Sleep Is The New Performance Hack We Can All Get Behind

Fresh off the heels of this summer’s biggest sporting events, the wellness world has become fascinated by the training regimens, macro intakes, and daily routines that get the world’s best athletes to the top of their game. But even if you’re not planning to run a marathon or mount a pommel horse, our glimpses into these routines have revealed one performance hack that everyone can benefit from: Sleep.

No matter if you identify as a highly productive person or if you’re still working to find your flow, a quality night of sleep can unlock impressive benefits for your day-to-day life. Whether you’re currently working toward new health goals, remixing your routines, or rising to meet new challenges in your professional life, sleep is a proven way to help you maximize your performance — so why not level up your nightly snooze?

Start by revamping your bedroom setup to include products that complement your sleep habits. For example, if you often wake up feeling sore, get a mattress that conforms to your body’s natural curves for better support, like the GOTS-certified* organic Avocado Green Mattress. Or if you’re a side-sleeper, try choosing pillows specifically designed to fit snugly between your neck and shoulder, like the Avocado Green Pillow. The design fills that gap under the neck, which can help reduce strain on neck muscles and the cervical spine for improved sleep quality. (Don’t you feel a little cozier already?)

If you’re curious to learn more ways that a quality sleep setup can transform your everyday life, then keep scrolling to discover some of the unexpected advantages of a good night’s rest.

1. Quality Sleep Can Help Reduce Stress & Improve Your Mood

If a last-minute assignment from your boss automatically sends you into fight-or-flight mode, you may be dealing with unusually high stress levels. When you’re well-rested, you’re better equipped to tackle this kind of everyday interruption with ease. High-quality sleep can help you feel less anxious and improve your mood, according to the National Institute of Health.

2. Beauty Sleep Is A Real Thing

Don’t you just love science? According to the Sleep Foundation, your skin sees its highest levels of blood flow at night, which doubles your skin cell production, and by extension, your skin’s ability to repair itself. A healthy sleep routine also enhances your collagen production. (Hello, stronger skin elasticity!)

If your complexion is top of mind, be sure your pillow is made from materials that won’t irritate your skin. The Avocado Green Pillow is designed with kapok fiber and GOLS-certified* organic shredded latex fill. Translation? This pillow is hypoallergenic and retains less heat than synthetic materials, meaning that pore-clogging sweat will get wicked away as you sleep.

3. Sleep Helps Keep Your Immune System Strong

Nothing derails an apple-picking road trip faster than trying to suppress your cough in a car full of side-eyeing passengers. Take on flu season with confidence by clocking a full eight hours of sleep per night. Otherwise, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says sleep loss can lead to higher risks of infection thanks to your body not producing the same amount of those good, good antibodies that it typically cranks out while you snooze.

4. Better Sleep = Better Workouts

Sleep is to your body’s muscles as a bandage is to a paper cut; it’s the most efficient way to encourage healing and recovery, according to the National Institute of Health. So while you spend your night in a muscle-healing slumber, help your body combat other exercise-induced soreness in your back and joints with an upgraded mattress. The Avocado Green Mattress offers pressure-point relief in seven targeted ergonomic zones, and its 1,459 pocketed innerspring coils provide cushion where you want it most: your neck, back and hips.

Oh, and did we mention this mattress remains the highest-rated mattress on Consumer Reports across every category and price point since 2018? Yet another reason to consider a well-deserved mattress update.

5. Quality Sleep Increases Your Focus & Creativity

How many times have you caught yourself staring off into the distance while under a deadline? Even though those creative blocks may tempt you to reach for coffee, you’d be better off investing in your sleep quality, according to the National Institute of Health. That’s because good sleep promotes creative problem solving, since it gives your brain the chance to reorganize thoughts and memories. On a subconscious level, your mind is getting a boost that helps you identify patterns, which in turn leads to greater mental clarity — and who couldn’t use a little more of that?