What Is Sleep Hygiene and Why Is It So Important to Your Health?
If life seems busier than ever today, you’re not alone. Between work, family, and everything in between, the adage, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” rings true for most of us. And while we may wear our ability to go, go, go as a badge of pride, the truth is that if you’re sacrificing sleep to get everything done, then you’re putting your health at risk. That’s why sleep hygiene is so important. Here’s what it is and how products and habits that support it can improve your overall well-being.
The Facts on Sleep
Most adults need seven to eight hours of good-quality sleep a night. However, a third of U.S. adults get less than that recommended amount. What’s the big deal? The impact of lack of sleep on your health and well-being is more significant than most people think, leading to issues such as:
- Lack of alertness
- Daytime sleepiness
- Impaired memory and concentration
- Moodiness
- Greater likelihood of car accidents
And that’s just in the short term. The long-term impact of lack of sleep includes the following.
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Stroke
- Obesity
- Depression
- Reduced immune system function
How Sleep Hygiene Can Help
Sleep hygiene encompasses the behaviors you engage in that help you fall asleep, reach deep sleep, and stay asleep during the night so you can wake feeling refreshed and energized. It’s a powerful tool we can all embrace in our quest for overall well-being.
Sarah Bowmar, a certified sleep consultant and certified Baby-Led Sleep™ & Well-Being Specialist who has been making waves with her expertise in optimizing sleep habits for the ultimate rest experience, says, “When putting a baby to bed, we make sure to check off all the boxes for sleep time, so why don’t we do this for ourselves?”
She recommends setting bedtime goals as one way to develop good sleep hygiene. This could include implementing a simple routine of brushing your teeth, washing your face, doing your skin care, putting your PJs on, and getting in bed. In addition, fitness tracker tools can help remind you when to go to bed, track latency (deep sleep, REM, wake-up times), and view sleep pattern data.
As far as what to avoid, keep in mind that sleep schedules are negatively impacted by spiked cortisol resulting from using screens in bed, consuming too much caffeine during the day, and eating less than two hours prior to bedtime.
Supporting Better Sleep
Sarah’s motivation, first and foremost, is her role as a parent—she wants to better the lives of parents, children, and families by working with them on sleep hygiene. Her passion for newborn, infant, and toddler sleep has carried over into her own personal sleep habits, so she now wants to help tired adults, too!
As the co-founder of Bowmar Fitness and Bowmar Nutrition (which offers clean products that promote a healthy lifestyle), Sarah has also released some innovative products to improve your sleep hygiene. These new releases help support and enhance sleep hygiene to help you achieve more restful, longer-lasting sleep.
- Deep Sleep Formula: This supplement, formulated with sleep-enhancing ingredients such as zinc and magnesium, helps you slip seamlessly into a better night’s rest so you can relax and unwind, waking up without feeling foggy.
- Magnesium Lotion: This lotion promotes healthy sleep and moisturizes the skin by combining magnesium with nourishing oils and butters. The lotion absorbs quickly without the side effects often associated with oral magnesium options.
- Vitamin D Cream: Supporting the immune system, this cream delivers the benefits of Vitamin D through topical application, which studies have shown to be absorbed better than oral supplements. It contains potent fat-soluble vitamins and can be easily absorbed when applied to a fat-rich area of the body.
- Feel Better Fast: These tincture drops, designed to combat illness and boost the immune system, are packed with powerful herbs that reduce inflammation and promote overall health. They provide a natural approach to fighting sickness by attacking incoming illnesses rather than just masking symptoms.
- Multi: This everyday multivitamin is formulated with organic herbs and naturally occurring vitamins. It serves as a natural source of nourishment that the body can fully absorb and use as energy, even on an empty stomach. The rich antioxidants in Multi support the immune system and promote heart, gut, brain, kidney, liver, thyroid, gallbladder, and metabolic health.
- Teething Relief: For parents dealing with teething discomfort in their children, this product offers a safe and natural solution that promotes calmness and relaxation. The organic herb-based formula provides quick pain relief without the use of harmful synthetic gels.
If you’ve been experiencing signs of sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality, such as taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep after getting in bed, repeatedly waking during the night, and/or feeling tired after getting enough sleep, consider how to improve your sleep hygiene today! Sweet dreams!
