Nothing beats a full night of sleep! Sleep has so many benefits for our bodies. It can help…
- Boost our immune system - Prevent weight gain - Increase productivity and balance mood
...and the list goes on! Yet, so many of us have trouble with sleep.
Why is this? The simple answer is hormones! Imbalanced hormone levels in women, especially, can create a viscous cycle that disrupts our sleep. In turn, sleep deprivation can cause a disruption to our hormones.
Melatonin is connected to the time of day. When it's light outside, melatonin levels are decreased. As it becomes darker, melatonin is released in the brain telling your body it will soon be time to sleep.
Cortisol is considered the “stress hormone” and plays a very important role in waking you up in the morning. Too much cortisol in the body makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep, creating a vicious cycle of poor sleep, and imbalanced hormones.
Progesterone is a “calming” hormone that helps promote deeper sleep, calm moods, and more. Unfortunately, when progesterone is drained, it creates an imbalance between progesterone and estrogen (known as estrogen dominance).