A good night’s sleep is one of those wellness pillars that gets referenced constantly, yet seems to stay *just* out of reach for so many of us.

Which stings considering women are more likely than men to suffer from insomnia and other sleep disorders — not to mention the following ripple of repercussions.

This is why Dr. Sarah Gilchrist’s book, The Essential Guide to Women's Sleep: Supporting Healthy Sleep Practices for Wellbeing and Performance caught our attention…

A sleep health and performance specialist with a Professional Doctorate focusing specifically on recovery practices around sleep, downtime, and athletic performance, Dr. Gilchrist stands firm cover to cover that women's sleep is deserving of focused attention, intervention, and support.

Connecting the intricate relationship between hormones, pain, and sleep quality across a woman's entire lifetime, Dr. Gilchrist presents how when these three factors interlink, the result is often a strong reciprocal dynamic that can become a difficult cycle to break.

The book not only explains the mechanics of sleep in a relatively accessible way (more on that later), but also takes readers through key life stages including age, puberty, fertility, working life, pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause, as well as addressing how different generations, sleep disorders, pain, shift work, caregiving responsibilities, the cost-of-living crisis, stress, and mental health can all have an impact as well.

Further, it explores best practices including naps, developing healthy sleep systems, the impact of bedding, sleep environment, nutrition, and therapeutic interventions like CBT-I and ACT therapy, and more — plus pages of valuable resources to pursue.

One particularly valuable aspect is Dr. Gilchrist's pragmatic approach and validating observations. In acknowledging that obtaining "perfect sleep" isn't realistic for anyone, she also recognizes that socioeconomic factors and personal privilege significantly affect sleep, and that circumstances will differ for each individual.

Ultimately, her guidance is to aim for optimal sleep quality as much as possible, and to try one solution at a time so you understand what works — noting that changing too many things at once may actually cause poorer sleep, not better.

Back to where we said about the information relayed in a relatively accessible way; this is where candid expectations matter. While The Essential Guide to Women’s Sleep digs deeper than many alternative resources offer, it’s good to know that this isn't your typical sleep self-help book… Designed primarily as a professional reference resource for wellness practitioners looking to expand their care scope with clients, the book’s clinical depth and signposting might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

That said, however, if you're deeply curious like we were, and even more deeply motivated to understand the mechanisms behind your sleep struggles, this book could serve you well!

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The Essential Guide to Women's Sleep: Supporting Healthy Sleep Practices for Wellbeing and Performance

by Dr. Sarah Gilchrist

Published October 2025

via Jessica Kingsley Publishers

#TheEssentialGuidetoWomensSleep