Sleep is a fundamental biological necessity that supports vital processes such as brain waste clearance, immune regulation, and nutrient metabolism. While the body can recover from an occasional night of poor rest, frequent sleep disruption can set the stage for chronic disease. Experts estimate that about ten percent of adults meet the criteria for insomnia, while another twenty percent experience occasional insomnia symptoms, highlighting just how widespread sleep problems are.

There are three key ingredients for healthy sleep: quantity, quality, and consistency. Adults generally need seven to nine hours of rest each night, with the required amount gradually decreasing with age. If you find yourself sleeping in on weekends or relying on naps to catch up, that’s a clear sign you’re not getting enough sleep during the week. But the number of hours alone doesn’t tell the whole story. The body cycles through several stages of sleep—from light to deep to rapid eye movement—and waking repeatedly during the night can interrupt these cycles, leaving you feeling tired even after spending sufficient time in bed. Equally important is maintaining a regular sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even on weekends, helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, the internal clock that governs hormone release, body temperature, and alertness. When this rhythm is stable, it becomes easier to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake feeling refreshed.

And no, that morning cup of coffee can’t make up for poor sleep. In fact, an analysis of data concerning more than 88,000 adults in the UK Biobank study found that inadequate or irregular sleep is associated with 172 diseases, including dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes. For 42 of these conditions—among them liver cirrhosis, fibrosis, and age-related frailty—poor sleep more than doubles disease risk. Remarkably, the researchers estimate that insufficient or irregular sleep accounts for roughly 20% of the overall risk profile in 92 of these conditions, suggesting that sleep regularity may play an even greater role in long-term health than sleep duration alone.

To set the stage for better sleep, experts emphasize lifestyle and environmental factors that support the body’s natural rhythms. A nutrient-rich diet, regular physical activity, limited alcohol and caffeine intake, and effective stress management all contribute to more restful sleep. Exposure to natural light during the day and minimizing blue light from screens in the evening help reinforce the body’s natural light–dark cycle. Keeping the bedroom dark, quiet, and cool promotes deeper rest, while maintaining a consistent bedtime strengthens the brain’s expectation of when to release sleep-related hormones. If snoring, gasping, or frequent awakenings are a problem, a sleep specialist can evaluate for conditions such as sleep apnea.

Finally, when pain interferes with sleep, addressing the source is essential. Research shows a bidirectional relationship between poor sleep and musculoskeletal pain—particularly low back pain—meaning that inadequate rest can worsen discomfort, and discomfort can further erode sleep quality. In such cases, consulting a doctor of chiropractic can be an important step toward breaking this cycle and restoring both comfort and healthy sleep.