Whether you start your day tapping that extra snooze or wake up naturally refreshed and ready to carpe diem, we can all agree that a good day begins with an even better night’s sleep. Thanks to its multitude of benefits, sleep hygiene has been trending in the wellness space for some time, and the spotlight on sleep doesn’t seem to be fading anytime soon. We’re calling it: 2019 is the year of sleep optimization.
The new year is full of possibility and opportunities for personal growth, enhanced wellness and all-around achievement. Fortunately, prioritizing stellar sleep doesn’t mean sleeping on your 2019 resolutions! In fact, far from it: sleep deprivation and lack of deep sleep can hold you back from functioning at full capacity.
Emphasis on regular rest and relaxation as an important aspect of holistic wellness is nothing new, but the significant sleep craze is a reaction to our current culture and collective sleep crisis. Here’s why we believe 2019 will be the year of optimizing sleep:
1. Hormones are a hot topic
Learning how to manage our hormones and understand their natural fluctuations is a hot topic in and of itself, and it will have a direct impact on our zzz’s in 2019. According to Amodrn sleep specialist, Olivia Arezzolo, bad nights of sleep instantly alter your hormones — making you much more likely to feel stressed, depressed, anxious, and unable to concentrate. What’s more, there’s the increased likelihood of weight gain, loss of hard-earned muscle tone, sugary cravings and a weakened immune system for fighting off the office cold. With more mindfulness on hormone health and their influential roles in our day-to-day lives, we’ll also see more attention placed on encouraging a successful night’s sleep.
2. Sleep has become a public health concern
When we don’t get enough sleep it can affect the lives of others, too. The CDC has cited drowsy driving as a public health problem, with 1 in 25 adult drivers reported having fallen asleep while driving in the last 30 days. Falling asleep at the wheel is clearly dangerous, but being sleepy affects your ability to drive safely even if you don’t fall asleep – drowsiness makes drivers less able to pay attention to the road and slows reaction time if you need to brake or steer suddenly. A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimated that 328,000 drowsy driving crashes occur annually, so getting the sleep we all need is critical.
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3. Employee burnout is expensive
Companies are starting to recognize that employee burnout is a real thing, with Forbes listing “addressing burnout” as one of the top workplace wellness trends for 2019. An insomnia research study found that for the average employee lack of sleep leads to the loss of 11.3 days’ worth of productivity each calendar year – equivalent to $2,280 out of employer pockets. Preventing burnout by allowing employees to relax, recharge and mitigate stress will be top of mind with conscious companies.
4. Rise of the sleep industry
With consumers hungry to hack their sleep like never before, there’s no shortage of products to assist with a quality night’s sleep. From restorative sleep formulas – we love Liveli’s nootropic Sleep Peacefulli blend, which features Valerian Root, Chamomile and ingredients that support brain health – to sleep tracking devices, flax linen sheets, weighted blankets, luxury eye masks and lavender-infused sprays, there’s something for everyone to boost their bedtime routine with.
Want to improve your snooze? Try these six ways to stick to your “sleep better” New Year’s Resolution.
