few of us are getting enough of it.
When we’re young, sleep comes easily. Babies and toddlers sleep constantly as their bodies grow. Teens need extra sleep for the same reason. But by our 20s, things start to shift. College all-nighters, early work schedules, stress, late nights—we start stealing hours from our sleep.
Then adulthood happens. We have responsibilities, families, and deadlines. Sleep becomes a luxury we think we can sacrifice for productivity. And eventually, as we approach midlife, hormonal changes make it even harder to get quality sleep. Falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early—sound familiar?
But here’s the truth: sleep isn’t a luxury. It’s a requirement.
Why Sleep Is Essential for Your Health
Let’s debunk a myth: You do burn calories while you sleep. Your body may be at rest, but it’s busy behind the scenes with vital repair and maintenance, keeping your body and brain functioning. Here are some of the things that sleep affects: metabolism, brain health, and hormones.
Sleep and Metabolism
When you sleep, your metabolism isn’t turned off—it’s regulating hormones, repairing cells, and managing blood sugar levels. Poor sleep throws this delicate system off:
Inadequate sleep can lead to insulin resistance, making blood sugar harder to control.
Sleep deprivation increases ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and decreases leptin (the fullness hormone), which can lead to overeating.
Your cortisol levels rise, and that persistent stress response impacts your ability to burn fat efficiently.
Sleep and Brain Health
Sleep is the brain’s housekeeping time. During deep sleep, your brain clears out waste and toxins, consolidates memories, and prepares for the next day – think of it as the cleaning crew coming in to straighten and clean things up overnight:
Lack of sleep affects your cognitive function, including memory, concentration, and decision-making.
Chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk for dementia, depression, and mood disorders.
Quality sleep supports better emotional regulation and overall mental clarity.
Sleep and Hormone Balance
Sleep plays a significant role in regulating hormone production:
It impacts estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid hormones.
It helps regulate melatonin, your body’s sleep hormone.
It affects cortisol, which should naturally decline at night to allow rest.
It affects the previously noted hunger and fullness hormones ghrelin and leptin.
When sleep is disrupted, this entire hormonal system can get thrown off, especially during perimenopause and menopause when hormone levels are already fluctuating.
Why Sleep Gets Harder as We Age
Midlife often brings challenges with sleep due to hormonal shifts, lifestyle factors, and stress. Some common culprits include:
Hormonal changes (especially estrogen and progesterone)
Increased nighttime awakenings
More frequent urination
Joint pain or hot flashes
Stress and anxiety
Changes in sleep quality (less deep sleep)
While we can’t stop aging, we can take steps to support better sleep.
10 Tips to Improve Sleep Quality
While you may have heard these tips before, it is a good reminder to try them again or address them.
1. Stick to a Sleep Schedule
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day—even weekends. This helps regulate your circadian rhythm.
2. Limit Screen Time Before Bed
Blue light disrupts melatonin production. Try turning off screens 1 hour before sleep or use blue light filters.
3. Create a Wind-Down Routine
Dim the lights, lower the noise, and do something calming—like reading, stretching, or journaling.
4. Avoid Caffeine in the Afternoon
Caffeine has a half-life of 6 hours. Switch to herbal teas or decaf by mid-afternoon.
5. Watch Alcohol Intake
While alcohol might help you fall asleep faster, it can disrupt deep sleep and lead to nighttime waking.
6. Keep Your Bedroom Cool and Dark
Your body temperature naturally drops at night. A cool, dark environment supports melatonin production.
7. Limit Late-Night Snacking
Eating right before bed (within 1-2 hours) can trigger digestive issues. If you need something, keep it light and balanced.
8. Get Morning Sunlight
Natural light exposure in the morning helps set your body’s internal clock.
9. Move During the Day
Regular physical activity promotes better sleep. Just avoid intense workouts close to bedtime since the body needs time to wind down.
10. Address Sleep Disruptors
Hot flashes, stress, noise—figure out your biggest disruptors and address them one at a time. Be patient and consistent.
Get everyone in the room on board, too, if you share a sleep space with anyone.
Journal Prompts & Action Steps
Consider your current sleep patterns, schedule, and quality of sleep.
Action Steps:
Track your sleep for 3-5 days: hours, quality, interruptions.
Identify one habit from the list above that you can try this week.
If needed, talk to a healthcare provider about persistent sleep issues.
Reflection Questions:
Contemplation: Have you noticed how sleep (or lack of it) affects your energy or cravings? What stories do you tell yourself about sleep (“I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” etc.)?
Preparation: What changes would you be willing to try this week to improve sleep? What gets in the way of better sleep for you?
Action: What difference did you notice after making a small change? What’s one new sleep habit you want to keep building on?
Maintenance: What helps you keep my sleep on track? How will you adjust when travel or stress disrupts your sleep schedule?
Next Blog in This Series: Self-Care Without Guilt: Why taking care of yourself isn’t selfish—it’s essential. Learn how to redefine self-care and make it a sustainable part of your routine.
Catch Up on the Previous Posts in This Series:
Read More from this series on practical habits to help you feel stronger, healthier, and more vibrant for years to come: Your Personal Path to Longevity & Vitality
