7 Simple Steps to Wellness Through Proper Sleep

Photo: Child Sleeping

A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.

-Irish Proverb

Sleep is nourishing, healing, and recharging. It’s one of the most important activities you do every day that can rapidly enhance your overall wellness. Proper sleep allows your body and mind to reset and prepare to best function in the morning.  A key benefit of deep slumber is that your heart rate decreases, giving your heart and blood vessels some much needed rest.

Good sleep promotes good health, yet 50 to 70 million Americans don’t get proper rest, according to the American Sleep Apnea Association. Sleep deprivation can cause premature aging, erratic emotions, loss of proper balance, higher blood pressure, memory and focus difficulty, depression, and on and on.

Impacts of Sleep Deprivation

Impact of Sleep Deprivation - Long Description

More bad news- when you don’t get enough sleep the hormones in your brain that control appetite get out of whack, making you feel falsely hungry and less in-control than usual, increasing the chances of grabbing junk foods to snack on. You’ve probably experienced this without understanding why it’s happening.

There are many causes for insomnia including stress, anxiety, indigestion, aging, obesity, and breathing disorders. Ironically, one of the greatest tools for achieving your best health is deep, truly restful sleep every night. Unfortunately, the more sleep you miss the worse you feel, which can quickly lead to other health problems that make getting to sleep even harder.

Insufficient sleep is a public health epidemic.
- Centers for Disease Control

Here are 7 tips that can help break the sleep deprivation cycle:

  1. Cut down on, or better yet-completely cut out all, the caffeine from your diet.
  2. Turn your phone, computer, and TV off at least one hour before going to bed.
  3. Practice meditation to calm your mind and release negative emotions every night.
  4. Get regular exercise during the day.
  5. Drink a glass of warm water an hour before going to bed, and another one as soon as you wake up.
  6. Go to bed at the same time every night.
  7. Check out these all-natural, high quality, and plant-based supplements, as recommended by our wise Wellness Teams:

Plant-Based Supplements

Plant-Based Supplements Flyer - PDF Format

*Bonus: Find out how much sleep your keiki really need and how to help them develop healthy sleep habits

Come browse our Wellness Department aisles and talk story with our team for more helpful suggestions to improve your health and have a great sleep every night!