Waking up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning is not the only reason getting your zzz’s is a good idea. Sleep is so much more important than many of us may realize; it’s absolutely vital to our health. Not getting proper sleep doesn’t just mean brain fog and lots of extra yawning. It can seriously affect your quality of life and your well-being.
The point is: sleep is a big deal. It impacts almost every single aspect of your health. That's not hyperbole. Sleep is essential for energy (of course), cognitive function, heart health, cell regeneration, memory, mood, immune response, and even weight maintenance.
Sleep is tied to…well, pretty much everything. It’s even directly connected to longevity!
The upside of sleep being linked to so many facets of health is that by simply prioritizing rest, it can have a cascading positive effect. The downside, of course, is that the inverse is true. Poor sleep can equal poor health in lots of areas.
Unfortunately, The World Sleep Society reports that up to 45% of the global population suffer from sleep problems, including insufficient sleep, poor quality sleep, and irregular sleep patterns.
How insufficient is insufficient? Well, for most adults, the magic number is 7+ hours of high-quality sleep each night. While we all know sleep is important, if you’re part of the 45% dealing with sleep challenges, you know getting proper sleep is not always so easy.
The good news is there are plenty of ways to start prioritizing your sleep in the new year.
What is Sleep Hygiene? (And Why Does It Matter?)
Hygiene is defined as ‘Conditions or practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease, especially through cleanliness.’
The “cleanliness” part may throw you, but when you consider the rest of the definition, “hygiene” is a great way to think about your sleep health. Sleep hygiene refers to good sleep habits—both regarding your sleep environment and behavior—that are conducive to boosting your health and helping you stay well. Hygiene, indeed!
Some people joke that bedrooms are “where the magic happens,” but they’re not entirely wrong if they’re referring to sleep. Sleep is when your body repairs, regenerates, and restores itself. It’s when your body processes information, regulates emotions, repairs tissues, strengthens the immune system, and balances your hormones.
That’s why lack of sleep spells trouble. Even missing one night of sleep can create a prediabetic state in a healthy person! (This is from John Hopkins.)
The short of it is, when you don’t get enough sleep, many things are thrown off. Your immune function is compromised, making you more likely to get sick. If you suffer from depression, seizures, high blood pressure, or migraines, your symptoms worsen when you slip on your sleep. Cognitively, poor sleep hinders our ability to process or remember what we encountered during the day.
Researchers also believe that sleep may promote the removal of waste products from brain cells (a function that seems to work less efficiently when the brain is awake).
How to Improve Your Sleep Hygiene
Establish (and stick to!) a consistent sleep schedule
Keeping a sleep schedule can be easier with a weekday routine, but if you really want to make the most of your sleep, make waking up at the same time every day a habit—yes, even on weekends. Sorry!
Think about your circadian rhythm
Rhythm is the perfect word for it. By establishing a clear sleep routine, you’re setting yourself—and your biological clock—up for successful rest, night after night.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine
Related to the above, focus on the things that help your body transition into “sleep” mode so you can get high-quality rest. That means avoiding screens—especially as the blue light disrupts melatonin. Instead of scrolling your phone, reading a book, light stretching, meditating, or journaling are all great ways to unwind and prepare yourself for slumber.
Optimize your sleep environment
Ideal bedroom conditions are all about the big three: cool, dark, and quiet! Keep these top of mind as you create your sleep environment. And whatever you need to help you sleep, go for it! It’s worth the investment. White noise machines, blackout curtains, and essential oils that promote relaxation, like lavender, are all excellent options.
Mind your diet before bed
Especially later in the day, try to limit things in your diet that can disrupt sleep. This means avoiding heavy meals, alcohol, and caffeine. If you're feeling peckish before bedtime, opt for light snacks—like bananas, almonds, or herbal teas that naturally help promote rest.
Incorporate natural sleep support products
It’s tempting, but skip the pharmaceuticals and other habit-forming sleep aids. Natural supplements can help you achieve better rest without all the drawbacks.
That’s where +Restful Sleep can make all the difference in your sleep!
The Science Behind All-Natural +Restful Sleep
Unwind and relax for deep sleep at night without next-day grogginess or risk of long-term dependency? It’s possible with +Restful Sleep! Its calming ingredients help relax your body and mind—without using melatonin. Carefully formulated with complementary whole botanicals and powerful adaptogens, +Restful Sleep is mindfully crafted to help you achieve the rest you need to thrive.
Key ingredients in +Restful Sleep
- Chamomile gently supports a calm, relaxed state.
- Reishi Mushroom promotes overall well-being.
- KSM-66® Ashwagandha supports better sleep and aids relaxation. (And more! Read about all the benefits of KSM-66® Ashwagandha here.)
- Saffron enhances sleep quality and mood.
- And L-tryptophan promotes melatonin and serotonin production. (Yes, the amino acid we often associate with turkey and Thanksgiving naps!)
Pair +Restful Sleep and ION* Gut Support
In addition to its effective and all-natural ingredients, +Restful Sleep is unique because it helps address some of the underlying root issues that can affect sleep—namely, gut health. That’s why +Restful Sleep was specially created to work synergistically with ION* Gut Support.
Surprised? Well, consider that 95% of your serotonin (a key neurotransmitter for sleep) is created in the gut. Then, consider that almost two-thirds of people in the U.S. experience gut issues, and it’s not shocking to see there could be considerable overlap between the gut health and sleep issues.
Not to mention, an unhealthy gut is also less able to properly absorb vital nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins, both essential for healthy sleep cycles. To make matters worse, environmental toxins like glyphosate can block the production of critical amino acids (including L-tryptophan!).
By pairing +Restful Sleep and ION* Gut Support, you’re giving your body a comprehensive, all-natural boost to help you get the rest you need and ensure that sleep can do all it needs to keep you thriving.
Ready to Set a Resolution for Better Rest in 2025?
Prioritizing sleep doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach. By taking manageable and actionable steps to help your body rest, you can naturally sleep deeply. Commit to better sleep this year with +Restful Sleep, an easy step that’s not only effective and simple, it’s gentle and supportive.
Take the first step towards getting the rest you deserve. Try +Restful Sleep and discover what a difference a good night’s sleep can make in your day!
