I consider quality sleep to be one of (if not the top) most important pillars of health. It’s also the most overlooked too. When our schedule fills up, the first thing we tend to sacrifice is sleep—staying up later to meet deadlines, waking up earlier to get more accomplished, and even downstream consequences that reduce sleep quality from things like unhealthy stress, eating meals too late, drinking too much alcohol, etc.

Sleep practice and habits are collectively called “sleep hygiene,” and poor sleep hygiene can lead to worse consequences than just feeling tired. Prolonged poor sleep can have a negative effect on hormones, physical performance, and brain function. It can also lead to weight gain and increase your risk of disease.

Good sleep hygiene, on the other hand, has some very beneficial effects on the body and mind. When you are getting the right amount of quality sleep, it can help you eat less, exercise better, and promote your overall health