Let us rest.
*Originally published in my June/July 2026 Newsletter
I am envious of my own dogs.
Libby, on the left, is 16. She has always been, let’s say, a conserver of energy. But these days, as she savours her elder years, Libby spends at least 22 hours a day in a deep sleep. When her little legs kick and tremble as she dozes, and her canine subconscious expresses sweet little whimpers or the occasional growl, I wonder if she still dreams of chasing swallows and squirrels as she did as a pup.
Hugo, at 14, is by far more energetic and continues to tear around the house every morning in search of his favourite toy and joyfully greets us at the door, plush toy offering at the ready, each time we arrive. But he too spends the majority of his day in a deep slumber.
As mentioned, I am deeply envious of these two.
For me, in the throes of my perimenopausal transition, still adjusting to denouement of three years embedded in the demands of a master’s program, and continually attending to the unrelenting thrum of daily responsibilities (when is that Star Trek replicator coming??), sleep has been inconsistent at best, elusive at worst. Every night feels like a roll of the dice - what fortune will Lady Luck grant me tonight?
And I know I am not the only one. It seems that the most common topic for small talk conversations these days begin with “I don’t know why, but I am just so tired…”
In my first peri/menopause workshop series, Embodied Wisdom, I purposely began the first of the six sessions on the topic of sleep and rest because if you are exhausted, many other symptoms (irritability, mood swings, increased anxiety and depression, brain fog) feel more magnified. Up to 47% of those experiencing perimenopausal symptoms report sleep disruption and is often one of the first symptoms to arise in women - as early as age 35.
For anyone experiencing trouble with sleeping - falling asleep, staying asleep, not getting enough - whether you are peri/menopausal or simply a human being living the overstimulation age, here are some of the evidence-based CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I) tactics endorsed by sleep experts like sleep medicine specialist Dr. Andrea Matsumura and cognitive neuroscientist Sara Mednick that I share with my workshop participants and counselling clients:
Throughout your day, make time to reduce stress through mindful moments of breath or time in nature.
Daily exercise also helps to reduce stress, regulate your circadian rhythm, and promote fatigue - but avoid vigorous movement within 2 hours of your expected bedtime
Limit all exposure to blue light (i.e. any screens) at least 1 hour before you plan to get into bed (blue light is what we experience in natural morning light, thus disorients melatonin release and prevents sleepiness).
For an over-active brain prone to bedtime rumination, try “Constructive Worry Journalling”: a couple of hours before bedtime, write a list of all the unsolved problems from your day and add just ONE solution you can try tomorrow (or the ONE next step if it is a more complex issue).
Commit to a calming, indulgent daily bedtime ritual that signals to your brain that you are preparing for bed (ex. wash your face, take a bath, write in your gratitude journal, a brief restorative yoga practice, meditate, etc.).
Dedicate your bed for sleeping and sex only (no work, TV watching, social media scrolling, etc.).
If you are tossing and turning, get out of bed and do something non-stimulating in low, warm-toned light (reading, crossword puzzling, jigsaw puzzling, knitting, meditating - ideally an analog, screen-free activity) until you are sleepy again, then go back to bed.
Go to bed when you feel tired rather than at the same time each day.
On the other hand: wake up at the same time everyday, regardless of whether it is a workday or a day off or even if you feel that you haven’t slept enough. This trains your body and brain to respond to regularity.
Try Progressive Muscle Relaxation if you are struggling with a busy brain while lying in bed. BONUS: here is a 20-min PMR session I recorded :)
I wish you sweet dreams, as sweet as my pups…
To customize your own sleeping rituals through evidence-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), somatic practices, and restorative yoga, join me for a 4-week online group workshop, The Sacred Sleep Series starting November 2026.
