Queen of sleep
In our fast-paced lifestyles we often forget about the importance of sleep. Sleep is as important as drinking and eating. Not getting enough sleep can have serious consequences on our health, private and professional life. Weight gain, lack of concentration and creativity or falling asleep behind the wheel are only some of the many consequences of sleep deficiency.
We met Christine Hansen, a successful international sleep expert and coach, to find out more on the multiple components of different sleep problems.
What does a typical sleep coaching session look like?
My job is a mix between science and emotional coaching. It’s detective work basically. I have very close relationships with my clients and we dive into their personal life and story together to uncover any hidden stressors. The objective is to determine the different stress levels and get their mind to calm down in the evening. I am giving them methods to handle their stress during the day more efficiently. The other 50 % of a coaching session are more scientifically driven. Here we’re looking at test results and I establish protocols and help my clients to get their body balanced again.
What can be the different reasons for sleepless nights?
It is very individual, but most of the time there’s left overs of stress from the day and our brainwaves can’t relax and so the mind is spinning around. Another reason can be body inflammation caused by parasites with nocturnal activity for example. In this case stress levels spike at night because the body is trying to fight the inflammation. Sometimes sleepless nights can also be directly linked to nutrition and we have to look at blood sugar issues.
Talking about nutrition, what effect does it have on our sleep? And what would a perfect meal or menu look like?
Nutrition is key in terms of blood sugar levels and food sensitivities because we aim to avoid blood sugar spikes with insulin in the evening and inflammation that will trigger cortisol and adrenaline. It is crucial to figure out whether there are food sensitivities to avoid those. Therefore, the perfect meal before going to bed consists in ingredients that are low in sugar and high in protein. Forget about soda, ice cream or chips and start investigating recipes that include foods like seeds, cheese, red meat, chicken, fish, oats, beans, lentils or eggs.
What can be the long-term damage of sleep deprivation?
Sleep is literally affecting everything in the body. It is affecting psychology; our mind and it is also affecting our body’s physiology. Sleep deprivation can cause damage to our memory center or lead to hormone imbalance for example.
What would the perfect bed time routine look like?
I would recommend setting a timer an hour before going to bed and then enjoy that hour. You still have tons of time, so you don’t need to stress to get everything done. Make sure you don’t have too harsh lighting going on, enjoy your bathroom routine, get your clothes ready, aerate your bedroom and just relax before going to bed. Read a book or listen to some calming music and you will slip into sleep.
About Christine
Christine Hansen started as a baby sleep consultant when she was freaking out about a future of not sleeping being pregnant with her daughter. After a year she decided to switch her clientele from babies to adults who have completely different sleep issues but more in line with her talents. She added multiple diplomas and certifications to her education until she really felt confident to get solid results every time.
Today, Christine is an international sleep expert, speaker, and sleep coach. She is the creator of the “5 Step Sleep Like A Boss Process” focusing on sleep foundations, gut health, thyroid issues, nutrition and hormones. As a certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner, Spencer Institute Certified Sleep Science Coach and Nutritional Therapist, Christine combines emotional, lifestyle, and biochemical stress management in bespoke programmes for her clients to transform their sleep forever. Her expertise has been featured already in numerous international publications, such as Forbes, Business Insider, The Independent, The Guardian and many more. To get in touch with her here: https://sleeplikeaboss.com/
Sarah Melcher