Former Loose Women panellist Saira Khan on dealing with midlife challenges and the healing benefits of sleep
WORDS: ANNA MATHESON. PHOTOS: GETTY, INSTAGRAM @IAMSAIRAKHAN, SHUTTERSTOCK
EXCLUSIVE interview
She’s never been afraid to open up about her personal life or health issues and now, Saira Khan has got real about the effects that both menopause and perimenopause have had on her. The 53-year-old, who stepped away from the Loose Women panel in 2021, has even admitted that going through menopause has affected her sex life. ‘If you’re tired, the last thing on your mind is to get intimate, you just don’t have the energy,’ Saira tells Woman’s Own.
In fact, a lot of Saira’s experience with menopause and perimenopause has revolved around lack of sleep. The star - who lives in Oxford with husband Steve Hyde and their two children Zach and Amara - reveals, ‘When I started going through the perimenopause my life was hell, the hot sweats were so extreme I didn’t sleep at all – my sheets were wet through with perspiration and I was up about 10 times in the night to the loo. It was a very horrible and low time. But then I took HRT and within three days of taking it, I was back to my happy, energetic self and also got my sleep back.’
TIRING LIFESTYLE
The mum-of-two admits that years of working in television also really affected her sleep pattern. ‘Working in TV did have an impact because the work is never regular and there are no set times – so it was early mornings, late nights and going to bed mentally exhausted, which really impaired my sleep.’ She adds, ‘I can actually survive on very little sleep because I have a lot of natural energy, but I have found that operating on less than seven to eight hours starts to show up on my face, i.e dark circles, I get stressed quickly and then I start eating the wrong foods.’
Now though, Saira is determined to change her attitude towards getting a good nights’ shut-eye. She explains, ‘There’s no doubt that as I have aged and done my own research on sleep, I have realised and appreciated the healing benefits of sleeping well – sleep helps us to lose weight, rejuvenates and heals our skin, repairs our bodies and essentially is the core to a happy, healthy body.’
Saira has now partnered with UK sleep specialist Woolroom to launch a new sleep campaign, and has been rethinking her routine to get a good night’s rest. ‘Going to bed early, leaving mobile phones away from the bedroom, soft lighting, blackout curtains, cooling PJs, comfy pillows and a good supportive bed,’ are her tips. Bedding is now important to Sai
