Healthy Her

If you’ve been struggling with sleep for a while, whether it’s difficulty falling asleep, those dreaded 3am wake-ups or sleep changes during perimenopause, you may have wondered whether it’s time to consider medication.
But with sleeping tablets, melatonin, antihistamines and cannabis-based products all being discussed as potential sleep aids, it can be difficult to know what actually works, what the downsides are and where to start.
In this Mini Motivation episode of Healthy Her, Amelia Phillips is joined by clinical psychologist and sleep researcher Dr Amelia Scott, founder of Circa Sleep, to unpack the different options available and where they may, or may not, have a role.
They also discuss why persistent sleep problems shouldn’t automatically be treated with a sleeping pill, and the importance of investigating underlying causes, including conditions such as sleep apnoea.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
The most commonly prescribed medications for sleep and how they work
Where benzodiazepines and Z-drugs fit into the picture
Why some antidepressants and antihistamines are used for sleep
What the evidence says about melatonin and who may benefit
What we currently know about CBD and THC-based products for sleep
The potential limitations and downsides of relying on sleep medications
Why conditions such as sleep apnoea can sometimes be mistaken for “poor sleep”
When medication may be useful — and when addressing the underlying cause is more important
About the guest:
Dr Amelia is a Clinical Psychologist and sleep researcher with a Master of Clinical Psychology and PhD from the University of Sydney. She runs Cira Sleep, a clinic specialising in treating insomnia and sleep disorders in the context of health conditions, such as chronic pain and neurological disorders. She practises CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia) and ACT informed therapy. She also has a special interest and additional post-graduate training in perinatal psychology, supporting women experiencing sleep disorders. Amelia draws from a range of evidence-based methods, and has a warm and collaborative therapeutic style.
Dr Amelia is about to launch an online course called The Insomnia Program, and there is an opportunity to be a part of the pilot program free of charge for a select few. It's a five-module, 6 week online course built on CBT-I, along with ACT therapy. A blended treatment program designed to address the root cause of insomnia and help you build a calm trusting relationship with your sleep.
Amelia is in the pilot phase right now and looking for the first participants to partake in the program now. If you'd like to be a participant or hear when it launches, express your interest below.
Be part of Dr Amelia's Pilot Program: https://www.circasleep.com.au/the-insomnia-program
Learn more about Circa Sleep here: https://www.circasleep.com.au/
Follow Dr Amelia on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/drameliajscott/
About the host:
Amelia Phillips is an exercise scientist, nutritionist, and published researcher (BSc, MNut) with a career spanning 26 years in health. She is the co-founder of Vitality360, a functional health platform that helps people gain deep insights into their health and make targeted changes for lasting vitality.

A respected media presenter, Amelia has been featured on Channel 9’s hit show Do You Want to Live Forever? and is dedicated to helping people build a life of energy, connection, and purpose at any age or stage of life.

Instagram: @_amelia_phillips
Have a question? Email: ap@ameliaphillips.com.au
Find out more at: www.ameliaphillips.com.au
Discover Vitality360: https://v360.health
CREDITS
Host: Amelia Phillips
Guest: Dr Amelia Scott. Audio Producer: Darren Roth
Music: Matt Nicholich Production Partner: Nova Entertainment Pty Ltd
Healthy Her acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you’ve always been a good sleeper and suddenly find yourself wide awake at 3am, struggling to fall asleep, waking more often or simply not feeling refreshed in the morning, perimenopause could be playing a role. Sleep disturbances affect an estimated 40–60% of women during perimenopause, and the numbers are even higher among women seeking help through menopause clinics.
In this episode of Healthy Her, Amelia Phillips is joined by clinical psychologist and sleep researcher Dr Amelia Scott, founder of Circa Sleep, to unpack why sleep can become so disrupted during this stage of life.
They explore what’s happening as our hormones begin to fluctuate, how symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats interact with sleep, and why stress, anxiety and changing sleep patterns can sometimes compound the problem.
Most importantly, they discuss what actually helps. From evidence-based strategies for insomnia to the everyday habits that support deeper, more restorative sleep, Dr Amelia shares practical ways to get your sleep back on track.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why sleep can suddenly change during perimenopause
How fluctuating hormones can influence sleep
Why waking during the night can become harder to recover from
How stress and anxiety interact with sleep in midlife
The common sleep mistakes that can unintentionally make insomnia worse
What CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia) is and why it’s considered a first-line treatment for chronic insomnia
Practical strategies to improve sleep quality and consistency
When disrupted sleep is worth investigating further
Whether your sleep has only recently started to change or you’ve been struggling for years, this episode will help you understand what may be driving it, and what you can do about it.
About the guest:
Dr Amelia is a Clinical Psychologist and sleep researcher with a Master of Clinical Psychology and PhD from the University of Sydney. She runs Cira Sleep, a clinic specialising in treating insomnia and sleep disorders in the context of health conditions, such as chronic pain and neurological disorders. She practises CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia) and ACT informed therapy. She also has a special interest and additional post-graduate training in perinatal psychology, supporting women experiencing sleep disorders. Amelia draws from a range of evidence-based methods, and has a warm and collaborative therapeutic style.
Dr Amelia is about to launch an online course called The Insomnia Program, and there is an opportunity to be a part of the pilot program free of charge for a select few. It's a five-module, 6 week online course built on CBT-I, along with ACT therapy. A blended treatment program designed to address the root cause of insomnia and help you build a calm trusting relationship with your sleep.
Amelia is in the pilot phase right now and looking for the first participants to partake in the program now. If you'd like to be a participant or hear when it launches, express your interest below.
Be part of Dr Amelia's Pilot Program: https://www.circasleep.com.au/the-insomnia-program
Learn more about Circa Sleep here: https://www.circasleep.com.au/
Follow Dr Amelia on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/drameliajscott/
About the host:
Amelia Phillips is an exercise scientist, nutritionist, and published researcher (BSc, MNut) with a career spanning 26 years in health. She is the co-founder of Vitality360, a functional health platform that helps people gain deep insights into their health and make targeted changes for lasting vitality.

A respected media presenter, Amelia has been featured on Channel 9’s hit show Do You Want to Live Forever? and is dedicated to helping people build a life of energy, connection, and purpose at any age or stage of life.

Instagram: @_amelia_phillips
Have a question? Email: ap@ameliaphillips.com.au
Find out more at: www.ameliaphillips.com.au
Discover Vitality360: https://v360.health
CREDITS
Host: Amelia Phillips
Guest: Dr Amelia Scott. Audio Producer: Darren Roth
Music: Matt Nicholich Production Partner: Nova Entertainment Pty Ltd
Healthy Her acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Ask Me Anything episode, host Amelia Phillips answers a diverse range of listener questions on multivitamins, troubleshooting creatine side effects, and figuring out where the heck you are in perimenopause.
First up, she dives into the eternal debate around multivitamins – are they essential for everyone or simply expensive wee?

Experiencing bloating or digestive discomfort while using creatine? It's super common, but Amelia has some handy tips to sort you out.

Finally, she helps listener Jodie figure out where exactly she is on her perimenopause journey

14 Day Vitality Reset: To find out more and join, visit: https://v360.health/14-day-vitality-reset/

To find out more about the Prevention Magazine World Menopause Day Lunch visit: https://www.worldmenopauseday.com.au/
For a deeper dive into multivitamins, listen to: FoundMyFitness Podcast – How to slow biological aging: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3jbmzKCoiG5JRZlekt6Ksy?si=db58b7abefe842a9
1:13:37 – Can a daily multivitamin slow aging? (discussion of the COSMOS trial)
1:22:18 – Omega-3, vitamin D and exercise – what moves the needle?
About the host:
Amelia Phillips is an exercise scientist, nutritionist, and published researcher (BSc, MNut) with a career spanning 26 years in health. She is the co-founder of Vitality360, a functional health platform that helps people gain deep insights into their health and make targeted changes for lasting vitality.

A respected media presenter, Amelia has been featured on Channel 9’s hit show Do You Want to Live Forever? and is dedicated to helping people build a life of energy, connection, and purpose at any age or stage of life.

Instagram: @_amelia_phillips
Have a question? Email: ap@ameliaphillips.com.au
Find out more at: www.ameliaphillips.com.au
Discover Vitality360: https://v360.health
CREDITS
Host: Amelia Phillips Audio Producer: Darren Roth
Music: Matt Nicholich Production Partner: Nova Entertainment Pty Ltd
Healthy Her acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Healthy Her, host Amelia Phillips asks leading menopause educator and GP Dr Ceri Cashell the questions on every midlife woman's lips – 'Should I consider HRT? Is now the right time to start if my symptoms aren't too severe? And what does treatment even look like, anyway?'
They discuss what's happening as you transition from perimenopause through to post-menopause, the most common peri and menopause symptoms Dr Ceri sees clinically, how hormonal shifts can dramatically impact mood, and all the ins and outs of HRT – including Dr Ceri's advice for finding a great women's health doctor.

About the guest:

Dr Ceri Cashell is a Sydney GP and co-founder of Healthy Hormones, Australia's leading evidence-based menopause education platform. A passionate speaker and advocate, she brings curiosity, compassion and a touch of comedy on her mission to create true gender equity in healthcare: educating both women and the clinicians who care for them. Instead of a midlife crisis, her team put menopause on the world stage at the Sydney Opera House, redefining the conversation for women everywhere.

Healthy Hormones website: www.healthyhormones.au
Get the app: https://apps.apple.com/au/app/healthy-hormones/id6749656733?l=en-GB
Dr Ceri Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcericashell/?hl=en
About the host:
Amelia Phillips is an exercise scientist, nutritionist, and published researcher (BSc, MNut) with a career spanning 26 years in health. A respected media presenter, Amelia has been featured on Channel 9’s hit show Do You Want to Live Forever? and is dedicated to helping people build a life of energy, connection, and purpose at any age or stage of life.

Instagram: @_amelia_phillips
Have a question? Email: ap@ameliaphillips.com.au
Find out more at: www.ameliaphillips.com.au

CREDITS
Host: Amelia Phillips
Guest: Dr Ceri Cashell
Audio Producer: Darren Roth
Music: Matt Nicholich
Production Partner: Nova Entertainment Pty Ltd
Healthy Her acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this not-to-be-missed episode of Healthy Her, host Amelia Phillips welcomes back neuroscientist Dr Sarah McKay to discuss dementia – now the biggest killer of Aussies (overtaking heart disease).

Dr Sarah discusses the 14 modifiable risk factors and outlines simple steps you can start taking today to lower your risk of dementia by up to 45%! The risk factors are:
Early life and Environment
Low education
Air pollution
Lifestyle & behaviour
Physical inactivity
Smoking
Excessive alcohol intake
Brain & sensory health
Untreated vision loss
Traumatic brain injury
Hearing loss (new)
Cardiometabolic health
High blood pressure
Type 2 Diabetes
Obesity
High LDL cholesterol (new)
Mental & social wellbeing
Depression
Social isolation
About the guest:
Dr Sarah McKay is an Oxford-trained neuroscientist, author, speaker and educator whose work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, women’s brain health and real life. She specialises in translating complex brain research into practical strategies we can use every day for improved health, mood, and performance.

She has appeared on the Mel Robbins podcast and is the author of three books on brain health: The Women's Brain Book, Baby Brain, and Brain Health For Dummies – published earlier this year.

Visit Dr Sarah's website: https://drsarahmckay.com/
Dr Sarah on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarahmckay/
Purchase the paperbacks: https://www.booktopia.com.au/search?author=Dr+Sarah+McKay Purchase the audiobooks: https://www.audible.com.au/author/Dr-Sarah-McKay/B07C5F1X3T
About the host:
Amelia Phillips is an exercise scientist, nutritionist, and published researcher (BSc, MNut) with a career spanning 26 years in health. A respected media presenter, Amelia has been featured on Channel 9’s hit show Do You Want to Live Forever? and is dedicated to helping people build a life of energy, connection, and purpose at any age or stage of life.

Instagram: @_amelia_phillips
Have a question? Email: ap@ameliaphillips.com.au
Find out more at: www.ameliaphillips.com.au

CREDITS
Host: Amelia Phillips
Guest: Dr Sarah McKay Audio Producer: Darren Roth
Music: Matt Nicholich
Production Partner: Nova Entertainment Pty Ltd
Healthy Her acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.