Reasons You Might Not Be Sleeping

Last night I was out at a relatively small music venue listening to my favorite Scottish band, Old Blind Dogs. I’ve been trying to prioritize socialising more, so we invited some friends and had a great time. During the evening, my friend and I started chatting about sleep. Namely, how horrible she had been sleeping lately. 

The quality of my sleep has drastically improved this past year after I started hormone therapy. My friend, on the other hand, doesn’t have that option because she had breast cancer in the past. it got me thinking: sleep struggles can come from so many different places. Hormones, yes—but also:

• A dysregulated nervous system
• Poor gut health
• Chronic stress
• Or simply being stuck in “go-go-go” mode for way too long

Here’s the part most people miss: Sleep isn’t just about what happens at night; it's a mirror of your day. If your day is packed with skipping meals, constant stimulation, zero downtime, and never-ending to-do lists… your brain doesn’t magically know how to flip into rest mode when your head hits the pillow. Of course it struggles. Of course it’s wired and restless.

And here’s something even more interesting: Stress doesn’t just keep you up—it can mess with your blood sugar, which then disrupts your gut, which is where melatonin (your sleep hormone) is made. It’s all connected. 

So when sleep feels broken, it might just be your body waving a little flag saying, “Hey! I need some help over here!”

If that’s you, here are a few gentle ways to support your body (and your sleep):

• Eat nourishing meals at regular times. Your blood sugar and energy levels will thank you
• Step away from screens at least an hour before bed. Your nervous system needs a break.
• Try a short wind-down ritual. Try  journaling, a warm shower, or a few minutes of stretching.
• Download my free Sleep Reset Guide for even more tips and simple shifts.

Above all, remember this: your body isn’t broken. It’s doing its best with the signals it’s getting. If sleep is off, it’s just information - information that you can use to make small but impactful changes.