You know that ahhhhhh feeling when you wake up after a seriously good night’s sleep? That magical unicorn of a morning when your eyes pop open before the alarm – or the kids – you stretch like a satisfied cat, and for a moment, you feel unstoppable.

Let’s be real. For most of us, that feeling is rare. We hustle through the day, crash late, and then wonder why we wake up groggy, moody, or feeling like we simply can’t function without caffeine.

Well…

We all know sleep is important. That’s not news. But what a lot of people don’t realise, is that it’s not just how long you sleep that matters.
It’s when you sleep.

Because the truth is, your body isn’t just ‘resting’ during the night. It’s healing. Repairing. Detoxing. Resetting your emotional baseline. And if you’re not asleep by a certain time… your body simply can’t do what it’s built to do.

In today’s episode on I Love Me The Podcast, we’re diving into the juicy truth about sleep timing, your liver’s overnight magic trick, and why those late-night scroll sessions are messing with more than just your dreams.

If you want to feel vibrant, emotionally steady, and deeply nourished from the inside out, this episode is going to give you the permission – and the how – to make sleep your sacred superpower.

 

The nights are longer, the days are shorter, and your body is naturally craving more sleep – and that’s not laziness.

That’s wisdom.

This darker half of the year is your body’s invitation to go inward.

To snuggle in, slow things down, and let yourself rest more deeply.

And yes, giving in to that urge to be in bed earlier is actually really, really good for you.

Here’s why…

Between 11pm and 3am, your liver is doing some pretty important behind-the-scenes magic.

It’s cleansing your blood of toxins and making new, fresh blood to nourish your body and brain the next day.

But – and this is a big ‘but’ – if you’re not well asleep by 11pm, your liver can’t do its full job.

You might still get eight hours, but if they’re from say 1am to 9am, you’ll likely wake up groggy, foggy, and feeling kind of meh.

That’s because your body is now operating on “old blood” – blood that hasn’t been refreshed and filtered.

Which means: More toxins, a sluggish immune system, mood swings, and a general sense of running on empty.

Without quality sleep, our immune system becomes impaired.

Instead of producing special proteins to fight off infections and inflammation, you leave your body wide open to catching a bad cold, the flu or whatever virus is spreading its way around the world!!

Now…

If you’re wondering how this ties into mood – it totally does.

One study found that women who slept fewer than five hours a night had significantly higher levels of anger, depression, and confusion compared to those who got a full eight.

And what’s super interesting is that in Chinese Medicine, anger is associated with the liver.

So it’s all connected – your sleep, your detox, your emotions.

And yes, this includes your scrolling habits, too.

Because those late-night TikTok spirals or mindless Instagram swipes?

They’re hijacking your melatonin production – that magical sleep hormone that helps you slip into deep rest.

The blue light from your phone suppresses melatonin, keeps your mind active, and makes it so much harder for your body to wind down.

I talk more about our inner pharmacy of self-made chemicals in Episode 55.

So one of the most powerful things you can do is ditch the screen at least an hour before bed.

Pick up a book, take a bath, stretch, breathe… let your body know it’s safe to soften.

Now, I know shifting your bedtime isn’t always easy.

If you’re used to going to bed at 1am, trying to suddenly sleep at 10pm is probably going to leave you lying there wide-eyed and annoyed.

So instead, ease into it.

Start by bringing your bedtime forward by just 30 minutes.

Stick with that for a week or two, until that feels achievable.

Then another 30 minutes.

Eventually, you’ll land on 10pm without any drama, and your body will thank you in HUGE ways!!!

Because when you’re asleep by 10, your body has a full, uninterrupted window to cleanse, repair, and renew.

It’s like putting your phone on charge – except instead of 18%, you wake up at 100%.

And if you find it hard to switch off at night?

If your mind races the minute your head hits the pillow, which by the way, is super common…

And why in next week’s episode, I’ll be sharing one of my favourite practices to help calm your mind and soothe your nervous system when you can’t fall asleep…

OR when you wake in the night and can’t get back to sleep.

It’s called Sleep Writing, and it’s helped so many of my clients finally get the rest their bodies have been craving.

But for today, your takeaways are simple:

• Sleep is not a luxury. It’s a non-negotiable.
• Aim for 8 hours – yes – but also aim to be in bed by 10pm.
• Give your liver that 11pm-3am window to do its magic.
• Ditch the screens before bed – no more melatonin sabotage.
• And let yourself surrender to the slower rhythm of Winter.

This is your permission slip to get cosy, go inward, and prioritise the kind of sleep that actually heals you.

Trust me – your mood, immune system, skin, energy, hormones (and maybe even your relationships!) will thank you.

If you’re looking for more tips to support you in staying healthy and well through Winter, take a listen to last week’s episode.

And know this:

Quality sleep IS available to you.

Thanks for listening.

If you’ve stepped onto the self-loving path, and not sure exactly where to start…

Sign up for your FREE Self-Love Starter’s Kit.

This complimentary Mini Course will offer you the foundational practices and insights that will help you quiet the inner critic, and get on the path to truely loving yourself.

These are the very tools I wish I had when I started my own journey, and I can’t wait for you to experience them too.