Melissa Urban on Sleep, Boundaries, and Why It’s a Non-Negotiable for Whole-Body Health

As the co-founder and CEO of Whole30, Melissa Urban has helped millions of people redefine their relationship with food, habits, and self-care. She knows firsthand the significant role food plays in health and well-being. But another often overlooked pillar of health is sleep. 

For Melissa, sleep isn’t about optimization, it's about integrity. When rest is treated as a priority rather than an afterthought, everything else—from habits to boundaries to long-term health—becomes easier to sustain. With intentional routines and supportive tools like Ozlo Sleep, better sleep becomes part of a larger commitment to living well, consistently.

In this Q&A, Melissa shares why sleep is foundational to everything she teaches, how she protects it, and why Ozlo Sleep has earned a place in her routine.

1. Why is sleep such a critical part of health and behavior change?

We know chronically being under-slept wreaks havoc on our health, from disrupting blood sugar regulation and hormonal balance to weakening immune function and increasing oxidative stress. But sleep also plays a huge role in habit formation and behavior change. 

Sleep increases self-regulation (willpower), which makes it easier to resist temptation and stick to your commitments. It promotes a positive mood and energy, which helps with motivation and follow-through. It's good for your brain, which helps you form new neural pathways, plan, and problem-solve—-all things important for overcoming challenges. Conversely, chronic lack of sleep makes you more stressed, more reactive, less patient, and far more likely to fall back into automatic, unhelpful habits.

2. What challenges have you personally experienced with sleep?

Where should I begin? Having a baby showed me why sleep deprivation is considered a form of torture. When I got my concussion, my sleep suffered for years due to pain, chronic inflammation, and hormonal changes. I’ve traveled extensively for work for the last 15 years, and between the time changes, intense schedule, and evening events, I’d get sick after every book tour. More recently, my husband came down with a respiratory infection and started snoring—a new development. (The fact that he didn’t snore is why I married him.) Combined with our poodle Henry’s increasing nocturnal noises, my sleep suffered for months. 

3. How did you first come across Ozlo Sleep?

I spent months waking up enraged several times a night, desperately trying to get my husband, our dog, or both to shift positions. I had tried every earplug on the market, even fancy ones from Sweden. My white noise machine was about to combust from overuse, not that it helped. Then I saw an ad for Ozlo on social media. I clicked “buy” in about 0.7 seconds.

4. What do you appreciate most about Ozlo compared to other sleep products?

I mean, it works? Literally that is the difference. Nothing else worked. The first night I had Ozlo, I slept better than I had in months. My volume isn’t even that high—I have it around 50%. But the built-in pink noise cancels out everything I don’t want, all night long. As a 90% side-sleeper, they’re comfortable too! Given how well they work, I literally would not care about EMF, but the fact that there is zero connectivity overnight is a nice bonus as well.

5. Who do you think would benefit most from Ozlo Sleep?

Anyone who likes to sleep. Even my husband, who historically can sleep through anything (including our dog’s snoring), has started using them and is sleeping an hour longer a night. I’ve heard from college kids with loud, partying roommates. I’ve heard from one man whose upstairs neighbors’ kids (and I quote), “Are practicing their wrestling techniques at all hours.” I’ve heard from frequent travelers who use them to block out busy city noise. I’ve heard from many women whose husbands also snore. There are so many scenarios in which you could benefit from Ozlo Sleep.

6. What’s one sleep habit you consider non-negotiable?

No screens in bed—ever. I read every night before I go to sleep. It’s the only thing that helps me turn off my brain and distract me from stressors. Plus, nothing good ever comes from checking your email or Instagram “one last time.”

7. How has prioritizing sleep impacted your life?

Prioritizing sleep has, by necessity, led to other healthy habits. I turn off the TV and my phone an hour before bed, so I can fall asleep easily. I go to bed early, to make sure I can get 8-ish hours. I wake up every morning at the same time, without an alarm, feeling energized and motivated. My morning workouts feel stronger, and it’s easier to eat foods I know work well in my body, because I don’t have cravings. (For me, lack of sleep is a bullet train to cravingtown.) When I sleep well, everything else in my life runs more smoothly—period.

If you want to keep your peace like Melissa, Ozlo Sleepbuds make it easier to protect your sleep and the boundaries that come with it. By masking unwanted noise and supporting deeper, uninterrupted rest, they help turn sleep into a non-negotiable you can actually stick to.