Sleep can feel like the holy grail for women in midlife – something you’re desperately searching for which is incredibly hard to find. There are many reasons that sleep can be elusive during the menopause – hot flushes, night sweats, palpitations and anxiety can all play their part in disrupting our slumber. And when we don’t get enough sleep, this dramatically affects our health and well-being – leading to fatigue, irritability, poor judgement and loss of creativity; affecting mental health, immune function and even contributing to weight gain. But help is at hand with my latest podcast guest, as I speak to renowned sleep expert Professor Russell Foster who’s just the person we need to help us get our sleep back on track.

Russell is the Founder and Director of the Sleep & Circadian Research Institute and Head of Oxford University’s Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology and has carried out decades of research into the science of circadian rhythms and sleep cycles. With multiple awards and worldwide recognition for his work and over 250 scientific papers on the subject, there’s no doubt that we’ll be receiving the very best advice to support our sleep.

Discover Russell’s 4-pillar approach to getting a good night’s sleep; learn why sleep apps are mostly a waste of time and understand the science behind our circadian rhythms and how exposure to morning light is the key to a good night’s sleep. Russell is full of fascinating insights and practical tips to make a material difference to the quality of your sleep, so tune in to hear what he has to say.

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Check out the full Show Notes for this episode on my website www.well-well-well.co.uk/podcast, where you'll find all the relevant links and references for each guest.

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Learn how to build your own menopause diet to manage your symptoms with my latest book The Happy Menopause: Smart Nutrition to Help You Flourish.