Why Sleep Hygiene is a Health Ritual, Not a Luxury
We throw around the phrase "I'll sleep when I'm dead" like it’s a badge of honor. But let me tell you—cutting sleep short might just be the thing that gets us there faster. Sleep is not a passive, lazy phase where nothing happens. It’s sacred. It’s healing. And ignoring it is one of the fastest routes to burnout, chronic illness, and mental health struggles.
I know a lot of people today struggle to fall asleep and stay asleep. Our nervous systems are so overstimulated and reactive that it feels almost impossible to wind down. But here’s the truth: your body wants to rest. You just have to let it.
Let’s bust a few myths and get to the heart of what sleep disruption really is, how irregular schedules mess with your whole system, and how to start building simple rituals that guide your body back into rest.
What Actually Happens When You Sleep
Sleep is when your cells regenerate.
During deep sleep:
your body repairs tissue,
rebalances hormones,
strengthens your immune system.
During REM sleep:
your brain is actively processing memories and storing them properly,
Your gut is busy detoxifying and digesting.
So no, you’re not "doing nothing" when you sleep. Did you know that being awake for 24 hours impairs your body and mind to the point that it's legally considered the same as being drunk? If that doesn’t sound scary, try this - 17 hours of sustained wakefulness impairs performance equivalent to a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05%*. This means that when you sleep 7 hours per night, when you go to sleep, your judgement and coordination has already been compromised at nighttime, so 7 hours should be a minimum you should be aiming for.
Think about that the next time you pull a late one and still expect to function.
Chronic lack of sleep is linked to almost every modern disease: heart problems, insulin resistance, depression, anxiety, brain fog, lowered immunity, and yes—accelerated aging.
What Is Sleep Disruption, Really?
Sleep disruption isn’t just waking up once at night. It’s your body getting stuck in a stress loop, never fully entering those deep, restorative cycles. It’s going to bed at midnight and waking up at 6AM every day thinking coffee will solve the fatigue.
Irregular sleep schedules throw off your circadian rhythm, which is your internal clock governed by light, darkness, and routine. That rhythm controls everything from digestion to hormone production. If it’s out of sync, your whole body feels it.
Tips to Prepare for Sacred Sleep—Nightly Rituals for a Rested Nervous System
Disconnect After Work. Unless you’re a surgeon or actively saving the planet, you don’t need to be on your phone after 7pm. Create a clear boundary between work and rest.
Dim the Lights. Switch to warm or amber-toned lighting in the evening. Darkness signals the body to produce melatonin, your natural sleep hormone. Bonus: it’s more romantic too.
Ditch the Screens Before Bed. Your phone, laptop, and TV emit blue light that mimics the sun and keeps your brain wired. Torturing yourself with screens in bed is like drinking coffee at midnight.
Create a Sleep Sanctuary. Your bedroom should feel like a safe, calm cave. Use calming scents like lavender, play soft music, take a warm shower, and even do a short foot or body massage with warm oil to settle into your body. This is your daily return to peace.
Stay Consistent. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day—even on weekends. Your nervous system loves rhythm.
Let Sleep Be Your Medicine
Better sleep is a process, not a switch. But don’t ignore it. Don’t push it aside thinking you’ll "catch up" later. Prevention is the real path to health. Ignoring sleep now and hoping your body will forgive you later is a gamble you don’t need to take.
Start tonight. One small change at a time. Because your body deserves to rest. And your spirit does too.
Sweet dreams, Anete // Pachamama Union
*Williamson, A. M., & Feyer, A. M. (2000)
“Moderate sleep deprivation produces impairments in cognitive and motor performance equivalent to legally prescribed levels of alcohol intoxication.”
Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 57(10), 649–655.