Women often sleep less well during peri-menopause and menopause. How do hormones change during this period? We consider how supplements and the Zeez Sleep Pebble can help.

Earlier this year, when I said "Yes" to the terrifying prospect of three strangers reviewing the Zeez Sleep Pebble after a very short period of use, I didn't realise it would feature on a series about busting taboos.

The tv programme focuses on health issues that affect huge numbers of women: fibroids, vaginal atrophy, painful periods. Grim topics, yet listening to the first of the two broadcasts, I felt lightness: a weight of silence lifted.

10 ways in which better sleep could be the best Valentine’s gift ever

This has been a tough year. Many people are stressed, sleeping less, and having less sex, even when they live together. Sex is often the glue that holds relationships together, and this matters.

There are many things that contribute to our stress that we can’t change. We can, I think, change our sleep, and if we slept better, we’d be more resilient to stress, and enjoy better sex. Sleep is sexy. Here’s how.

The strength of our immune system depends on the quality of our sleep.

Our immune system repairs during deep sleep. Sleep poorly and we make 75% fewer virus-fighting natural killer cells and 50% fewer antibodies.

As well as helping us to sleep, the Zeez can help us to relax, and that also helps our immune system.

COVID-19 is scary. We need our immune system to work well to minimise its impact, and that means that we need good quality sleep. .