We've known for years that sleep matters, but new data from Oregon Health & Science University makes the stakes even clearer. Researchers found that insufficient sleep (fewer than seven hours per night) was significantly associated with shorter life expectancy, second only to smoking in its impact on mortality when controlling for diet, physical activity, and other traditional health behaviors. The relationship held across diverse populations regardless of income level, access to healthcare, or geographic location, suggesting that sleep insufficiency affects longevity in a fundamental way. It's essential to note that sleeping fewer than seven hours isn't always about dedicating insufficient time to rest. Many people struggle with sleep because of a disrupted stress response system and dysregulated HPA axis, which keeps the nervous system in a state of hyperarousal even when you're exhausted.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine's 2025 Sleep Prioritization Survey found that sleep, diet, and exercise form an interconnected triad. Among 2,007 adults surveyed, 59% reported that a well-balanced diet helps them sleep better, while 42-46% saw improvements from regular exercise. However, what most coverage overlooks is that many people continue to struggle with sleep, even when they eat well and exercise regularly. Research from Oregon Health & Science University found that sleep insufficiency was more strongly correlated with life expectancy than diet, exercise, or even loneliness (second only to smoking). The reason some people can't sleep despite healthy habits often comes down to a dysregulated stress response. When your nervous system is stuck in a chronic "fight or flight" state, the physiological systems that regulate sleep simply don't function properly.

Sleep is essential for memory consolidation, tissue repair, and emotional regulation, yet most of us aren't getting enough. Your gut microbiome may be directly influencing your sleep quality. Scientists have discovered that bacterial peptides released during microbial growth cross the blood-brain barrier and bind to receptors that trigger sleep responses. Metabolites like butyrate (a short-chain fatty acid produced by beneficial gut bacteria) and compounds involved in melatonin synthesis can directly or indirectly affect your sleep-wake cycles. Studies show that a more diverse microbiome correlates with better sleep efficiency and longer total sleep time, while conditions like insomnia are linked with lower abundances of health-promoting bacteria. In my clinical experience, I've seen this connection play out repeatedly: when we successfully address GI issues like SIBO or IBS, patients often report dramatic improvements in sleep quality. If you're struggling with sleep and also have digestive issues, addressing your gut health could be an important piece of the puzzle.

Research published in Nutrients showed that participants taking lemon balm experienced significant improvements in insomnia severity and increased slow-wave sleep, the deepest and most restorative stage of sleep. Even more impressive, 87% reported better sleep quality compared to just 30% who took a placebo. Lemon balm works by protecting GABA, your brain's primary calming neurotransmitter, while also preserving serotonin and dopamine levels that regulate mood. It supports your brain's ability to adapt to stress and reduces oxidative damage that disrupts sleep. Combined with L-theanine for calm focus, saffron for mood support, and adaptogens to normalize stress hormone patterns, it addresses the root causes of tension and sleeplessness from multiple angles.

You've probably seen alarming headlines about melatonin increasing heart disease risk by nearly 200%. Here's what the preliminary research actually shows. An extensive observational study presented at the American Heart Association conference found associations between long-term melatonin use and increased rates of heart failure and mortality in people with chronic insomnia. Although the dataset is substantial (comprising around 130,000 adults), it has significant methodological limitations. Most critically, the study suffers from exposure misclassification; since melatonin is available over the counter in the U.S., many actual users were likely classified in the non-melatonin group. The research also cannot account for confounding by indication (people taking long-term melatonin likely have more severe insomnia or psychiatric conditions, each tied to cardiovascular risk) or protopathic bias (early heart failure often causes fragmented sleep, prompting melatonin use before diagnosis). The authors themselves acknowledge these are preliminary, associational findings from a conference abstract, not peer-reviewed evidence of causation. If you're using melatonin chronically, this is a reasonable time to reassess and address root causes, such as sleep apnea and stress management, first. Supports restful sleep through stress pathway optimization and GABA support without hormonal disruption or dependency risk.