Most people think they can power through anything with just a few hours of sleep. But over time, realize how much it is costing them—their health, their focus, their mood, their relationships and their ability to perform. Prioritizing sleep changed my life in ways I never expected. I recently got the chance to share my story and what I’ve learned in this interview with Shawna Robins for Authority Magazine. We talked honestly about the challenges, the science, and the small steps that can make a big difference. I hope it speaks to you, especially if you’ve been putting sleep on the back burner. Remedies can be simple, uncomplicated and guilt-free. - Lisa Juris
Sleep: Lisa Juris of SOMO Sleep Fitness On Why You Should Make Getting A Good Night’s Sleep A Major Priority In Your Life, And How You Can Make That Happen
Authority Magazine, April 23, 2025. The first best option for quality sleep is a sleep mask, because light is the enemy of sleep. Oddly, sleep masks rarely make the list of things to do for a better night’s rest. Everyone will benefit from wearing one even if only to block that little light from your cable box. Other solutions for managing light include drapes and blackout blinds, but just know, you can’t take them with you.
Getting a good night’s sleep has so many physical, emotional, and mental benefits. Yet with all of the distractions that demand our attention, going to sleep on time and getting enough rest has become extremely elusive to many of us. Why is sleep so important and how can we make it a priority? In this interview series called “Sleep: Why You Should Make Getting A Good Night’s Sleep A Major Priority In Your Life, And How You Can Make That Happen” we are talking to medical and wellness professionals, sleep specialists, and business leaders who sell sleep accessories to share insights from their knowledge and experience about how to make getting a good night’s sleep a priority in your life. As part of this interview series, we had the pleasure to interview Lisa Juris, Co-founder and CEO of SOMO Sleep Fitness.
Lisa is a creative innovator and best-in-class brand builder with an extensive track record of dramatically increasing brand engagement and user community and driving business growth. She has a highly accomplished career overseeing marketing, advertising, design, customer experience, and reputation management for omni-channel brands in the private and public sectors.
Recognized for her entrepreneurial spirit and successful industry firsts, Lisa’s perceptive analysis of market trends combines with measurable analytics that keep her ahead of the curve for developing exceptional brand plans and positioning for new and established businesses.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to ‘get to know you’. Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this particular career path?
I’d say more like a career passion. It began when I was a young ad executive in my first apartment in Brooklyn. My bedroom had huge windows with views of Red Hook and the F & G trains passing by 24/7 — the city that never sleeps kept me from sleeping because of all the flashing lights. Unable to afford blackout blinds to cover loft-sized windows or find any kind of sleep mask to help block the light, I used a stuffed animal over my face to get enough sleep to function the next day and perform at my best in my new career.
Since then, my life in sports and entertainment marketing has taken me around the world, on numerous red-eyes and to many time zones. Still unable to find a quality sleep mask that blocked light, was comfortable, well-designed and machine washable, I decided to design one myself. Empowering people with a sleep and stress-reducing aid that is safe, simple, portable and cool looking, to become their best selves, became my goal. Thus, SOMO Sleep Fitness was founded.
Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. Let’s start with the basics. How much sleep should an adult get? Is there a difference between people who are young, middle-aged, or elderly?
According to the National Sleep Foundation, to maintain physical, cognitive and emotional health, the general recommendation for adults aged 18–65 is 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Younger folks, in the 18–25-year-old group, do well with slightly less sleep, provided they don’t sacrifice sleep duration for school, work, or social activities.
Middle-aged adults should aim for closer to nine hours of sleep. That’s because 45- to 54-year-olds are usually at a point at which work demands are peaking, so work productivity, mental health, and even cardiovascular health are more adversely affected by sleeplessness.
For adults over 65, a primary concern is achieving the requisite daily physical activity, as opposed to work obligations or family demands. For this group, 7–8 hours of sleep is sufficient to maintain physical activity and avoid co-morbidities.
Is the amount of hours the main criterion, or the time that you go to bed? Can you explain?
Sure. First, let’s understand that sleep occurs in cycles, during which we transition from near wakefulness to deep and REM sleep. It’s not unusual to wake up during these cycles, if only momentarily, before returning to sleep. Those minutes we’re awake are deducted from overall sleep time, so technically, we’re not measuring the total time between falling asleep and waking up, but the total time asleep. This is where sleep tracking devices can be helpful. But if we want to keep it simple, then yes, total sleep time is the main criterion.
Theoretically, the time you go to bed shouldn’t affect your total sleep time, provided you can control for light intrusion. As we know, our circadian rhythm is influenced by lightness and darkness. Darkness, through melatonin release, signals the body it’s time to go to sleep. Conversely, daylight is a stimulus that triggers the release of cortisol, informing the body it’s time to wake up. So, regardless of your bedtime, exposure to daylight is your wakeup call, and if you go to sleep later, you may be woken up before acquiring a full night’s sleep. If this is you, then having blackout blinds, or a good sleep mask that remains in place throughout the night, will ensure that light doesn’t prematurely interrupt your sleep.
One last note here is that the scientific literature is fairly consistent in showing that college students with earlier bedtimes and waketimes, typically demonstrate higher academic performance. So, “early to bed and early to rise” actually can make you wise.
How will someone’s life improve after getting enough sleep? Can you help articulate some of the benefits this person will see after starting to get enough sleep? Can you explain?
That’s a great question. Anyone who has spent even a few sleepless nights feels the effects in their mood, energy, and ability to concentrate. After a single night of quality sleep, however, subjective ratings of fatigue and sleepiness improve significantly. Additionally, a person’s focus and attention increase, especially later in the day, when a lack of sleep would have a greater negative impact. Other cognitive abilities, such as decision-making and memorization skills, considered high-level functions, get significantly better following just two nights of proper sleep.
But let’s face it, we can’t simply sleep our way to better health. Sleep, however, can support other healthful activities, such as exercise, and therefore deliver indirect health benefits. For example, longer and higher sleep quality are associated with increased physical activity, essential to maintaining effective body weight, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and even mental health and fitness.
Athletes also reap the benefits of a good night’s sleep. Statistically, athletes who get at least eight hours of sleep report higher training quality and are less likely to suffer injuries. There’s also a body of science looking at something called “sleep extension,” which is a fancy term for sleeping longer. Interestingly, athletes who cement their sleep habits and increase their sleep duration over time, typically perform better.
So, whether you’re an athlete looking for the slightest competitive advantage, or someone who just wants to maintain better physical and mental health, sleep is the supplement that you need.
The truth is that most of us know that it’s important to get better sleep. But while we know it intellectually, it’s often difficult to put it into practice and make it a part of our daily habits. In your opinion what are the 3 main blockages that prevent us from taking the information that we all know, and integrating it into our lives? How should we remove those obstacles?
Only 3?
Alright, in that case, I’d start with stress. We conducted extensive consumer research when we were developing our sleep mask, and the one finding that really stood out was that 63% of our respondents told us that the reason they couldn’t fall asleep was because they were stressed and couldn’t “turn off their brains.” Stress also acts like sunlight, causing cortisol secretion, which results in a cortisol awakening response, a major sleep disruptor. Reducing stress at bedtime is essential, and this can be accomplished through mindfulness and relaxation apps, meditation, or stretching exercises. Our sleep mask is also a good solution, as it’s designed with an acupressure feature that has been clinically shown to reduce stress and induce sleep.
Second on my list is caffeine. Ok, most people probably know that they shouldn’t drink caffeinated beverages at night, but that’s not good enough. Caffeine has a half-life of 12 hours, meaning that 12 hours after having been ingested, it’s still half as potent as it was when it was first consumed. That will definitely have a negative impact on sleep. As a rule of thumb, depending on one’s bedtime, don’t drink anything with caffeine in it after 11:00 am.
Third is technology. Other than using apps for listening purposes, looking at our phones and tablets, which use blue light emitting diodes (LEDs), is associated with disrupted sleep. If you want to read, try going old school and pick up a book. Frankly, nothing puts me to sleep faster than reading a book in bed at night.
Do you think getting “good sleep” is more difficult today than it was in the past?
It’s absolutely more difficult. Today’s world is so much more complex, with more distractions than it was even 10 years ago. Between light pollution, noise pollution, stress, expanding work schedules, and more of just about everything, it’s getting tougher and tougher to get true, quality sleep.
Ok. Here is the main question of our discussion. Can you please share “5 Things You Need to Know to Get the Sleep You Need”? If you can, kindly share a story or example for each.
1. The first best option for quality sleep is a sleep mask, because light is the enemy of sleep. Oddly, sleep masks rarely make the list of things to do for a better night’s rest. Everyone will benefit from wearing one even if only to block that little light from your cable box. Other solutions for managing light include drapes and blackout blinds, but just know, you can’t take them with you.
2. Everybody should really learn relaxation techniques to lower their stress levels. Whether it’s by using apps, or box breathing, or mindfulness exercises, reducing stress is essential for falling asleep and staying asleep.
3. Once you know how to relax, develop a good consistent sleep routine. A sleep routine can include establishing a consistent bedtime, preparing the room and bed for optimal comfort, reading a book (avoid your phone if you can), and applying those relaxation exercises. Doing this nightly creates a habit that really helps usher in sleep. Everyone is different, so be sure to develop one that works for you, your lifestyle, and life stage, as your needs will change over time.
4. Exercise and sleep have a reciprocal relationship, and together, are essential to overall health and wellbeing. Regular exercise improves our physical, mental, and emotional health, and it also helps us sleep better. Conversely, sleep allows the body to recover from exercise, and therefore, makes sure that we’re enjoying the rewards of our efforts. They key is to find a good balance between exercise intensity — making sure it’s not too strenuous — and sleep duration. It’s always advisable to begin slowly and gradually increase the effort, as tolerated. Also, be sure not to work out too close to bedtime, and with any exercise routine, we recommend consulting a physician before starting.
5. Lots of people enjoy a delicious cappuccino, or even a glass of wine with dinner. Both can be wonderful treats, but having caffeine too late, or consuming too much alcohol, is very detrimental to sleep. If you really want to prioritize sleep, limit caffeine to the morning, and drink moderately.
What would you advise someone who wakes up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back to sleep?
First and foremost, don’t touch that phone! It’s bad enough to wake up but illuminating that screen will only make it worse. The main issue with interrupted sleep seems to be that once you’ve woken, your brain starts going, you begin thinking, and at that point, you’re functionally awake.
If you have a sleep mask, wear it. It’ll at least block any light that could keep you awake. The acupressure of the SOMO mask will also relax you and help you get back to sleep. Next, you can use a mental trick to keep your mind from whirring up. I just repeat the word “sleep” in my mind, which prevents me from forming more complex thoughts when I’m trying to get back to sleep, and before I know it, the morning has arrived.
What are your thoughts about taking a nap during the day? Is that a good idea, or can it affect the ability to sleep well at night?
I think there’s general consensus that napping can be very effective. Naps have been shown to deliver a variety of benefits, from improvements in simple math calculations, to more complex information processing, and even reaction time tasks. Napping is also helpful with offsetting sleepiness, particularly in the afternoon when fatigue begins to set in. More importantly, the effects of napping on sleepiness are more consistent and last longer than a dose of caffeine, which negatively affects our nighttime sleep patterns.
The keys to effective napping are the time of day at which the nap is taken, and the duration of the nap. The optimal time of day for napping is between 3:00 and 5:00 pm, when there’s a natural circadian dip in alertness. The “forbidden zone” for napping is from 7:00–9:00 pm. Naps taken during these hours can lead to significant sleep disruptions later.
Sleep behavior is another consideration before someone takes a nap. People who are sleep-deprived, and generally more fatigued in the afternoon, are better off napping earlier, so that there’s less chance of interruptions later. For the sleep-satiated, having more time awake before the nap can lead to better results afterwards.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?
There are a lot of very wise people in this world with invaluable lessons to share. But here’s one that really stuck with me. While walking my dog recently, I saw our neighbor, a usually very active person — who’s rarely sitting — quietly birdwatching in his backyard. In our brief conversation about current events, he quoted this to me, “When the barn burns down, you can see the moon.” It struck me so as being so apropos, relevant to my career, and how my life has unfolded, life in general, needing no more discussion.
It stuck with me so much I looked it up when I got home and texted it to my kids. It’s attributed to the famous Japanese poet Matsuo Basho. He was a master of haiku and often used simple observations to convey deeper philosophical truths. This phrase speaks to the idea that sometime, amid hardship or destruction, new perspectives and opportunities can emerge. Just keep going, be resilient and every day is a new day. Try your best!
Wonderful. We are nearly done. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
If I could have breakfast or lunch with anyone, it would be Dolly Parton. She always makes me smile, and I love how she truly lives out everything she believes in. Against all stereotypes, criticism, generations of change, Dolly’s been consistent and unflappable. She’s not just a country music legend, she’s kind, down-to-earth, and uses her success to do good in the world. Her imagination Library program alone is incredible. I admire how she stays genuine and spreads so much positivity, and I think sitting down with her would be a chance to soak up some of that joy and wisdom. In the world of complexity and innumerable choices, she tops my list.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
We have a robust Blog on our website www.somosleepfitness.com, and we’re regularly active on Instagram and LinkedIn as well. Connect with us and our SOMO community, our growing family of advisors and experts who share our goal and mission — for a happier, healthier world, simply and naturally.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About the Interviewer: Shawna Robins is an international best-selling author of two books — Powerful Sleep — Rest Deeply, Repair Your Brain and Restore Your Life, and Irresistibly Healthy — Simple Strategies to Feel Vibrant, Alive, Healthy and Full of Energy Again. Shawna is the founder and CEO of Third Spark, an online wellness hub for women over 40 who want to reignite their sleep, reset healthier habits and respark their lives. Shawna is a sleep expert, hormone health expert, and a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBHWC). She has been featured on many podcasts including Dr. Mindy Pelz’s “The Resetter Podcast” and in Authority Magazine, Thrive Global, and The Huffington Post. A free download of her latest book can be found at www.thirdsparkhealth.com/powerful-sleep/ You can follow her on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
