We all want to live long, healthy lives—and sleep helps us do that in a big way.
Spending enough time asleep each night (especially in later sleep stages like REM sleep and deep sleep) pays off for your immunity15, mental health16, cardiovascular function17, and more. As previously reported on mindbodygreen, over time, neglecting sleep is as harmful as chronically overeating or not exercising18. In fact, research shows that older adults who clock enough (7-8.5) hours of undisturbed sleep each night can live up to 3-6 years longer19 on average than those who don’t.
“If there’s any one positive thing we can do in terms of slowing down the aging process, sleep is really up there,” Seema Bonney, M.D., the founder and medical director of the Anti-Aging & Longevity Center of Philadelphia, previously told us. “I hear so many people say things like, ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead. And the truth is, you will be dead sooner if you don’t sleep.”
Of course, supplements alone can’t ensure a night of nourishing rest. You need to pair them with healthy sleep habits (that also can pay off for longevity in their own right), such as:
