Ep 84: Restorative Sleep, REM & Whole-Body Healing with Jack Dell'Accio

Ep 84 | Quality sleep is the foundation wellness is built on. Without it, everything else—nutrition, exercise, supplements, mental health, and longevity—has to work a whole lot harder.

In this episode of Homes That Heal, Jen sits down with Jack Dell’Accio, certified Sleep Coach and CEO & Founder of Essentia, to talk about why better sleep starts with sleep quality, not sleep quantity. This is a grounded, science-backed conversation about restorative sleep, nervous system regulation, and why so many people are exhausted despite doing all the “right” wellness things.

Jack explains how REM sleep and deep sleep drive recovery, emotional regulation, immune health, and long-term resilience—and why your sleep environment, mattress materials, and exposure to toxins and allergens play a far bigger role in sleep health than most people realize. If you’re focused on healing, longevity, athletic recovery, or simply waking up feeling rested again, this episode brings sleep back to its rightful place at the center of the wellness wheel.

🕒 In this episode:
[04:28] – Why quality sleep is the foundation of overall wellness
[09:30] – Sleep health, recovery, and long-term longevity
[15:30] – REM sleep, deep sleep, and what actually makes sleep restorative
[17:30] – What professional athlete sleep studies reveal about performance and healing
[23:03] – Organic mattresses, toxins, allergens, and nervous system regulation
[33:43] – How your sleep environment and thermoregulation impact REM sleep and deep sleep cycles
[46:25] – Practical ways to improve sleep quality at home and sleep hygiene

This episode reinforces a simple truth: when sleep quality improves, everything else in your wellness routine works better—and when it doesn’t, nothing fully compensates for it.

👨‍⚕️ Meet Jack Dell’Accio:
Jack Dell’Accio is the CEO & Founder of Essentia and a certified Sleep Coach with over 20 years of experience focused on sleep health and restorative sleep. His work centers on how quality sleep supports disease recovery, prevention, mental health, longevity, and peak performance.

Jack has worked with elite athletes across the NBA, NFL, MLS, and over 25% of active NHL players, helping optimize recovery by increasing REM sleep and deep sleep. Essentia’s organic mattresses have been recognized by the Mayo Clinic’s Well Living Lab, and Consumer Reports has ranked Essentia the #1 foam mattress for eight consecutive years.

He also led a landmark double-blind study with professional athletes, showing that sleeping on an Essentia mattress increased REM and deep sleep by 20–60%, underscoring the powerful connection between sleep environment, sleep quality, and recovery.

Where to find Essentia:
Essentia Organic Mattress Info: https://myessentia.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/essentiaorganicmattress
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/EssentiaOrganicMattress
Facebook:

Connect with Me: Website - www.jenhellerlifestyle.com

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📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JenHellerLifestyle
📌 Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jenhellerlifestyle
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-heller-30b8a0126/

Chapters

• 4:28 Why quality sleep is the foundation of overall wellness
• 9:30 Sleep health, recovery, and long-term longevity
• 15:30 REM sleep, deep sleep, and what actually makes sleep restorative
• 17:30 What professional athlete sleep studies reveal about performance and healing
• 23:03 Organic mattresses, toxins, allergens, and nervous system regulation
• 33:43 How your sleep environment and thermoregulation impact REM sleep and deep sleep cycles
• 46:25 Practical ways to improve sleep quality at home and sleep hygiene