When’s the last time you had a good sleep? If you’re reading these words with bleary eyes and a yawn in your throat, you’re not alone – according to The Sleep Charity, as many as 71% of UK adults struggle to achieve the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night. And beyond sleep length, sleep quality can determine whether you wake up feeling groggy or refreshed and ready to start your day.

Emerging research suggests that sleep is the cornerstone of longevity – adults who enjoy adequate sleep tend to be less likely to develop chronic illness, and more likely to live well for longer. With sleep and longevity in mind, we developed our flagship Morning & Night supplement, the UK’s original and bestselling longevity supplement, harnessing the power of your natural circadian rhythm to improve sleep, skin, energy, immunity and more.

Think of the last time you skipped a full night’s sleep: you likely experienced a racing heart, elevated body temperature, exhaustion, nausea and more – it doesn’t take much imagination to understand why poor sleep might impact health and lifespan. Sleep is the time when the body and brain repair, restore and rejuvenate, impacting various aspects of health that contribute to a longer lifespan. 

Countless studies have proven a causal link between good sleep and longevity, and new research in CNN found that adopting five crucial good sleep habits can add 2.5 years to your life:

1. Fall asleep quickly and easily. Sometimes falling asleep ‘easily’ isn’t so easy. To prepare your body for sleep, work with your circadian rhythm to build a calming sleep routine
2. Stay asleep with few night wakings. Stress or stimulants like coffee or matcha can impact sleep quality and increase night wakings. If you’re struggling to stay asleep, work on reducing stress or minimising caffeine consumption after lunchtime.
3. Sleep for 7-9 hours. According to the NHS, adults need at least 7-9 hours of sleep each night to adequately recover from the day – and if you’re a woman, you might need to aim for closer to the top end of the scale. 
4. Wake up feeling rested. If steps 1-2 are followed, step 4 should come naturally. Make it your mission to achieve better sleep, and you’ll feel noticeably better day-to-day (and you just might live longer, too).
5. Ditch sleep medications. While sleep medications can be tempting, they come with a long list of side effects and they’re typically reserved for severe, temporary insomnia. Instead, reach for a sleep-supporting supplement with natural ingredients known to help your body repair overnight.

Good sleep is about more than how much, it’s about how well. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, nocturnal ‘mini-awakenings’ are a normal part of the sleep cycle – with many adults waking very briefly every 90 minutes or so. But some adults will wake more often, becoming fully awake and struggling to fall back asleep after each wake event. Not only can this signal that something is amiss (you may be experiencing stress, a medication side effect or a sleep disorder), but night wakings can impair your body’s ability to achieve deep sleep, the phase most associated with cellular repair and recovery.

Morning & Night’s carefully calibrated blend of 28 nutrients improves sleep quality with proven results – in our independent clinical trial, 84% reported better sleep and fewer night wakings with the support of Morning & Night.

Good sleep is about more than how much, it’s about how well. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, nocturnal ‘mini-awakenings’ are a normal part of the sleep cycle – with many adults waking very briefly every 90 minutes or so. But some adults will wake more often, becoming fully awake and struggling to fall back asleep after each wake event. Not only can this signal that something is amiss (you may be experiencing stress, a medication side effect or a sleep disorder), but night wakings can impair your body’s ability to achieve deep sleep, the phase most associated with cellular repair and recovery.

Morning & Night’s carefully calibrated blend of 28 nutrients improves sleep quality with proven results – in our independent clinical trial, 84% reported better sleep and fewer night wakings with the support of Morning & Night.

A good sleep begins with a good wind-down routine. To get your mind and body ready for sleep, build a routine designed to turn down the volume on your day, one notch at a time.

• Step 1: Embrace Morning Sunlight. A study in Sleep Health found that people who spend more time in natural morning light tend to fall asleep more quickly and experience fewer sleep disturbances – if you can, aim for at least 30 minutes of sunlight exposure within an hour of waking.
  
  
• Step 2: Build A Bedtime Routine. Mimicking the sleep routines of our ancestors, try to engage in calming activities before bed – avoid screens, sugary snacks or late-night exercise classes, and instead try reading, meditating, or taking a warm bath.
  
  
• Step 3: Gradually Adjust Sleep and Wake Times. Have a ‘bedtime goal’ in mind, and try making gradual adjustments – The Sleep Foundation recommends shifting your bedtime by 15 or 30 minutes every few days, until you reach your desired schedule.
• Step 4: Limit Evening Light Exposure. As you begin your evening wind-down routine, reduce exposure to artificial light, especially blue light emitted by screens (we recommend introducing a ‘screen ban’ two hours before bedtime).
  
  
• Step 5: Maintain a Consistent Sleep Schedule. Avoid the temptation to sleep in on a weekend or attend a 5am spin class once a week – try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, Monday through Sunday.
• Step 6: Be Mindful of Diet and Exercise. In the hours leading up to bedtime, avoid heavy meals, exercise, alcohol and caffeine (which can stay in your system for up to 12 hours, according to The Sleep Foundation), as these can interfere with sleep.
  
  
• Step 7: Choose a Sleep-Supporting Supplement. Our biologist-developed, clinically tested Morning & Night supplement supports sleep on a daily basis with ingredients like Magnesium, Sage and Glycine. In our independent, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 84% reported better sleep, fewer night wakings and increased daytime energy with the support of Morning & Night.

For more building your personalised wind-down routine, read our full ‘How to Reset Your Circadian Rhythm’ blog article here.