Getting enough sleep is likely the most important thing any person can do to improve their overall health and wellness. Unfortunately, sleep has been under appreciated in our modern culture as people who “sleep less and do more” are often rewarded for this unhealthy behavior. Some people even wear their lack of sleep like a badge of honor, because they are so busy doing “more important” things.

When it comes to health and overall wellness, sleep is not only important, but absolutely essential. Adequate sleep boosts your immune system and memory, increases your energy and metabolism, balances your mood and emotions, and truly affects ALL aspects of your everyday life.

Sleep is an aspect of wellness worth an intentional, daily effort, and this daily effort to maintain good sleep can be referred to as “sleep hygiene.” Just like regular hygiene, sleep hygiene is dependent on every day actions. Here are some ideas of daily acts that you can try to improve the sleep hygiene of your family, including kids.

• Eliminate caffeine after 3pm
• Silence alerts on a cell phone (including any flashes of light)
• Stop screen time an hour before bedtime
• Spend time in the sun or outside each day
• Spend time being active every day, even 20 minutes of exercise per day can enhance sleep.
• Set a consistent, daily wake-up time and let your body adjust with a consistent bedtime (shoot for at least 8 hours!)
• Try a meditation from an app or audio clip

Listen to your body! You may have your own ideas for improving your sleep hygiene. Try them out and keep track of their impact. Every intentional effort to prioritize better sleep, will give back in enhanced wellness. It’s worth the effort!