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There was a time when my weekend didn't start until 10pm.
Friday meant getting ready with the music too loud, a quick drink in the kitchen and a taxi into town. Saturday was more of the same. I was the one dancing the night away, right up until the lights came up. I loved it. The music, the people, the feeling that the night could go anywhere.
If you'd told me then that one day I'd get excited about clean sheets and an early night, I'd have laughed and asked for another song.
Then my 40s arrived
Nothing changed overnight. It crept up on me. The late nights started taking longer to get over. One night out cost me two days. Then my sleep started changing even on quiet nights. I'd lie awake with my mind racing, or wake at 3am and stare at the ceiling until the alarm went off.
I remember sitting at my desk one Monday, tired to my bones, thinking: when did I stop feeling like me?
What I've learned since is that this is incredibly common. As hormones start to shift in perimenopause, sleep is often one of the first things women notice changing. It isn't weakness and it isn't in your head.
I didn't lose my zest for life. I moved it.
Here's what I want to say, loudly, to every woman who feels like her party years are over: they're not. They've just changed shape.
These days I'm all about the day do. A long lunch that turns into an afternoon of dancing. A garden party with the girls. A daytime gig where you're home in your pyjamas by nine and still feel like you've had the best day. I still dance in the kitchen. I still say yes to the things that make me laugh until my face hurts.
The difference is I no longer trade my whole week for one night out. I want to enjoy Saturday and still wake up on Sunday feeling like myself.
My wind-down routine
Nights in used to feel like giving up. Now they're something I actually look forward to. My routine is simple:
- Phones down an hour before bed or Anti blue light glasses on. Not always, but most nights.
- Something warm to drink. Usually herbal tea in my favourite mug.
- Two Deep Drift capsules about an hour before bed. It's part of my evening, like brushing my teeth.
- Low lights and a few pages of a book. Nothing too gripping.
- Eye mask on. Game over.
I made Deep Drift because I couldn't find a sleep supplement I trusted. Too many were underdosed, full of fillers, or so strong I worried about feeling groggy the next day. I wanted something I'd take every night myself: clean ingredients at studied doses, with no melatonin and nothing that knocks you out. It's now a non-negotiable in my routine.
The best of both
So yes, I used to spend most of my weekends dancing. I still dance. I just do it in daylight now, and then I go home, run a bath and let the night be quiet.
It turns out that choosing a night in isn't the end of the fun. For me it's what keeps the fun going.
Claire x
Founder, Vitali Life
Deep Drift is a food supplement and should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If you're struggling with your sleep, speak to your GP.