Cortisol + Melatonin: Understanding the balance for better sleep
Sleep—that thing that seems to elude us when we need it the most. But oh, so critical for us chronic-illness warriors, whose bodies have A LOT of repair work to do at night!
There are so many elements that have to combine to result in a restful night of sleep, but if I could sum it up into one tip, it’s this: Learn the basics of how to balance your cortisol and melatonin levels. Doing this will help you to set up your life to get better sleep.
Cortisol is our daytime hormone. It helps us to have energy and the ability to adapt to whatever stressors present in our path throughout the course of the day. It’s produced in response to light and other types of stimulation. It also kicks in when our blood-sugar levels decline and we don’t have enough stored glycogen or have some sort of impairment in converting it back to glucose for energy. All of these factors are important to keep in mind when it comes to sleep.
Melatonin is our nighttime hormone. It helps us to relax and fall asleep (and hopefully stay asleep!). It’s produced in response to darkness. In addition to helping us sleep, it’s also a big contributor to the regulation of our internal clock.
So, how can you use this info to get better sleep?
Lifestyle: Give yourself ample time to wind down in the evenings and let melatonin take over and do its job. Lower the lights. If possible, eliminate blue light (if you must be on a device, take advantage of dark mode and red filters to do this).
Sleep environment: Light stimulates the release of cortisol, so make your bedroom as quiet and dark as possible. Blackout curtains, ear plugs, eye mask, white-noise machine, air purifier, fan—all of these are fantastic for reducing nighttime exposure to light and sound. Keep as many electronic devices and phones out of the bedroom as circumstances permit.
Diet: Eat balanced meals throughout the day, and especially at dinner. If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night and unable to get back to sleep, it’s very likely that your blood sugar tanked while you were sleeping and your adrenals had to release cortisol to get it back up. One way to keep this from happening is by having a balanced snack within the hour before bed. “Balanced” means nothing sugary or carb-heavy, but leaning more toward the fat/protein combo, such as a tablespoon of almond butter, a bit of charcuterie, and the like.
I’m going to stop before this becomes a novella, but I hope this gives you a good starting point for improving your sleep! Of course, there can be deeper layers to lack of good sleep, so if simple things aren’t working, it can be helpful to work with a practitioner who can help you get to the bottom of what’s going on.