By Dr. Lavan Baskaran & The SABI

I see it every day: sleep deprivation quietly sabotaging lives. A high-powered executive who can’t ‘shut off’ after 14 hours of screen time. A teenager describing their brain as ‘100 browser tabs open.’ A menopausal leader jolted awake at 3 AM, drenched in sweat and frustration. A shift worker collapsing into bed only to find sleep impossible when the world outside is buzzing with daylight.

The truth is, sleep deprivation doesn’t just make you tired - it chips away at your body, mind, and life. It weakens your immune system, fogs your brain, inflames your body, and frays your emotional control. It amplifies anxiety, triggers poor decisions, and keeps you stuck in a cycle of survival instead of thriving.

But here’s what I tell my patients: your sleep is worth fighting for. You don’t need quick fixes, you need real solutions backed by science, proven through experience, and fine-tuned for real people just like you.

In this blog, we’ll dive into the domino effect of poor sleep and explore stories that might hit uncomfortably close to home. Then, we’ll lay out practical, life-changing strategies - because better sleep isn’t a distant dream, you deserve it and it requires your attention and prioritisation to achieve. 

The Domino Effect: How Sleep Deprivation Unravels Your Health

Sleep is life’s quiet healer. Without it, the things we take for granted - our focus, energy, and patience - slowly unravel. Most of us shrug off a sleepless night here and there, but over time, the consequences are hard to ignore. Sleep loss doesn’t just leave you tired - it reshapes your body, clouds your mind, and steals from your emotional balance.

Physically:

• Weakened Immunity: During sleep, your body produces cytokines, which help coordinate immune responses including inflammatory processes to fight infection. Without sleep, you catch colds more easily, recover more slowly, and your body simply can’t keep up.

• Weight Gain and Metabolism: It’s no coincidence you crave sugar, pizza, or junk food after a bad night. Sleep patterns influence the production and secretion of ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and leptin levels and leptin (the satiety signal). When sleep is disrupted, these hormones go haywire, and willpower alone isn’t enough to stop the cravings. Elevated cortisol levels stimulate the body to store fat (especially around the abdomen), as this is an efficient way to preserve energy during perceived stressful times. And, the body interprets prolonged stress (including lack of sleep) as a sign it must conserve energy, leading to increased fat storage and slower metabolism.

• Cardiovascular Risks: Sleep loss isn’t just exhausting - it’s dangerous. It raises blood pressure, triggers systemic inflammation, and increases the risk of heart disease.

Mentally:

• Brain Fog and Focus: During deep sleep, your brain consolidates memories and clears out metabolic waste - toxins that build up from the day’s activities. Without that “clean-up,” your brain feels sluggish, making clear thinking and focus almost impossible.

• Mood Disorders: Sleep deprivation floods your body with cortisol, amplifying stress, while suppressing serotonin, the chemical that stabilises your mood. Over time, this combination creates a perfect storm for anxiety and depression.

Emotionally:

• Short Fuse: You lose patience - snapping at loved ones or feeling like every tiny inconvenience is unbearable. It’s not you; it’s exhaustion shortening your emotional bandwidth.

• Poor Decisions: When you’re sleep-deprived, your prefrontal cortex (the brain’s decision-making centre) struggles. You’re more impulsive, less logical, and more likely to make choices you’ll regret.

The Overstimulated Professional: When Screens Hijack Your Nights

“I don’t understand, Doc. I’m exhausted, but my brain just won’t stop.”

This was one of my patients, a software developer in her early 30s. Her routine was typical: finishing work late, hopping onto social media, and then binge-watching her latest show. She’d crawl into bed around midnight, convinced she was ready to crash—only to lie there, awake.

Why This Happens:

Screens trick your brain into daylight mode. Devices emit blue light, which suppresses melatonin, the hormone that makes you feel sleepy. On top of that, the mental stimulation of emails, doomscrolling, or shows creates a state of hyper-alertness. You might feel tired physically, but mentally, you’re in overdrive.

The Strategy That Worked:

1. A Digital Sunset:

• First change was introducing a “digital sunset” two hours before bed. She gradually dimmed lights, switched devices to night mode, and replaced screens with calming rituals: a fiction book, a soft playlist, or simple journaling to clear her mind.

2. Creating a Sleep Sanctuary:

• We transformed her bedroom: blackout curtains to block light, cooler temperatures (18–20°C is the sweet spot), and removing all tech devices. Her brain learned to associate her bed with sleep—not late-night scrolling.

3. A Calming Transition:

• Instead of collapsing into bed from a state of overstimulation, the patient introduced light stretching and breathing exercises to ease her body into relaxation.

The Result: Within three weeks, her sleep latency dropped from an hour to just 15 minutes. For the first time in years, she described waking up rested.

The Anxious Teenager with ADHD: Quieting the Chaos

“I lie down, and it’s like 100 browser tabs open at once. I can’t shut anything off.”

For teenagers—especially those with ADHD—bedtime can feel impossible. A young patient was struggling to fall asleep before 2 AM. He’d scroll endlessly on his phone, mind racing, and then rely on sugary snacks to push through the next day.

Why This Happens:

ADHD brains have a unique challenge: they’re hyperactive during the day and at night. Stimulant medications, processed foods, and screens overstimulate the nervous system further, making sleep feel out of reach.

The Strategy That Worked:

1. Creating a Predictable Routine:

• He adopted a nightly ritual that felt calming and predictable:

• A warm (not hot!) shower, 1-2 hours before bed, as the body will need to cool down.

• White noise (ocean waves) to reduce mental chatter.

• A weighted blanket for its comforting “hug” effect.

2. Rewriting Diet Habits:

• We removed sugary snacks, sodas, and processed foods—replacing them with balanced, nutrient-dense meals. Herbal teas like The Calming Herbata became his go-to evening drink.

3. A Digital Detox:

• The patient agreed to a “no screens after 9 PM” rule. The first few days were tough, but after one week, his mind felt calmer, and his body more ready to sleep.

The Result: His sleep transformed. His bedtime moved back to 10 PM, and he began waking up feeling like himself again—focused, calmer, and able to face the day.

The Menopausal Executive: Battling Hormonal Sleep Disruptions

For a high-achieving leader, menopause felt like a betrayal. She’d wake at 3 AM, drenched in sweat, heart racing. By morning, she felt drained and frustrated.

Why This Happens:

During menopause, drops in oestrogen and progesterone cause temperature dysregulation (hot flashes), shallow sleep, and stress sensitivity.

The Strategy That Worked:

1. Cooling the Environment:

• Room temperature was adjusted to gradually cool to 18°C. We introduced moisture-wicking bedding to combat night sweats.

2. Lifestyle Adjustments:

• Late-night wine and chocolate, which she thought were “small indulgences,” or as a sedative were delaying her deep sleep. Using a tracker, we pinpointed these triggers and adjusted her evenings.

3. Earlier Exercise:

• Late workouts were making her hungry and overstimulated. Moving exercise to mid-morning fixed this.

The Result: The patient finally experienced nights without interruptions. Her sleep became deeper, her mood stabilised, and mornings felt energising instead of dreadful.

Reclaiming Your Sleep: Small Steps, Big Impact

Sleep is the cornerstone of cognitive function, emotional balance, and physical restoration. Regulated by your circadian rhythm, this natural internal clock relies on environmental and behavioural cues to transition your body into deep, restorative sleep. Research confirms that optimising these elements your environment, habits, and physiological balance—can improve sleep efficiency, increase REM and deep sleep phases, and reduce nighttime disruptions.

1. Environmental Optimisation: Set the Stage for Sleep

Your surroundings are critical for creating an ideal sleep environment:

• Temperature Control: A room temperature of 18-20°C aligns with the natural drop in core body temperature needed for sleep.

• Light Management: Exposure to light suppresses melatonin, the sleep hormone. Use blackout curtains, avoid screens before bed, and dim artificial lights to prepare your body for rest.

• Sound Control: Noise disrupts sleep architecture. Whether it’s white noise, soft ambient sounds, or silence, find what calms you.

2. Behavioural Interventions: Train Your Body to Sleep

Your daily habits are powerful tools for signalling your brain and body that it’s time to rest. By aligning your behaviours with your natural sleep drive, you improve sleep consistency and quality:

• Stimulus Control: Reserve your bedroom for sleep and intimacy only. Avoid working, eating, or using screens in bed to train your brain to associate the space with rest.

• Sleep Compression Therapy: For those struggling with insomnia, reducing time spent in bed can consolidate fragmented sleep, helping to restore natural patterns.

• Consistent Sleep and Wake Times: Maintain a fixed schedule—even on weekends. This consistency strengthens your circadian rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally.

• Evening Wind-Down Rituals: Create a bedtime routine to relax your nervous system. Activities like light reading, soft music, or a cup of herbal tea (e.g.,The SABI Calming Herbata) help signal that it’s time to sleep.

• Screen-Free Evenings: Avoid blue light exposure 1-2 hours before bed. Blue light from devices suppresses melatonin production, delaying your natural sleep onset.

3. Physiological Management: Support Your Body’s Sleep Cycles

Biological factors like diet, exercise, and stress play a pivotal role in your ability to fall and stay asleep:

• Exercise Timing: Regular exercise promotes better sleep, but avoid strenuous activity within 2-3 hours of bedtime, as it can increase cortisol and body temperature.

• Nutrition Considerations:

• Time your caffeine intake wisely: Avoid coffee and other highly caffeinated drinks after 2 PM to protect your sleep quality. Excessive caffeine late in the day can interfere with adenosine receptors, making it harder to wind down. If you’re craving something warm, opt for green tea in the afternoon. Its minimal caffeine content and significant health benefits make it a better choice.

• Mind your meals: Avoid heavy meals 2–3 hours before bedtime to prevent digestive discomfort, which can disrupt your rest. 

• Steer clear of alcohol before bed: While it might seem relaxing, alcohol disrupts sleep cycles and lowers overall sleep quality, leaving you feeling less refreshed.

• Stress Management: Stress triggers cortisol release, which counteracts melatonin. Incorporate relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or journaling to reduce evening stress levels.

4. Special Considerations for Unique Needs

Certain conditions require targeted strategies to address sleep disruptions:

• ADHD: Adjust medication timing and establish an evening wind-down routine to reduce overstimulation.

• Diabetes: Maintain stable blood sugar levels overnight through balanced evening meals.

• Anxiety/Depression: Address nighttime rumination with structured "worry time" earlier in the evening, mindfulness practices, or therapy.

• Menopause: Combat hot flashes and night sweats by keeping the bedroom cool, wearing breathable fabrics, and incorporating calming herbal teas or supplements that regulate hormonal fluctuations.

• Postpartum/New Parents: Establish flexible but consistent sleep routines, leverage partner or support systems for night shifts, and focus on short, restorative naps when nighttime sleep is limited. Hormonal shifts can also benefit from gentle adaptogens that support hormonal balance.

The True Cost of Ignoring Sleep

Poor sleep isn’t just a bad habit - it’s a health crisis that infiltrates every system in your body. From impaired cognition and weakened immunity to increased risks of heart disease, its effects are slow, insidious, and often overlooked. As a doctor, I see it every day: lives unraveling, silently and unnecessarily. The evidence is clear - sleep is non-negotiable. It’s time to stop treating rest as expendable and start recognising it as the cornerstone of long-term health. Your body and mind are waiting - are you ready to give them the care they deserve?

ABOUT DR. LAVAN BASKARAN

Dr. Lavan Baskaran is a dedicated GP Partner serving both private and NHS patients, with special interests in Diabetes and Cardiometabolic Health, Sleep Medicine, and ADHD.

A sought-after speaker on Sleep Medicine, Dr. Lavan addresses audiences nationwide, sharing his expertise on the profound relationship between sleep and overall health. He also runs a private ADHD clinic, where sleep plays a critical role in patient care. He specialises in exploring how ADHD impacts sleep—particularly in females during menarche or menopause—and navigating the challenges of stimulant medications that can further disrupt rest.

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HORMONAL & PROUD

Created as a brand to help women navigate the toughest moments in pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum — and practically every stage of life –– The SABI aims to change the narrative around our hormones from one of taboo, embarrassment, and loneliness to awareness and pride. As more than a wellness brand, The SABI offers a carefully-crafted line of products to carry you through your hormonal journey, including rituals, supportive tools, and ancient herbal remedies that have been tested time and time again by women and now come backed by medicine. The SABI is a blend of science and nature conceived by women who have experienced the joys and deep struggles of bringing a child into the world, the pains of a heavy, difficult period, miscarriage, and difficulty conceiving.

We offer you an invitation to get to know your body and its cycles better –– an invitation to really understand what is going on inside. Learn to use your hormonal cycle to your advantage no matter your stage of life, and know that you can support and balance your hormone levels. Look for the right sources of information. Know that there is help, and know that you’re supported.

DISCLAIMER

The SABI blog and articles are not meant to instruct or advise on medical or health conditions, but to inform. The information and opinions presented here do not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals for your unique situation.