top of page

The Power of Sleep: How hypnotherapy and nutrition can improve your night's rest


Listen to the blog post here!



For many (peri)menopausal women, sleep can feel elusive. The hormonal shifts during this phase of life often bring challenges like night sweats, hot flushes, fatigue, and difficulty falling or staying asleep. Restless nights leave many women feeling exhausted, frustrated, and caught in a cycle of poor sleep and daytime fatigue. As a CBT hypnotherapist and nutritionist, I’ve worked with women who struggle with these symptoms and know just how powerful it can be to incorporate the right suggestions and nutritional habits into your evening routine.

 

The role of hypnotherapy in sleep

Hypnotherapy can offer an effective, non-invasive way to retrain your brain for better sleep. Our mind plays a significant role in how we rest, and this is where the power of suggestion comes in. Through hypnotherapy, we can plant positive, calming suggestions that ease the transition into sleep.

Research has shown that hypnotherapy can significantly improve sleep quality. A study published in Sleep found that hypnotherapy led to an increase in deep, restorative slow-wave sleep, which is crucial for physical and mental recovery during the night. Guided suggestions like "You feel safe, calm, and relaxed as you drift to sleep" can be transformative, especially when repeated in a hypnotic state. These suggestions help create new pathways in the brain, allowing for a more restful, deep sleep.

 

The impact of nighttime snacking on sleep quality

You might not realize, but what you eat before bed can directly impact your sleep quality. It’s common to turn to comfort foods late at night, especially when battling cravings or stress. Unfortunately, late-night snacking—particularly on sugary or high-carb foods—can spike blood sugar levels, leading to disruptions in the sleep cycle.

 

In addition, and of course being inter-connected to affecting blood sugar levels, eating late at night can increase the production of cortisol, a stress hormone that is typically higher during the day and lower at night. Research found that eating late at night can elevate cortisol levels, which interferes with the natural circadian rhythm and makes it harder to fall asleep. Elevated cortisol at night has been shown to inhibit the release of key sleep-promoting hormones like melatonin and growth hormone.

 

Growth hormone, which is crucial for tissue repair and recovery, is predominantly released during deep sleep. Late-night snacking has been linked to a reduction in the natural surge of this hormone, which can impair the body's ability to recover and rejuvenate during sleep.

 

Melatonin, often referred to as the "sleep hormone," is also negatively impacted by nighttime eating. Melatonin helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, and its production is closely tied to your body’s circadian rhythm. Late-night meals can disrupt melatonin production, delaying sleep onset and affecting sleep quality.

 

To mitigate these effects, it’s best to avoid heavy or sugary snacks close to bedtime. Opting for small, nutrient-dense snacks that support rather than disrupt the body’s natural processes can help. Foods high in magnesium, like leafy greens and nuts, or tryptophan-rich foods, such as turkey or yogurt, can promote relaxation and support the production of melatonin as melatonin’s precursor (see Bravo et al. 2012) without the blood sugar spikes and cortisol release caused by sugary or high-carb snacks.

 

The benefits of refraining from nighttime eating

Another effective strategy is to simply refrain from eating after dinner. By stopping food intake a few hours before bed, you allow your body to focus on recovery and sleep, rather than digestion. This habit can enhance the natural nighttime hormonal balance, supporting better overall sleep quality. Research published in Nutrients and Frontier in Network Physiology highlights the benefits of earlier meal timing, showing that limiting food intake in the evening aligns better with the body's circadian rhythms and promotes better metabolic and sleep outcomes.

 

Studies have also shown that fasting for a period of time before sleep, commonly known as "early time-restricted eating," can improve sleep quality. Several studies have found that aligning food intake with the body's natural rhythms—eating earlier in the day and stopping food intake in the evening—improves sleep by reducing late-night cortisol surges and improving insulin sensitivity. Refraining from nighttime snacking may lead to more restorative sleep, enhanced energy levels, and better long-term health outcomes.

 

Creating a sleep ritual with nutrition and hypnosis

Combining hypnotherapy with mindful nutrition habits can create a powerful evening ritual for better sleep. Refrain from eating or have a calming, light snack that nourishes both the body and mind. Set aside 10 minutes for a relaxation exercise before bed, such as breathing exercises or a guided hypnotherapy session, focusing on positive suggestions like "Your body knows how to restore itself during a restful night."

These small changes can rewire your body and mind over time, helping you move from a place of sleep deprivation and stress to one of restoration and calm. Sleep is not just a luxury; it’s essential for your wellbeing. With the right support, you can enjoy better nights and more energized days.


 

Final thoughts

If you’ve been struggling with sleep disturbances, particularly due to (peri)menopausal symptoms or the effects of nighttime eating, there are a few very practical, science-backed strategies to help. As a CBT hypnotherapist and nutritionist, I specialize in addressing these issues, helping women make changes to their nutrition and mindset to alleviate fatigue, sleep problems, and hormone-related imbalances. Whether through hypnotherapy to manage cortisol levels and anxiety or adjusting your (eating) habits, or other supporting evidence-based techniques, I can provide the support you need for better, restorative sleep.

Feel free to reach out to me for personalized guidance on how you can improve your sleep and overall wellbeing!

 

References:

BaHammam, A.S.; Pirzada, A. Timing Matters: The Interplay between Early Mealtime, Circadian Rhythms, Gene Expression, Circadian Hormones, and Metabolism—A Narrative Review. Clocks & Sleep 20235, 507-535. https://doi.org/10.3390/clockssleep5030034

 

Bravo, R.; Matito, S.; Cubero, J.; Paredes, S.D.; Franco, L.; Rivero, M.; Rodríguez, A.B.; Barriga, C. Tryptophan-enriched cereal intake improves nocturnal sleep, melatonin, serotonin, and total antioxidant capacity levels and mood in elderly humans. AGE 2012, 35, 1277–1285.

 

Charlot A, Hutt F, Sabatier E, Zoll J. Beneficial Effects of Early Time-Restricted Feeding on Metabolic Diseases: Importance of Aligning Food Habits with the Circadian Clock. Nutrients. 2021 Apr 22;13(5):1405. doi: 10.3390/nu13051405. PMID: 33921979; PMCID: PMC8143522.

 

Cordi MJ, Schlarb AA, Rasch B. Deepening sleep by hypnotic suggestion. Sleep. 2014;37(6):1143-1152

 

Cordi MJ, Rossier L, Rasch B. Hypnotic suggestions given before nighttime sleep extend slow-wave sleep as compared to a control text in highly hypnotizable subjects. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. 2020;68(1):105-129. doi:10.1080/00207144.2020.1687260

 

Elkins GR, Fisher WI, Johnson AK, Carpenter JS, Keith TZ. Clinical hypnosis in the treatment of postmenopausal hot flashes: a randomized controlled trial. Menopause. 2013 Mar;20(3):291-8. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e31826ce3ed. PMID: 23435026; PMCID: PMC3556367.

 

Gu, Brereton, Schweitzer, Cotter, Duan, Børsheim, Wolfe, Pham, Polotsky and Jun. 2020 Metabolic Effects of Late Dinner in Healthy Volunteers—A Randomized Crossover Clinical Trial. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. doi: 10.1210/clinem/dgaa354

 

Healy, Morris & Liu 2021. Circadian Synchrony: Sleep, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Frontiers in Network Physiology. Volume 1 - 2021 https://doi.org/10.3389/fnetp.2021.732243

 

Huang, L., Chen, Y., Huang, Z., Chen, C. (2020). Neuroendocrine and Metabolic Regulation of Plasma Growth Hormone Secretory Profiles. In: Lemos, J., Dayanithi, G. (eds) Neurosecretion: Secretory Mechanisms. Masterclass in Neuroendocrinology, vol 8. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22989-4_10

 

Kim J, Song Y. Early Time-Restricted Eating Reduces Weight and Improves Glycemic Response in Young Adults: A Pre-Post Single-Arm Intervention Study. Obes Facts. 2023;16(1):69-81. doi: 10.1159/000527838. Epub 2022 Nov 1. PMID: 36318892; PMCID: PMC9889728.

 

Sejbuk, M.; Mirończuk-Chodakowska, I.; Witkowska, A.M. Sleep Quality: A Narrative Review on Nutrition, Stimulants, and Physical Activity as Important Factors. Nutrients 202214, 1912. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14091912

 

Yan LM, Li HJ, Fan Q, Xue YD, Wang T. Chronobiological perspectives: Association between meal timing and sleep quality. PLoS One. 2024 Aug 1;19(8):e0308172. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308172. PMID: 39088487; PMCID: PMC11293727.


Comments


bottom of page