What Is Sleep Hygiene? 8 Tips On Sleeping Better With PCOS

PCOS is a common hormonal disorder affecting individuals with ovaries and causes a problem with sleep hygiene. It’s characterized by a range of symptoms and hormonal imbalances. It involves a combination of genetic, hormonal, and lifestyle factors. PCOS and tiredness can be managed well through sleep hygiene. Key features of PCOS include:

Irregular Menstrual Periods: Women with PCOS often experience irregular, infrequent, or absent menstrual periods.
Hyperandrogenism: Elevated levels of androgens (male hormones) are common in PCOS, which can lead to symptoms like hirsutism (excessive facial and body hair growth), acne, and male-pattern baldness.
Ovulation Issues: Many women with PCOS have difficulty ovulating, which can contribute to fertility problems.
Polycystic Ovaries: The ovaries of individuals with PCOS might contain multiple small cysts. These cysts are actually immature follicles that have not developed into eggs.
Insulin Resistance: Insulin resistance is common in PCOS, which can lead to elevated insulin levels. This can contribute to weight gain and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Metabolic Disturbances: PCOS is often associated with metabolic issues, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Sleep Hygiene And PCOS?

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can have an impact on sleep hygiene in various ways, often due to the hormonal imbalances and associated health conditions that come with the condition. Here are some ways in which PCOS can affect sleep:

Hormonal Fluctuations: The hormonal imbalances in PCOS, including elevated androgen levels and insulin resistance, can disrupt the body’s natural hormonal rhythms. This can lead to irregular menstrual cycles, which might affect sleep patterns in some individuals.
Sleep Apnea: Women with PCOS have a higher risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This condition is characterized by repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, often due to the relaxation of throat muscles and tissues that obstruct the airway. OSA can lead to disrupted sleep and daytime fatigue.
Insulin Resistance: Insulin resistance, common in PCOS, can also affect sleep. Individuals with insulin resistance might experience blood sugar fluctuations during the night, leading to sleep disturbances and problems with sleep hygiene.
Weight Gain: Many women with PCOS struggle with weight management. Excess weight, particularly around the abdomen, can contribute to sleep problems such as snoring, sleep apnea, and poor sleep quality.
Stress and Anxiety: Dealing with a chronic condition like PCOS can lead to increased stress and anxiety. These emotional factors can interfere with sleep by causing difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing restful sleep.
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS): RLS is a neurological condition characterized by an irresistible urge to move the legs, often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations. It can disrupt sleep by making it difficult to find a comfortable resting position.
Pain: Some women with PCOS may experience pelvic pain, which can be exacerbated during menstruation. This pain can interfere with sleep comfort and quality. This has adverse effects on sleep hygiene too.

What Is Sleep Hygiene?

Sleep hygiene refers to a set of practices and habits that promote healthy and restful sleep. By adopting good sleep hygiene practices, you can improve your sleep quality and overall well-being. Here are some key principles of sleep hygiene:

Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Consistency helps regulate your body’s internal clock.
Create a Comfortable Sleep Environment: Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool. Use a comfortable mattress and pillows. Consider using blackout curtains and white noise machines if needed to keep sleep hygiene.
Limit Exposure to Screens Before Bed: Reduce exposure to screens (phones, computers, TVs) at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light emitted by screens can suppress the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep.
Establish a Relaxing Bedtime Routine: Engage in calming activities before bed, such as reading, gentle stretching, taking a warm bath, or practicing relaxation techniques to maintain a good sleep hygiene.
Limit Stimulants and Heavy Meals: Avoid caffeine and nicotine close to bedtime, as they can interfere with sleep. Avoid heavy, spicy, or large meals close to bedtime, as they can cause discomfort and disrupt sleep.
Get Regular Exercise: Engage in regular physical activity, but try to finish exercising a few hours before bedtime. Exercise can promote better sleep, but intense activity close to bedtime may have the opposite effect.
Manage Stress and Anxiety: Practice stress-reduction techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation to help calm your mind before bed to maintain sleep hygiene.
Limit Naps: If you need to nap, keep it short (20-30 minutes) and avoid napping too close to bedtime.
Avoid Alcohol and Large Amounts of Fluids Before Bed: Completely avoid the consumption of alcohol or alcoholic beverages even in small quantities. Minimize fluid intake close to bedtime to reduce nighttime awakenings for trips to the bathroom.
Use Your Bed Only for Sleep: Avoid using your bed for activities like work, watching TV, or browsing the internet. This helps your brain associate the bed with sleep.
Expose Yourself to Natural Light: Spend time outdoors during the day to help regulate your body’s internal clock and improve sleep quality.

How Can I Manage a Good Sleep Hygiene With PCOS?

Certainly, there are several natural tips you can incorporate into your routine to help improve your sleep quality. Here are some suggestions:

Establish a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body’s internal clock.
Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine: Engage in calming activities before bed to signal to your body that it’s time to wind down. This could include reading a book, taking a warm bath, practicing gentle stretching, or listening to soothing music.
Limit Screen Time: Reduce exposure to screens (phones, computers, TVs) at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light emitted by screens can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep.
Optimize Your Sleep Environment: Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature. Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows. This will help in management of a sleep hygiene.
Mind Your Diet: Avoid heavy, spicy, or large meals close to bedtime. Limit caffeine and nicotine intake, especially in the hours leading up to sleep.
Stay Active: Engaging in regular physical activity during the day can promote better sleep. However, avoid intense exercise close to bedtime.
Manage Stress: Practice relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation to help calm your mind and reduce stress before bed.
Expose Yourself to Natural Light: Spend time outdoors during the day, especially in the morning, to help regulate your body’s internal clock and improve sleep quality.
Limit Daytime Napping: If you need to nap, keep it short (20-30 minutes) and avoid napping too close to bedtime.
Stay Hydrated: Drink enough fluids during the day, but consider reducing fluid intake closer to bedtime to minimize nighttime awakenings.
Create a Comfortable Bedtime Routine: Develop a consistent routine that signals to your body that it’s time to wind down and sleep.
Journaling: Spend a few minutes jotting down your thoughts, worries, or reflections before bed. This can help clear your mind and reduce racing thoughts that might interfere with sleep.
Aromatherapy: Using calming scents such as lavender through essential oils or pillow sprays may help create a relaxing environment.
Limit Clock-Watching: If you can’t fall asleep, don’t constantly check the time. This can create anxiety and make it even harder to sleep.
Avoid Alcohol and Heavy Meals: While alcohol might make you feel sleepy initially, it can disrupt your sleep cycle later in the night. Heavy meals can cause discomfort and disrupt sleep as well.

The ten modern lifestyle root causes for hormonal imbalance related to PCOS that may on some level lead to lack of a durable sleep hygiene are:

Food Related Causes– Inflammation, toxicity, acidity, excess male hormones, insulin resistance.
Exercise Related Causes: Sedentary lifestyle, lack of muscle strength, excess ovarian fat.
Sleep Related Causes: Poor sleep quality (Lack of Deep Sleep).
Stress Related Causes: Chronic Stress. Addressing these triggers through an integrated approach can naturally restore hormonal balance.

How can the Five Pillars Integrated Lifestyle Approach Help You to Have Hormonal Balance and Help With Managing a Good Sleep Hygiene?

Eat Right: Embrace living, water-rich, whole, plant-based foods that nurture our genetic potential. By opting for local and seasonal choices, we honor nature’s wisdom. Eliminating packaged and processed foods liberates us from epigenetic imprints, elevating our hormonal health.

Move More: Embark on a journey of holistic lifestyle changes, where staying active transcends mere exercise. Embracing constant movement throughout the day optimizes epigenetic expression, igniting hormonal balance. Engage in pleasurable physical activities, dance, or even mindful walks to unlock the power of epigenetic triggers.

Breathe Aware: As we deepen our understanding of Pranayama, the science of breath, we access a profound gateway to support gland function and harmonize hormones. Harnessing the breath’s epigenetic influence, we transcend the ordinary and elevate our hormonal well-being.

Sleep Better: Unlock the secrets of deep sleep, a transformative practice for healing and regeneration. With the art of Yog Nidra to avoid being sleep deprived, we embrace epigenetic potential, unearthing hormonal harmony in the realm of dreams. Rejuvenate your entire being through this exquisite dance with the epigenetic clock to stop feeling sleep deprived.
Mind Free: Journey into the realm of emotions, thoughts, and stress resilience, where journaling, gratitude, and emotional practices become our guiding compass. Embracing epigenetic intelligence, we shift our narrative from stress to serenity, empowering our hormonal landscape.