There are several key elements for maintaining optimal health. Many of these elements are obvious and involve the human body. Flexibility, which can be maintained through regular stretching, is vital. Muscular strength is also key, and can be enhanced through resistance training, such as calisthenics or weightlifting. Very important is cardio-vascular fitness, which can be maintained through things like swimming, running, or even jump rope, should be a part of any exercise routine. Diet, meaning the types of foods we consume along with the portions of the foods we eat plays into our overall physical health, along with any nutritional supplements we might consume, can play an important role in maintaining our health.

But there is one element of maintaining optimal health that often takes a back seat to everything I have said above. That element may not seem important, but it is crucial.

That element is sleep.

I know people who seem relatively healthy but who are out-of-balance because they lift weights, they run, they eat properly, they stretch, the take nutritional supplements, and yet they are still not in optimal overall condition because they are exhausted due to a lack of sleep. They yawn a lot. Their minds are taxed. They seem to be sluggish. They drag their feet. They slouch. They doze off in meetings. They are not alert.

It’s all due to a lack of sleep. Such persons are so driven in so many areas of their lives that they neglect this very important part of their well-being.

Poor sleeping habits may be due to having a disease known as sleep apnea. While people who are overweight often suffer from sleep apnea, I know people who are quite thin who have it. Sleep apnea occurs when the muscles of the throat relax in such a way that they close off the airway, causing a person to breath in a very shallow way, depriving the body of much-needed oxygen, or worse, by closing off the airway entirely, causing the person to risk choking to death. Usually the person will wake up, gasping for air, but occasionally a person with sleep apnea will die in their sleep. It’s not common for that to happen, but it does happen. Thus, a person can seemingly go to bed and sleep for 8 or 9 hours but not really get restful sleep because sleep apnea causes their brain to wake themselves up ever so slightly multiple times each hour, thus robbing them of consistent sleep. A solution for this can come as a result of undergoing a sleep study which is conducted by a licensed physician (usually a pulmonologist) who can determine if you have sleep apnea. If you do, they can prescribe a machine, such as a CPAP, or a Bi-PAP, that can potentially solve the problem.

But even people who do not suffer from sleep apnea often get sub-optimal sleep. Usually it involves people who are very driven, who have to get up at a certain hour to get to work or school on time, but because they are so driven, they can’t disconnect and call it a day and start the sleep process in a manner that will give them a good 8 hours of sleep. Thus, they go bed much later than they should because they do not possess the discipline nor the commitment to “turn it off” and get to bed. This compromises their effectiveness.

How many hours of sleep does one need? There is no definitive answer that is agreed to by sleep professionals. Most sleep experts use 8 hours as a benchmark, though some people would do better with 9 hours. Some can do just fine with only 7 hours. Getting less than 6 hours of sleep each night is problematic for most. Donald Trump is a freak of nature; he claims he only needs 4 to 5 hours of sleep each night, though this hasn’t been verified. Winston Churchill needed 8 hours, but didn’t need then all at once; he could sleep for a 4-hour period, wake up and be productive for a stretch, then go back to sleep for another 3 or 4 hours before resuming productivity again.

My strong recommendation is that you decide what time you need to (or wish to) wake up each day, whether it’s 7:00 AM, 6:00 AM, or 5:00 AM. (I myself wake up at 3:30 AM Monday through Friday). Then count backwards to give yourself at least 7 if not 8 hours of sleep. Then have the discipline to make it “lights out” at that time that will give you 7 or 8 hours of sleep (or even 9 if necessary). Then consistency is the key; you’ve got to be committed and you have to discipline yourself to honor the time you say you will call it a day. I find it helpful to start the process of getting ready for bed 30 minutes before the appointed time. I also find it helpful to keep your bedroom as dark as possible, with no television playing. I turn off the ringer of my mobile phone, and I usually go through the ritual of putting on some soothing New Age music via an app like Pandora that has a timer to automatically shut off – I go with a 60-minute timer.

Pay more attention to your sleep patterns. Focus on consistency and discipline and you will very likely enjoy optimal sleep which will have a profound impact on your health and your general well-being.