There's nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night or not being able to fall asleep, stressing over the day that lies ahead. Before desperation starts to kick in, editor Trudi Brewer enlisted the advice from a naturopath for remedies to sleeping soundly.

Sleep is a precious commodity; however, as we age, the quality and hours we are banking are often poor and broken, add stress to that and sleep deprivation often kicks in. Clinicians Naturopath Jane Cronin believes, "For many, stress can be a contributing factor to sleepless nights. From those busy thoughts that stop you from falling asleep, or if you wake in the night thinking about "everything" and have trouble dropping back to sleep, that feeling of over alertness at the wrong time of night can also be caused by unbalanced levels of the stress hormone cortisol." It’s often blamed for many health issues, however, cortisol is not entirely the bad guy, It's a necessary hormone, with an important job. It makes us feel energised, awake and alert, and one of the triggers for its release is daylight. Levels of cortisol generally rise through the morning and then decline towards sundown, which is when melatonin, our sleep hormone, starts to kick in and make us feel sleepy. According to Cronin, it's a delicate balance. "Too much cortisol can cause insomnia, also, cortisol is released more freely around menopause. At this time the adrenal glands can get stressed out, as they take over, making our hormones, (as the ovaries finally shut up shop), which is when chronic insomnia can be a significant issue. Long-term excessive levels of cortisol can lead to blood sugar imbalances leading to central weight gain and increased blood pressure, (since cortisol also manages our blood sugar and blood pressure)." Cronin says to manage cortisol levels; you may need to manage stress levels too. She recommends yoga and mindfulness as great tools to help de-stress, as is the art of saying no, you can’t do it all. "Herbs in your diet can help to balance cortisol levels, known as adaptogens, these include Withania, asparagus extract, Siberian ginseng and Gotu kola."

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Start nightly rituals

Your diet may need adjusting too. Cronin says coffee, caffeinated tea or energy drinks can worsen sleep patterns. "Stimulants can also trigger hot flushes, limit caffeine drinks to one or two a day, and do not have them after lunch if you are experiencing sleep issues. Alcohol is associated with making you drop to sleep quickly. However, it tends to lead to poor quality sleep and can lead to waking in the night. It also makes things harder for the liver, which needs all the help it can get as it processes our hormones." Her advice “Before bed is to drink chamomile, lemon balm, and lime flower herbal teas, or milk, which contains amino acids that help produce sleep hormones; a warm milk drink is a great bedtime option."
Next, we all know this, unplug those screens; we're all guilty of scrolling through our news feed on Instagram. “This is a no-no if you’re sleep-deprived - read a book instead. For most of us, it is not just a case of trying to switch off stress; we have to work out ways to manage it. Yoga and mediation can help with relaxation and calming the mind and get you taking that deep breath finally, after a day of panicked shallow breathing.” Cronin says as far as relaxation goes, herbs can help. Try passionflower, Ziziphus, lemon balm, and lavender. Finally, keep bed exclusively for sleep, sex and relaxation; our brain learns by association if you're answering emails or working in bed that sends the wrong signal, which will also lead to disrupted night's sleep.

Try the 4-7-8 breathing technique

An easy, 10-minute breathing technique called 4-7-8 breathing can be added to any routine twice a day and help you manage your stress levels.

Sit with your legs crossed on the ground or in a comfortable but straight-backed chair to ensure your lungs can fully expand.

Place the tip of the tongue behind the top of the front teeth. Breathe out fully.

Breathe in gently through the nose for the count of four seconds. Hold the breath for the count of seven seconds.

Now breathe out forcefully through the mouth by pursing the lips making a “whoosh” sound for the count of eight seconds. Repeat the cycle for up to 10 minutes.