The most important thing for hormonal balance is rest. You can eat the perfect diet and get the perfect amount of exercise, but if you are not getting 7-8 hours of good quality sleep each night, then it all goes to waste. Just one night's sleep can make you more insulin resistant the next day and throw your blood sugar off big time!

Sleep is also important because we need an important hormone called melatonin in order for us to sleep well. And guess what inhibits us from making enough melatonin? Stress and excess blue light.

We need healthy levels of melatonin because not only does it improve our sleep but studies have shown it to reduce pelvic pain due to inflammation and endometriosis.

Melatonin Boosting Tips:

1) Sunlight

Get as much direct sunlight as you can first thing in the morning. Open your shades and let the light in, or use this time to step outside and get some sun if the weather permits. The circadian rhythm is regulated by a part of the brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus and it responds to fluctuations of lightness and darkness in the environment. Getting sunlight first thing in the morning reinforces the circadian rhythm and promotes healthy levels of cortisol (the day time hormone) and melatonin (the night time hormone).

2) Wake up at the same time each day

Waking up at the same time each day helps regulate your circadian rhythm because your body responds to consistency. I suggest choosing a wake up time that is practical to maintain and fits in with your schedule. When sleeping in on the weekends, aim not to sleep in more than an hour later than your week day wake up time.

3) Limit Blue light

Wear blue blocking glasses (the amber tinted ones) at least 2-3 hours before bed. When you look at blue light in the evening from devices such as your phone, computer, or TV, it signals your brain that it's noon, and this increase cortisol and inhibit the production of melatonin!

4) stop caffeine by 2pm

Caffeine is a stimulant so do not drink after 2PM. If you go to bed very early stop by noon. And even if you're the person "who can have coffee at dinner and still sleep" your quality of sleep will still suffer, even if you’re able to fall asleep. Caffeine will prevent you from getting enough deep sleep, and will keep you in a light state sleep. With the use of biometric tracking devices like the Oura ring, you can track your sleep quality.

5) sleep in a dark room

Light disrupts your sleep (even a tiny amount like from an alarm clock!), so turn off all electronics, and if you have a digital alarm clock get rid of it. And if you use your phone as an alarm PLEASE turn it on airplane mode to reduce exposure to EMFs. Don’t forget to also place black duct tape over fire alarms or any other flashing lights.

6) keep it cool

Studies have shown 67 degrees is the optimum temperature to sleep in for the best quality of sleep.

7) Avoid heavy meals 3 hours before bed

Eating heavy meals close to bed time prevents you from going into deep sleep, as your body is prioritizing energy to digest your meal. This is why it’s best to eat dinner at least 3 hours before bed.

Getting your sleep back on track is a non-negotiable component of keeping your hormones balanced. I hope you’ll try out some of these sleep hacks so you can start to feel the amazing benefits ASAP>

For more tips like these, check out my self-paced online course, The Period Solution, which can help you balance your hormones and start feeling better ASAP! This 6-module course comes with all the resources, recipes, and exercise videos you need to balance your hormones and regulate your periods.

7 Sleep Hacks to Get Your Hormones Back on Track