Circadian rhythms and why women must prioritise their sleep more than men

Science shows us that nearly all life on the planet earth is dancing to an internal rhythm that optimises health, survival and reproduction so life can continue. This is as much the case for plants as it is for animals and humans. For humans we are finely tuned to a day and night cycles. These dark/light cycles are governed by sunlight and parts of our brain that recognise the changes in light and alter our biochemistry to create new internal environments. In response to darkness we sleep and restore and in daylight we live, work and play. This master body clock is known as our circadian rhythm and we also have several smaller clocks that regulate sleep, digestion, cellular metabolism, stress response, hormones, liver function and more.

Estrogen is a master hormone that regulates our circadian rhythm making perimenopause and menopause a challenging time for those who suddenly develop sleep problems and even more so for those already experiencing poor sleep. 33 to 51 percent of women complain of changes to their sleep quality at this time. This is due to changes in hormones, increased stress, later sleep times and increases in endogenous temperatures all of which contribute to decreases in melatonin output, irregular sleep times, irregular meals and poor food choices. All these changes lead further to metabolic and mood disruption right down to the level of our gut microbes.

Strategies to rebalance must start with prioritising sleep and reducing sleep disruptors such as temperature fluctuations, getting to sleep within 15 minutes and getting back to sleep within 15 minutes if waking in the night. Eating dinner early. Eating at the same time every day for all meals. Limited healthy snacking. Intermittent fasting of last dinner and breakfast 13 hours a part. Mood support with adaptogens throughout the day and microbiotica replenishment through supplementing probiotics.

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The gut microbiome is the trillions of bacteria, fungi and viruses that live inside your gastrointestinal tract. They help to foster your mental and physical wellbeing and play an essential role in your ability to assimilate nutrients, eliminate wastes and ward off seasonal ills and chills.

What you may not know is that the development of your inner microbial rainforest takes place during your earliest years of life. From the day you are born until the time you go to school, your microbiome utilises the food you eat and the environment you are exposed to establish its foundations. This makes these years an important time to help our children build their gut health and give them the

Here are some quick tips for parents to help your child eat healthy and foster their microbiome development:

One of the best ways to encourage your kids to eat more gut friendly foods is to do it yourself - Role model the behaviour you want to see by eating mostly whole foods and filling up your plate with colourful plant foods at every meal.

Encourage eating a diverse range of foods. Eating a variety of colourful wholefoods is key to setting up the microbiome for success. Try adding different coloured fruit and vege on a plate and make it fun by turning them into a smiley face.

Invite your kids to prepare the food with you. Children are much more invested in the meal when they’re active participants in the preparation. No one likes being told what to do, humans young and old all like to feel like they have options. Offering kids the choice of what colourful fruits and vegetables they would like on their plate encourages them to eat what they have selected.

Let them get dirty and encourage outdoor play. Our microbiome is not only fostered by the food we eat, but also by the environment we grow up in. Dirt and animal exposure can help to broaden our microbiome diversity and foster greater immune resilience.

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