Catch some z's
How I get to sleep — and stay there.
I love sleep. I do not, however, like to sleep in — nor do I take naps. Instead, I prefer going to bed early (I am usually under the covers by 9 p.m.) and rising early — there’s just something about being up before anyone else, in a quiet house, and drinking your coffee, ya know?
I take sleep very seriously and I like to think I have mastered my nighttime routine. Everything — the scent, my bed, my sleepwear — kind of coalesces perfectly, so I can be lights out for a solid eight hours. There are a few tips, of course, as we all age. For one thing, eating a lighter dinner, and eating it early, always helps me—probably the best sleep I’ve ever had is when I’m on a Whole30-type diet (i.e. no sugar, no gluten, no dairy) for a while. But there are also a few tricks to sort of lull you into a deep slumber, no matter what you ate that day.
So, at the risk of, well, putting you to sleep, this issue is devoted to all the things I use to help me get some shut eye.
Now on to the stuff I’m into this week (incidentally, all good-sleep-related):
A comfy mattress: I personally love my Tuft & Needle mattress but there are many similar options on the market (also, the Tuft & Needle memory foam pillow is great if you aren’t ready to splurge on the full mattress). I have also found that great sheets and a great comforter work wonders for me. I absolutely adore the Pottery Barn, Temperature-Regulating Sheet Set (these are great if you like to be bundled up without being super toasty). I also have two fluffy comforters with duvet covers. One stays at the foot of the bed mostly but can be pulled up if you want to get really cocoon-ish. (Both my duvet inserts are also from Pottery Barn and they are the Hydrocool moisture-wicking variety. Hydrocool also makes a moisture-wicking mattress pad which seems pretty, well…cool.)
A chic way to sleep, watch Netflix, or just generally lounge around the house: I spent years wearing kind of…whatever was laying around when I went to sleep. That might mean some old sweatpants and one of Tom’s shirts, or some ill-fitting pajama pants and a paint-splattered concert tee. I finally invested in a nice pair of PJs and haven’t looked back. Lunya makes a wide range, from silky slip dresses to luxe robes. I wear a very basic silk set (basically a tee shirt and drawstring shorts) and I adore them. They are washable, nice enough that if I had to run outside I wouldn’t look crazy, and in terms of price-per-wear, very affordable.
A surefire way to knock you out:I first bought these Knock Me Out chews at the Goop shop in Manhattan, as sort of a souvenir (I didn’t want to spend a fortune but felt like I had to leave with something). Now, they’ve become a part of my routine. Tom even filled my Christmas stocking with them this year. I love these because they definitely send me to sleep, but not immediately — and I don’t feel that dreaded hangover the next day that you might find with, say, Nyquil. Also, they taste sort of like a little treat (kind of minty and chocolatey, but without any bad stuff).
The ambiance you’re looking for: I find that my gray stone diffuser just adds to the whole nighttime ambiance. I also like the bubbling sound. But the real key is the scents. I have The Essentials kit, which includes kind of everything you need. I like Lavender to help me get to sleep.
A well-reviewed pillow spray: If the name isn’t enough to get you to buy This Stuff Works Pillow Spray, just take a look at the reviews. Whether or not it actually helps you get to sleep (or stay there), it has a nice scent and it’s all part of the bedtime ritual. Just spray it on all your pillows and close those eyes tight.
Recommended reading:
A new study links poor sleep patterns to negative mental health symptoms (even more reason to go to bed).
The ideal temperature range for the most comfortable sleep, says a Cleveland Clinic behavioral sleep medicine doctor, is “between 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit.”
A roundup of temperature-controlled sheets, direct from the experts.
And I’ll leave you with this…