Are You Sleeping Well—Or Just Sleeping? by Roxana Soetebeer, MHP, NNP, PHC, PFC

Are You Sleeping Well—Or Just Sleeping?

You’re doing the work. Eating clean. Avoiding sugar. Trying to walk more. Maybe even lifting weights. But something’s still off. You’re tired during the day. Craving carbs. Snapping at people. And the scale’s not moving.

Let me ask you a different question: how’s your sleep?

Because if you’re not sleeping well, your body is operating in survival mode. And when that happens, fat loss slows down, blood sugar goes up, and cravings take over. It’s almost like your prefrontal cortex—your decision-making center—goes offline when you haven’t slept enough.

This is not just about getting “enough” sleep. It’s about getting good quality sleep, restorative sleep—the kind that actually helps your metabolism, brain, and hormones do their job.

Why Sleep Matters More Than You Think

A single night of poor sleep can make you more insulin resistant the very next day. That means your body won’t handle glucose efficiently. Blood sugar rises. Fat storage increases. And your hunger hormones? They start working against you.

And that prefrontal cortex we mentioned earlier? Yes, loss of sleep impairs the prefrontal cortex—your rational, decision-making center. As if that wasn’t bad enough, it also boosts activity in the amygdala, the fear and emotion center. This makes you more reactive, more impulsive, and less likely to make good food or lifestyle choices. It’s not a lack of willpower—it’s your brain running on empty.

Here’s what else happens when you don’t sleep well:

Ghrelin (the hunger hormone) increases, while leptin (the fullness signal) decreases.
You produce more cortisol, the stress hormone that raises blood sugar.
You become more emotionally reactive, more impulsive, and far more likely to make food choices you’ll regret.

In short: poor sleep makes everything harder. Especially fat loss.

The Hidden Architecture of Sleep

Sleep isn’t just about closing your eyes and waking up eight hours later. It’s made up of repeating cycles, each about 90 minutes long. And each phase plays a specific role:

Light sleep: helps with memory and physical relaxation.
Deep sleep (slow wave): your body repairs tissue, releases growth hormone, and supports your immune system.
REM sleep: your brain processes emotions, memories, and stress. This is dream sleep.

If your sleep cycles are fragmented, you may still “get eight hours” and wake up feeling drained.

Sleep Timing Matters, Too

There’s something called your midpoint of sleep—the halfway point between when you fall asleep and when you wake up. If you normally sleep from 10 PM to 6 AM, your midpoint is 2 AM. That midpoint helps regulate your circadian rhythm and influences hormones, alertness, and even mood.

Shifting your midpoint by more than an hour can throw your body's internal clock out of sync. This is why sleeping from 1 AM to 9 AM doesn’t feel the same as sleeping from 10 to 6, even though it’s the same number of hours. Your body knows. How? It’s wired to the sun. Natural light anchors your circadian rhythm—your internal clock—and it’s incredibly sensitive to changes in timing.

What Disrupts Sleep (That You Might Not Know About)

Eating too close to bedtime spikes blood sugar and can delay deep sleep.
Drinking too much water late at night increases nighttime bathroom trips—especially more than once, which is a red flag called nocturia.
Alcohol might knock you out quickly but shatters your sleep architecture, especially REM.
Blue light from phones and screens suppresses melatonin, your body’s natural sleep hormone.
Caffeine timing matters more than you think. Try delaying your first cup by 90–120 minutes after waking to avoid blunting your natural cortisol spike.

Build a Better Bedtime Routine

Good sleep starts long before your head hits the pillow. Don’t know where to start? Here’s a basic structure:

60 minutes before bed: Turn off screens, dim the lights.
30 minutes before: Prep your room—cool, dark, quiet. Take any sleep-supporting supplements (like magnesium or glycine).
15 minutes before: Do something relaxing. Read. Journal. Gentle stretching. No stimulating conversations or problem-solving.
Keep a notepad by your bed to jot down any lingering thoughts or to-dos. This can help clear your mind and prevent overthinking at night.

And yes, go to bed at the same time every night. Even on weekends. Your body loves rhythm.

Supplements That Can Help (but Won’t Fix a Broken Routine)

Magnesium glycinate – calming, helps with muscle tension and sleep onset.
Magnesium threonate – crosses the blood-brain barrier, helpful for brain fog.
Glycine – an amino acid that cools body temperature and supports sleep.
Taurine – supports production of GABA, your brain’s “calm down” signal.
L-theanine – for anxious minds that won’t shut off.
Melatonin – best used sparingly or for travel/time zone resets.

This isn’t a complete list—and it’s not medical advice. Talk to your medical provider before adding any supplements.

One Last Trick: The Sleep Word Game

If your brain won’t settle down at night, here’s something to try:

Pick a neutral word—like sunrise. Then go through the letters one by one and name 5 words for each.

S – soft, shadow, stillness, soup, snow
U – umbrella, under, unique, universe, uncle
N – nature, notebook, number, nap, noodle
R – river, rustle, relax, rabbit, rhythm
I – island, ivory, idea, ink, inhale
S – star, silence, stream, sail, sky
E – echo, evening, elk, emotion, evergreen

This activates the brain’s sleep pathways by steering away from problem-solving and emotional triggers.

Sleep is not optional. It’s a pillar of health. Right alongside food, exercise, stress management, and meaningful relationships. You can eat perfectly, take all the right supplements, and still feel like a wreck if you’re not sleeping well.

Tonight, don’t just aim to get more sleep. Aim to get better sleep. Tune into your rhythm. Create the conditions. Support your body in doing what it already knows how to do.

Final Thought

Make sleep a priority—because once you fix your sleep, everything else gets easier.

—Coach Roxana

Written by Roxana Soetebeer, MHP, NNP, PHC, PFC
Published April 5th, 2025

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