Sleep – The Foundation of Health and Longevity
SLEEP - THE FOUNDATION OF HEALTH AND LONGEVITY
Sleep is one of the most underestimated foundations of health.
We often focus on movement and strength, nutrition, sunlight and stress management, and sleep is frequently treated as optional. Something to sacrifice when life feels busy. Something we will “catch up on” later.
But sleep is not passive. It is not just rest. It is active, restorative work for our body.
Over time, I have come to see sleep as the foundation that quietly underpins all the other foundations of health.
Why Sleep Matters More Than We Think
If movement builds strength and nutrition provides nourishment, sleep is where the body decides what to do with both.
Matthew Walker, a neuroscientist and sleep researcher and author of the book Why We Sleep, was one of my first reads in this area. His work influenced my understanding of sleep as a foundation of health. He describes sleep not as downtime, but as a highly active biological process that supports almost every system in the body. When sleep is consistently compromised, health begins to unravel at multiple levels.
During sleep, the brain activates a specialised cleaning system known as the glymphatic system, which clears metabolic waste products that accumulate during waking hours. This includes proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Without sufficient deep sleep, this clearance process is impaired, increasing long-term risk to brain health.
Sleep is also when memory and learning are consolidated. Information gathered during the day is stabilised, integrated and stored, while emotional experiences are processed and regulated. This is why poor sleep affects not just cognition, but mood, resilience and emotional reactivity.
From a physical health perspective, sleep is essential for metabolic and hormonal regulation. Insulin sensitivity improves during sleep, growth hormone is released to support tissue repair, and immune cells are replenished. Even short periods of sleep deprivation have been shown to impair glucose control, increase inflammation, suppress immune function and elevate stress hormones.
Sleep loss also disrupts hunger and satiety hormones like ghrelin and leptin, often making us feel hungrier and less satisfied after eating.
Perhaps most importantly for longevity, sleep acts as a master regulator. When sleep is compromised, risk increases across multiple chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression and neurodegeneration.
“There is no major system in the body that is not profoundly affected by sleep” - Matt Walker
This is why sleep is often described as a force multiplier. Training, nutrition, supplements and stress management all rely on sleep to translate into adaptation, repair and long-term health. Without it, the body survives, but it does not thrive.
Sleep is not simply one foundation among many. It is the foundation that allows all others to work.
And this is why protecting sleep becomes even more important in midlife, when hormonal changes, stress load and recovery demands all increase at the same time, especially for women during perimenopause and menopause.
Sleep, Strength and Longevity
As we age, our cycles of sleep naturally change. Deep sleep may decline, nights can feel lighter, and recovery can take longer. This is not a reason to accept poor sleep as inevitable, but a reason to protect it more intentionally.
From a longevity perspective, sleep supports:
• Muscle repair and adaptation from training
• Cognitive health and memory
• Emotional regulation and resilience
• Metabolic and hormonal balance
• Immune function
Without it, even the best training and nutrition eventually fall short.
Supporting Better Sleep
Simple habits that matter
Rather than chasing perfect sleep, I focus on a few key levers that consistently support better sleep for most people.
Improving sleep does not require perfection or expensive tools. It requires rhythm, consistency and respect for how the nervous system works.
Regular timing matters
Going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time each day is one of the strongest signals you can give your body. Consistent timing helps regulate melatonin and cortisol, supporting deeper and more restorative sleep. Even on weekends, rhythm matters.
Adequate time in bed
The guide of 7-9 hours refers to actual sleep, not just time in bed. It is important to allow adequate time in bed to take account of the periods during the night that you are awake.
Morning light sets your night
Sleep starts in the morning. Exposure to natural light early in the day helps anchor your circadian rhythm and supports melatonin release in the evening. A short walk outdoors, morning coffee outside, or simply opening blinds can make a significant difference.
Create an evening wind-down window
The brain needs a transition from wakefulness to sleep. A simple 30-60 minute wind-down helps signal safety and calm. Dimming lights, reading, music, journaling, gentle stretching, or breathing are often great tools. It does not need to be elaborate, but it needs to be repeatable.
Limit blue light and stimulation at night
Artificial light, especially from screens, suppresses melatonin and delays sleep onset. Latest research from Flinders University in Australia also suggests that it may not be blue light alone, but the mental stimulation and anticipation from what we are doing on our devices that disrupts sleep the most.
Being intentional in the evening by dimming lights, using warm lamps, reducing screen time, or using night mode, or blue-blocking glasses can help signal that night is approaching. Keeping devices out of the bedroom, or at least well away from the bed, can also help reduce this effect.
Temperature matters
The body needs to cool slightly to initiate and maintain sleep. A cool, well-ventilated bedroom, breathable bedding, and even a warm shower before bed can support deeper sleep.
Be mindful of caffeine, alcohol and late meals
Caffeine can affect sleep long after its stimulating effects fade. Alcohol may make us sleepy but fragments sleep and reduces deep and REM sleep. Heavy or late meals can also interfere with sleep by increasing body temperature and digestive activity.
Stress and sleep are deeply connected
When stress is high, the body produces cortisol and other alerting hormones designed to keep us vigilant. Helpful in the daytime, but not at night. This can make sleep lighter or more fragmented even when habits are good.
In these times, the goal is not being overwhelmed with perfect routines but supporting the nervous system with calm evenings and consistency. Often, sleep improves when the body feels safe again. Stress management itself is a meaningful topic and one worth exploring more deeply another time.
The Role of Daily Movement in Better Sleep
One of the most overlooked contributors to good sleep is regular movement.
Sleep problems are often approached as a night-time issue, yet sleep quality is shaped by what we do during the day.
Regular movement:
• Builds healthy sleep pressure
• Regulates the nervous system
• Supports circadian rhythm
• Improves emotional regulation
Consistent movement practice including walking, mobility work, strength training and time outdoors can significantly improve sleep quality.
Sleeping Well Together
For many of us, sleep happens in a shared space.
Sleeping next to a partner can be supportive and disruptive. Emotional closeness can help us feel safe and calm, while snoring, restlessness or mismatched schedules can fragment sleep.
Helpful strategies include:
• Calm conversations about disruptions
• Aligning sleep times
• White noise or fans
• Addressing snoring
• Separate pillows or blankets when needed
Sometimes separate sleeping arrangements are simply a practical choice for recovery.
The goal is not perfection. It is collaboration.
What About Supplements?
Magnesium supports nervous system regulation and relaxation and has been part of my evening routine for over a decade. CBD oil may also help some people where stress or pain disrupt sleep. I have found this addition particularly helpful, especially when I feel extra physical soreness from training.
It is always important to address the foundations first, then bring in supportive tools as required.
You may also notice sleep becomes more fragile during perimenopause and menopause. One reason is declining progesterone, the body’s calming hormone. As levels fall, many women experience night waking or feeling wired but tired. This can be reassuring to understand. It is not a failure of discipline, but a reflection of hormonal change. Supporting sleep foundations becomes even more important, and for some women, discussing hormonal support with a qualified professional may be appropriate.
A Final Reflection
Sleep is not a performance metric. It is a biological need.
If sleep feels different in midlife, it is often because your body is navigating change, not because you are doing something wrong. Hormones shift, stress accumulates, recovery needs increase.
Sleep is one of the most powerful ways we support longevity, resilience and clear thinking as we age. It quietly underpins how we move and how we recover.
Protect your evenings.
Value recovery.
Treat sleep as an investment in your future health.
