How to Have a Better Night’s Sleep

Maria, your experience spans conventional and integrative medicine, clinical research and multiple holistic therapies… but when did sleep become such a focus for you?

I’ve always been committed to understanding how the body works as a whole – as well as how its systems interact to maintain balance and wellbeing. However, 15 years ago, I made a choice to exclusively dedicate myself to the practice of personalised medicine. Back then, I viewed the emphasis on separate body parts as fragmented, whereas, in reality, everything is connected. It’s also essential to understand that the body is dynamic, not static. For this reason, we often use the analogy of an “orchestra” when explaining this to clients: everything needs to play in tune and in time.

That said, sleep didn’t truly become a focus for me until a few years later, when I started researching an in-depth course on the subject. Before that, I knew how many hours I needed to rest and how to take care of my sleep; but I wasn’t applying the same methodology to myself. It was through delving into the science of sleep that I began prioritising my own rest. The more I learned about sleep, the more I realised how profound its impact is – not just on health, but on life as a whole.

What are the common sleep concerns that you see?

It depends on the individual’s age. In young people, it might be triggered by overthinking and anxiety before bed, in addition to neglected sleep patterns – which leaves them feeling tired the next morning. From our late thirties onwards, we start to see night awakenings, which can be caused by multiple factors. If you find yourself waking at two or three o’clock in the morning, it may be linked to digestive overload (alcohol is an additional issue, because while many people think that the calming effect of alcohol helps them to fall asleep, it can also cause them to wake up when the liver starts to metabolise it).

What about those who simply cannot sustain a deep level of sleep?

It’s important to remember that everyone wakes up during the night; though not everyone will stay awake or remember it – and all of us experience “micro-awakenings” within our sleep cycles. These are brief moments when the brain lightly wakes up between cycles, often unnoticed. We go through deeper stages of sleep (non-REM sleep), then transition toward lighter stages like REM sleep, where we might have a micro-awakening – possibly, because our ancestors needed to have a heightened awareness in the night of animals or danger. However, the rhythm of our awakenings and our individual sleep cycles are all unique.

What do most of us think a “good night’s sleep” looks like?

Most people don’t always know that they don’t sleep well. Often, we think that we get enough hours of sleep, but actually the quality of our sleep is terrible. We need to reframe how people think about the amount of sleep that they need, and unpick that idea that we need to spend a longer time sleeping, or having lie-ins, to feel rested.

Can you explain a little more about “systems biology” – what is this exactly and how does sleep fit in?

When we recognise the body as a living system, we realise that everything is connected – and at every level. Digestion influences sleep; sleep influences anxiety: meanwhile, physical activity too close to bed-time influences our metabolism and how our organs work. If one element is disbalanced, it will influence the others – so, we need to emphasise inter-connection between everything. Otherwise, the body adopts “coping mechanisms” and begins to find ways to compensate. For example, if we don’t sleep enough, our body might boost hunger hormones like ghrelin to trick us into eating for a quick energy hit. This temporary workaround to offset exhaustion, but it will mess with our appetite and health in the long run.

How critical is our daytime routine in improving our sleep at night?

We need to remember that night and day are connected – I always say: “A good night’s sleep starts in the morning!” Not only is the body a great organiser and a beautiful manager – but it’s also a great economist; it loves to use the least energy to get the best result. It also loves routine because consistent patterns allow it to predict demands and allocate resources efficiently, saving energy for what matters. After all, routines have a scientific explanation – they are not just sentences you can see in wellness magazines.

Do you have any tips on optimising your daytime routine?

The most important thing is to expose yourself to sunlight in the morning. Strong, natural daylight has the power to temporarily suppress the production of melatonin to help us wake up – and if you repeat this regularly, it becomes easier to wake up and regulate the sleep cycle. When there is no natural sunlight, and you are unable to go outside, just switch on all the lights you have in your house! Otherwise, you can buy a bedside light that slowly brightens as you wake up.

You formulated the DIOME “Rested” supplement, which targets multiple aspects of sleep regulation. How does it work?

“Rested” is a direct result of our systemic approach – rather than focusing on sleep alone, it targets multiple aspects of sleep regulation. For example, the formula contains ingredients to help you fall asleep, but it also contains those that help to maintain good quality slumber. To go a little more in depth: in the brain, we have two opposite sleep/wake centres. One group is active during activity and during the day – the “arousal centres”, which are areas of the brain that keep us alert during waking hours – while the other is more active during periods of rest and sleep. With this in mind, we have included one property to calm the arousal centres; in addition to plants and ingredients that are known for their muscle relaxation and pain-relieving properties.

Are there any other benefits to the body?

We also chose ingredients according to their impact on the digestive system. After all, when the digestive system is overloaded, it impacts our sleep – but after taking Rested, the intestines are calmer, due to the usage of anti-spasmodic ingredients; it’s even shown to improve sleep during menstrual cycles. The formula also supports detoxification, as sleep is a critical window for the body and the brain to clear out metabolic waste built up throughout the day. This nightly renewal is essential—by improving sleep, we help the brain sweep away the day’s debris, leaving it refreshed and sharp.

Of course, it’s not just about having a good night’s sleep – it’s also about waking up and feeling rested. Who would benefit from taking this supplement?

The formula is designed to help multiple personas – for example, those who are anxious and overwhelmed; as well as mothers, or those who are career-focused and not getting optimal sleep – but who can’t change their environment totally. Then there are those who are the “optimisers”, who see taking this supplement as a way to function above and beyond their best. We’ve also developed a doctor-led protocol, supported by a white paper, to help patients on sleep medication wean themselves off. Chemical solutions still have a place in this world, but we want to help people get back to their natural rhythms wherever we can. It’s about adding another tool to the toolbox – and providing a more empowering solution.

For more helpful insights into how to get a good night’s sleep, check out our event The Power of Rest.