When I think of a New Zealand summer, my mind instantly fills with specific, wonderful sounds: the beautiful, unique call of the Tūī and the distant, familiar hum of lawn mowers on a Saturday morning.

In our fast-paced world, we often treat sleep as a luxury—the first thing to be sacrificed when deadlines loom or schedules get busy. But science shows us that sleep is not a luxury; it is a non-negotiable, foundational pillar of health, as essential as breathing, eating, and drinking water.