{"id":150146,"date":"2026-06-26T00:48:50","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T04:48:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/?p=150146"},"modified":"2026-06-26T00:48:50","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T04:48:50","slug":"why-sleep-might-be-the-missing-piece-of-your-health-routine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevalleyledger.com\/?p=150146","title":{"rendered":"Why sleep might be the missing piece of your health routine"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Gina McDonald, Senior Health Coach at Capital Blue Cross<\/em><\/p>\n

When I sit down with clients to talk about their health, the conversation usually starts the same way \u2013 covering nutrition, exercise, or stress management. But it often shifts when I ask a simple question:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat does your sleep look like?\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when I hear the hidden story \u2013 waking up in the middle of the night, a racing mind, feeling exhausted no matter how many hours spent in bed.<\/p>\n

Today, we\u2019re starting to view sleep differently thanks to a growing\u00a0body of research<\/a>\u00a0showing that poor sleep can increase health risks like cardiovascular disease, dementia, obesity, and diabetes.<\/p>\n

Many clients come focused on weight management or improving their energy. But once we talk about sleep, it often becomes clear that it\u2019s a foundational piece of the puzzle \u2013 one that influences everything else.<\/p>\n

So instead of thinking about sleep as something that just happens at the end of the day, I encourage people to think about these four key insights that can help them better understand \u2013 and improve \u2013 their sleep.<\/p>\n

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  1. Sleep is about quality, not just quantity<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    We often focus on getting enough hours \u2013 and that\u00a0seven-to-nine-hour<\/a>\u00a0range for adults is still a helpful guideline. But quality matters just as much as quantity.<\/p>\n

    You can be in bed for eight hours and still wake up feeling exhausted if your sleep is disrupted or restless. On the flip side, when sleep is more\u00a0consistent and restorative<\/a>, people often feel better, even if other factors haven\u2019t changed.<\/p>\n

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    1. Your sleep will change throughout your life<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Another important thing to know is that\u00a0sleep isn\u2019t static<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 it evolves over time. I see this with new parents, of course, but also during other life stages.<\/p>\n

      Periods of high stress can disrupt sleep. As we age, sleep patterns can shift as well.<\/p>\n

      For women, hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can have a significant impact. Medications and certain health conditions can also affect sleep quality.<\/p>\n

      What this tells us is that sleep challenges aren\u2019t always about doing something right. Sometimes, they\u2019re your body\u2019s way of signaling that something else is going on \u2013 and needs attention.<\/p>\n

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      1. Good sleep doesn\u2019t happen by accident<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        One of the biggest mindset shifts is that you have to actively work toward better sleep.<\/p>\n

        I\u2019ll often ask, does your body know when it\u2019s going to bed? For many people, the answer is no. Bedtimes vary. Routines don\u2019t exist. Screens are involved right up until the moment they try to fall asleep.<\/p>\n

        Sleep improves when we give our\u00a0body the right signals<\/a>. That might mean:<\/p>\n