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A Better Day Starts Tonight: Your Guide To Brighter Mornings
The first few minutes after you open your eyes in the morning will tell you a lot. Do your eyelids feel heavy, or are they wide-open to take in that crisp morning light? Does your body feel exhausted as it reaches for the snooze button, or are you inspired to rise and seize the day? Whatever your answer, it likely comes down to one thing: a good night's sleep.
Sleep issues are something many of us can bond over (as we hunch over our espresso)—68% of Americans have reported that they struggle with sleeping at least once per week. But the way we think about sleep is in need of a wake-up call.
A good morning starts tonight.
You've probably tried a lot of things to become a better morning person—perhaps sitting cross-legged and meditating, making a delightful breakfast, or listing out five things you're grateful for... These practices help, but a good morning really starts when we tuck ourselves into bed the night before. Quality sleep is what puts the shine in our rise—which is what the new Sleep & Shine Sleep Soundly™ supplement is all about. Formulated with 1 mg of melatonin and 120 mg of Shoden® ashwagandha, this supplement isn't just for falling asleep but for helping you improve your sleep quality so you wake feeling refreshed.* We've all settled for sleepless nights and sleepy mornings for far too long. With this guide, let's put them to rest.
What IS better sleep?
Many of us struggle with sleep difficulties—27% of U.S. adults report that they struggle to fall and stay asleep most nights! Collectively, we're in need of better sleep. And when we say "better sleep," we're really talking about restorative sleep1, where our body is able to rest and perform restorative body functions so that we can fully tend to our waking lives. Understanding restorative sleep starts with understanding our sleep cycles.
Our body passes through multiple cycles of sleep stages every night, which are categorized into non-rapid eye movement sleep (non-REM) and rapid eye movement sleep (REM). The three stages of non-REM sleep take us from a waking state to deep sleep, after which we reach REM sleep. In REM, the eyes move side-to-side beneath our closed eyelids, our heart and breathing rates increase, and we tend to experience vivid dreams.
To experience restorative sleep, we have to cycle through these sleep stages multiple times. On average, a sleep cycle takes about 90 minutes. In one night, the average person will cycle through about four to six times2. These figures are why adults are generally recommended to get seven to nine hours of sleep per night!
Ingredients for better sleep.
Melatonin has been used for decades as a key ingredient in sleep supplements. As a hormone that our brain produces in response to darkness, it supports our internal clock and can help us fall asleep quickly*... But what about staying asleep, which is key for our bodies to recharge overnight? The unique Sleep & Shine Sleep Soundly™ formula pairs melatonin with Shoden® ashwagandha. Ashwagandha has been used throughout history for a number of purposes, one of which is sleep support.* Shoden® ashwagandha contains ashwagandha's bioactive components, called withanolide glycosides, and has been clinically studied3 to improve restful (read: restorative) sleep, which can result in a more energized morning.*
Set up your sleep sanctuary.
Good sleep isn't just something to dream about... With as busy as we all are—balancing a job, family, and social life—restorative sleep is imperative. Sleep is sacred, and that means we need to set ourselves up for success. In addition to the support of Sleep & Shine Sleep Soundly™, that means establishing your sleep sanctuary.* First and foremost—make sure your phone is nowhere near your bed. In one study on young adults4, 41% had their sleep interrupted at least once per month by their smartphone. Those with frequent smartphone interrupted sleep reported an average of 48 minutes of less sleep. Phones and sleep don't mix.
Do your best to go to bed at the same time every night and try to wake up at the same time each morning. Studies have shown that a regular sleeping/waking time has numerous health benefits—like regulating mood status and metabolic health support. In addition to these basics, make sure your snooze sanctuary is dark, or wear an eye mask. And sleep temperature is everything! Make sure you're cool enough, and add fans or cooling sheets if needed.
How do you know if you got great sleep?
Instead of measuring your sleep by how quickly you drifted off, or how many hours you clocked—notice how you feel in the morning. After a night of restorative sleep, we wake up feeling refreshed. We feel less inclined to hit the snooze and more enthused to start the morning. Our body feels more energized, and our mind feels clearer. Another way to put it: You may just feel like a morning person.
Sights set on the sunrise.
The way we've always thought about sleep is evolving, and at the heart of that change is feeling our best as we start each and every day. How our morning unfolds will always point back to our night of sleep, because the two are inextricably linked. That's why the Sleep & Shine Sleep Soundly™ supplement is so revolutionary—it supports our sleep with sights set on the sunrise.* It may be time to rework your bedtime ritual, so just remember: Tomorrow's good morning starts tonight!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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