Sleep is the center of our well-being. It renews your mind, body and soul. Quality sleep has the unique power to move society forward and improve lives. That’s my mission as the President and CEO of Sleep Number, and that’s why I couldn’t be more thrilled to be named Thrive Global’s Sleep Editor-at-Large.
This is an exciting time in sleep! It’s one of our most basic human needs, and yet people are just beginning to know it. Science has begun to reveal just how vital sleep is to every aspect of life – how it helps us focus, how it boosts our immune system and physical health, how it enhances our relationships and our job performance. At the same time, there have been incredible advances in technology that are empowering people to act on this new wave of findings and bring the power of sleep into their own lives. With over 40% of consumers concerned that their health will worsen due to poor quality sleep*, we must turn awareness of the importance of sleep into action, so people can change their lives for the better.
Sleep Number measures over 8.5 billion full-body biometric data points every night. As you sleep, the 360® smart bed senses your movements and automatically adjusts the bed’s firmness to give you the best quality sleep throughout the night. It’s effortless – nothing to wear or turn on; all you need to do is go to bed. Our SleepIQ® data proves that smart adjustability improves your restfulness, so you can wake up refreshed and rejuvenated. It’s been my passion to combine the latest science at the intersection of sleep, health and technology to help people achieve quality sleep. As I firmly believe, the stakes are high – if we can improve people’s sleep, we can make this a kinder world.
We all have defining ideals – values that are the most meaningful to us. For me that’s courage and kindness. Sleep is deeply connected to both. When we’re well-rested, we’re more present in our interactions. We take more time to listen. We’re more available. And presence leads to kindness. It enables us to connect in a way that brings joy to both parties.
Sleep also helps with courage. With quality sleep, we’re able to make decisions calmly and not react emotionally. We’re able to assess risk, connect to our belief in ourselves, confront our fears and push ourselves out of our comfort zone. I believe there’s a solution to every problem. Sleep gives us the courage to persevere and find those solutions.
Through sleep, we can impact society with greater compassion, more connection, more kindness and more courage. No matter what your defining ideals are, or what your goals and ambitions might be, sleep will help you reach them.
Sleep is universal; we all need it. But how we achieve quality sleep is individualized. My goal is to build a community and create a cultural movement around sleeping well, and that’s what you will find here. The core values we believe in – courage, well-being and quality sleep – will guide the conversation on “Sleep Well,” to help you bring your best self into every facet of your life. In doing so, you also improve the lives of those around you. We will share advice from experts on how to improve sleep, the latest scientific research on sleep, news on sleep technology and personal stories showing how sleep allows you to manifest your best self.
Better sleep can and will change the world. My personal motto is sleep well, dream big – sleep well at night to dream big during the day. Sleep well to be your best self. Let’s unite and make a difference. Join us on this journey!
Sleep well, dream big!
Shelly
Sleep Number® setting: 40; Average SleepIQ® score: 82
Follow me on Instagram @shellyibach and on LinkedIn here.
*Cited from Parks Associates