I thought the interview with Krista was well needed. I will be the first to admit, these uncertain and troubling times haven’t been the best for my sleep. Let’s start!
Lisa: Tell us more about yourself and your journey to becoming a sleep consultant.
Krista: I live outside of Toronto, Ontario. I have been married for 27 years and have two children, one son, and one daughter. I have been in the health and wellness field for over 30 years. I completed my bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, became a dental hygienist, a registered nutritional therapist, and a Certified Sleep Science Coach. I have helped many people achieve their specific health goals. I enjoy reading, taking long daily walks, and researching women’s health and hormones. I love to travel and look forward to being able to do this once again.
Lisa: If you feel like you had a “calling” to pursue this kind of work, what did that feel like for you?
Krista: I was a dental hygienist for over 27 years when I started getting the signs. You know, those “little feelings” that tell you that you need to make a change. I wished that these feelings would go away but they didn’t. I was content with my job. I liked my coworkers and my patients that I had developed a long-standing relationship with. But I kept getting these feelings that I should retire from my dental hygiene career and start an online business that would help middle-aged women fall asleep. Yes, I know, it sounds crazy! And it was for me too. I had heard friends, family members, and patients complain about how tired they were and how difficult it was for them to get a good night’s sleep. I too had had some sleep struggles which I figured out on my own. Was I meant to share what I learned? To be perfectly honest I didn’t make a decision right away. I am a practical person and weighed out the pros vs. cons too many times to count and really tried to convince myself why this would not be a good time to retire from a perfectly good job. But deep down I knew that was not the reason why I didn’t want to retire. It was because I was terrified. Fear was keeping me stuck. I finally had the much-needed conversation with myself and asked, if not now, when? I chose not to renew my dental hygiene license at registration time. I was 100% into helping midlife women fall asleep and stay asleep.
Lisa: What steps did you take to transition from one career to the next?
Krista: I transitioned to my new career by becoming certified in sleep science and researching everything I could find on sleep for midlife women. Through my research, I believed that many sleep struggles women faced were largely due to hormonal imbalances. I had been studying hormones on my own for years and understood how hormones and sleep are closely intertwined. I put all of my knowledge and learning into developing a sleep program specifically designed for midlife women. This program gives women the learning and action steps to be able to shift their hormones naturally, allowing sleep to come easier and be more restorative.
Lisa: What are the common complaints that women have regarding their sleep?
Krista: The most common complaints that midlife women face regarding their sleep are difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Some women find they are “wired but tired” and can’t fall asleep as their minds are racing and they can’t relax. Some women awake during the night between 1-3 am and can’t fall back to sleep, often for hours.
Lisa: How much sleep is enough sleep and when do we get the best sleep?
Krista: I recommend getting 7-9 hours of sleep each night. This will allow your body to receive all of the benefits of restorative sleep which are tremendous. My recommendation is to be in bed by 10 pm. I realize this may not be possible each night due to social obligations but use this as a guide. One of the most important things you can do to help your sleep is to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.
Lisa: What are the primary causes of sleep disruption?
Krista: Sleep disruption can occur for a variety of reasons. High-stress hormones (cortisol), low melatonin, prescription medications, unstable blood sugar levels, pain, anxiety/depression, lack of sunlight, temperature changes, and fluctuating/declining estrogen and progesterone levels can all have an impact on our sleep.
Lisa: If you were to suggest one thing that we could all do to improve our sleep what would that be?
Krista: My one suggestion to everyone who wants to improve their sleep is to make it a bigger priority. In our modern world, most women are overcommitted and often have distractions. Sleep is an afterthought when everything else is completed. I think midlife is an opportunity to prioritize ourselves and really understand what we need and want and not be shy asking for it!
Lisa: Is sleep disruption or having difficulty falling asleep reversible?
Krista: Having difficulty falling asleep is absolutely reversible! Our bodies are designed to sleep throughout our entire lifespan. When hormones are balanced sleep will become easier to achieve and it will be more restorative. There are many things we can do daily to optimize our hormones to help us sleep, most are free and accessible to everyone.
Lisa: Who are the influencers, bloggers, and podcasters that you follow?
Krista: I follow a variety of people. Some are business-related, others are in the health and wellness space and some I find entertaining. I enjoy the Sheri and Nancy show (great podcast for midlife women), Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, Dr. Anna Cabecca, Amy Porterfield, Lori Kennedy, and Jenna Kutcher.
Lisa: Tell us something about yourself that we may not know.
Krista: I have decided to stop colouring my grey hair! I am in the early transition stage and it is not easy. It takes time and patience. I have coloured my hair for over 30 years and I must say it feels freeing to no longer do this. It is something I have considered for years and with the quarantine, in effect, it seemed like the perfect time to begin. Wish me luck!
Thank you Krista for taking this time to help us begin to understand some of the reasons for sleep disruption during midlife and for letting us know there is help. To learn more about Krista join her “I just want to sleep.” community on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/460599001250348/ Or email her directly for more information at krista@mymidlifementor.com
I am Lisa Jollimois. I am a personal development coach for women who want to transform their lives. If you need more support getting through this current crisis, contact me. Or if you need support naturally maintaining your weight, rewriting your story, exploring new possibilities for an empty nest, or feeling stuck. I can help act as a guide to get your life into action.
If this interests you or if you want to level-up your standard of life despite our current circumstances email me for your FREE discovery call at lisa@lisajollimois.com or sign up at https://calendly.com/lisa-365
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