It makes perfect sense why something we do 1/3 of the time in our lifespan makes all the difference in the world for our health. With that much time spent doing it, we need to make sure that it's being done optimally. Sub-optimal sleep can be the cause of things that we would never think of tracing back to our sleep quality and patterns.

Repair and growth happen when we sleep, so it is essential that we sleep for the right amount of time and in the right environment. Too many Americans report to have less than ideal sleep; it is no wonder why chronic disease, weight gain, and diabetes are commonly prevalent in our society. You could fix a number of things within your diet and exercise routine, but if you're not getting the sleep that you need, then what you thought was going to be effective is likely not going to be effective at the degree you want it to be. This is why we can't underestimate the power of sleep, and we must not fall into the trap of overestimating our ability to compensate for the lack thereof.

Although it's not easy to escape the constant notifications and lights we receive from our digital devices, you can take small, simple steps to navigate around your environment. Wearing blue-light blocking glasses are a neat trick to combat the melatonin-depleting lights at night. Avoiding stimulating activities before bed are also important for our body to naturally produce melatonin in preparation for sleep.

In creating the proper sleep environment, seek to make your bedroom as dark as possible. Our skin has photoreceptors just like our eyes and can sense if lights are on, which decreases melatonin production and can damage sleep quality. If you are able, sleep in a cool environment and do some breathwork exercises to relax your muscles and initiate your parasympathetic nervous system. Doing so will prime your body for sleep and allow your mind to drift into Zzz...

There's a good selection of options to choose from when it comes time to select a sleep supplement. Magnesium Bisglycinate is a popular choice for relaxing your muscles and helping active individuals unwind. Sleep+ is a wonderful formula for achieving a relaxed state of deep sleep. Theanine is another supplement worth taking for sleep, as it reduces stress and anxiety while calming the mind.