333: How to sleep better with Lorna MacDonald

333: How to sleep better with Lorna MacDonald

From The Scummy Mummies Podcast by Ellie Gibson and Helen Thorn

April 7, 2026 · 56 min

About this episode

Lorna MacDonald discusses sleep issues, particularly in middle-aged women, and offers practical advice for improvement.

What's going on in our brains when we can't sleep? What if you find it easy to drop off, but wake up a few hours later? How does the perimenopause play a part? Joining us to answer all these questions is the brilliant Lorna MacDonald.  Lorna is a neuroscience-based hypnotherapist and coach who's been helping Ellie get a bit more shut-eye. She explains why so many middle-aged women struggle with sleep, and gives us lots of practical ideas for improving things.  We talk about the stress bucket, and the difference between slutty and classy dopamine. There's some chat about alcohol and hormonal change. Lorna tells us the story of how she came back from burnout, and we talk about what it is, how to recognise the first signs, and what we can do to manage it.  Plus: why it's OK to be selfish, and how it can actually make you happier.  For more from Lorna, including how to get in touch with her and pricing,  thehypnotherapynook.com  or follow her on Instagram  @thehypnotherapynook . Helen's book "How to Face Big Change and Come Back Stronger" is now out and all about how women rebuild their lives after big shitty life things, it is uplifting, funny…

People in this episode

Hosts: Ellie Gibson, Helen Thorn

Guest: Lorna MacDonald

Topics covered

  • sleep improvement
  • neuroscience
  • perimenopause
  • burnout
  • self-care
  • parenting

Keywords

  • sleep
  • neuroscience
  • hypnotherapy
  • burnout
  • selfishness
  • parenting
  • perimenopause

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: thehypnotherapynook.com

Books & works: How to Face Big Change and Come Back Stronger

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