The term “beauty rest” is often used when a person is referring to a good night’s sleep, and there is much to be said about the fact that sleep can have a direct impact on your appearance and your overall health. Did you know that your sleep patterns can affect your hormone levels? If you want to balance your hormones, then sleep needs to be a priority in your life.

Sleep Deprivation Impacts Your Hormones and Immune System

People seem to think that a lack of sleep is a badge of honor, but the truth is that sleep can change several hormones within your body. When these hormones are affected, the changes can impact the natural metabolic processes that are important for good health.

Researchers found that a week of sleep deprivation changed the body’s ability to tolerate glucose, which isn’t good since impaired glucose tolerance might lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. These hormonal changes within the body can impact weight gain, making it harder for you to lose weight. Many women struggle with weight loss during menopause, and the combination of menopausal hormone changes and a lack of sleep can have a compounding impact on your ability to maintain a healthy weight.

Tips for Better Sleep

If you have a hard time sleeping at night, try these remedies to increase relaxation and help you rest:

• Eat primarily a plant based diet consisting of lots of raw fruits and vegetables.
• Avoid foods that can disrupt your digestion and energy levels, such as soft drinks, caffeine, dairy, and meat.
• Stop eating within two hours before bedtime, to allow your digestive system to slow down while you sleep.
• Take a warm bath right before bedtime, which will relax your muscles and soothe your nerves to make it easier to fall asleep.
• Put a drop of lavender essential oil in the palm of your hand, and rub it across your pillow. Lavender has natural benefits that help with relaxation and stress relief.
• Turn off all the lights in the room, especially lights from electronics like TVs and cell phones. Exposure to light right before bed can have a negative impact on your sleep patterns, because the light resets the sleep process.
• Repeat affirmations in your mind that you will go to sleep quickly, sleep peacefully, and wake up with renewed energy.
• Turn off electronic stimuli at least two hours before bed. TV and cell phones are becoming more and more addictive and cause people to remain stimulated mentally even after the lights go out.

Balancing Your Hormones

The best way to balance your hormones is by creating consistent, healthy habits in your daily life. Getting 8 hours of sleep one night can’t undo the problems that were created from two weeks of 5 or 6 hours a night. So, it is important that you establish good sleep habits, and stick to the plan on an ongoing basis.

If you implement the tips listed above and your sleep patterns don’t improve, then you might consider the use of a natural supplement to help you sleep better at night. Melatonin is a common natural remedy for sleep, and you can also try the Luminology products to balance your hormones.