Keto for PCOS | Day 20: Prioritizing Sleep & Busting Stress

We’ve talked about food and exercise, but there are two stealthy saboteurs of health that deserve attention: sleep and stress. In my pre-FatBurn Fix era, I would stay up way too late (Netflix binges, anyone?) and I was often stressed from juggling work and life. I’ve started to realize just how much those factors can impact PCOS and weight.

First, sleep. I used to survive on maybe 5-6 hours of sleep, which left me groggy and reaching for sugar or carbs to perk up. Now, I set a bedtime for myself like I’m a kid again! I aim for a solid 7-8 hours. The difference is night and day – literally. I wake up with more energy and fewer cravings. There’s science behind this: inadequate sleep can increase insulin resistance and hunger hormones (Research Reveals Link Between Sleep Deprivation and Rising ...). No wonder I struggled before. By getting enough rest, I’m giving my body time to repair and hormones to rebalance (bonus: good sleep is great for weight loss and mood too).

Next, stress management. We can’t eliminate stress (life happens), but I’m learning to respond to it better. I take short breaks during the day to stretch or do deep breathing. In the evenings, I start the day with meditation and alignment. It sounded cliché to me at first, but it truly helps! When I’m calmer, I notice fewer junk food cravings and less emotional eating. High stress raises cortisol, which can trigger higher insulin and mess with our cycle – exactly what I don’t want. So keeping my stress in check is actually part of my PCOS strategy.

I’ve also set some digital boundaries: no doom-scrolling on social media right before bed (blue light and FOMO do not make for peaceful sleep). Instead, I read a light-hearted book or listen to soothing music as I wind down.

The results? I feel more centered and resilient. When minor annoyances pop up, I don’t immediately dive into a bag of chips like I might have in the past. And starting the day well-rested means I have the willpower and clarity to stick to my healthy routine.

Sleep and stress are still a work in progress – I’m no Zen master who hops out of bed at 5 AM naturally. But treating them as important pillars of my health (just like diet and exercise) has been a game changer. It’s a reminder that PCOS management truly requires a holistic approach. And honestly, giving myself permission to rest and relax has been one of the most healing parts of this journey.