This Nightly Self-Care Routine Helped Me Beat Insomnia
Think candles, crystals, and the Beyoncé of face masks.
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I’m the greatest sleeper of all-time. Or, at least, I was. I could go toe-to-toe with Sleeping Beauty and regularly clock 12 to 14 hours on weekends without a toss or turn. Napping on the couch was a favored pastime. I’m one of those people who falls asleep on the subway and you wonder if they ever make it home. Spoiler: We do, please don’t disturb us.
Then, things took a dark turn. I don’t know if it’s typical 2018 anxiety or whatever the millennial equivalent of wondering if you left your stove on (did I accidentally like that 28-week-old Instagram?), but I could not get to sleep. My best friend the ZZZs were betraying me. I thought it was tied to stress, wrote an article about trying to overcome it, but I quickly realized it was my own undoing. I would drink wine before bed, play on my phone, forget to wash my face, leave the lights on, and blare music from my speakers.
I decided to change everything in hopes of being reunited with my old pal slumber. I created my own self-care sleep routine packed with diffusers, incenses, lotions, and one eye mask that everyone should own. Ahead, the self-care routine that beat my insomnia once and for all.
Create a spa-like atmosphere
First, I bought a Himalayan salt lamp. The science—something about ions—is still out on the actual benefits, but the lamp looks gorgeous and if I believe it’s working, it’s working. “Mind over matter, matter over mind,” said Paris Hilton/Gandhi. And if you're skeptical of this science, don’t mind the fact that I also bought a bunch of crystals from Etsy.
Himalayan Salt Lamp, $34; urbanoutfitters.com
11 Healing Crystals, $18; etsy.com
Set the mood with candles
I found the candle of my dreams: Boy Smells’ “Kush.” I currently have a dozen plus Boy Smells candles in my house because I can’t stop talking about the brand and all my loved ones found the perfect (and a bit easy) holiday gift. My favorite of all the scents is Kush, though.
If I want to mix it up and wander from the Boy Smells path, I love Anthropologie’s Capri Blue in Volcano.
Boy Smells in Kush, $29; nordstrom.com
Capri Blue in Volcano, $28; anthropologie.com
When in doubt, diffuse it out
I'd be lying if i didn’t say I’m a bit disappointed my diffuser is not from Kashmere by Kim Zolciak, but the one I have is just as glamorous, powerful, and made for reality TV. My Saje Aromagem Gold diffuser works wonders. I’ve added it to my bookshelf in my bedroom and love using an array of oils to relax. Please note, though: I don’t burn candles AND use the diffuser, because I’m trying to get to sleep, not lose my mind. One or the other.
Saje Aromagem Gold Diffuser, $79.95; sage.com
Soothe your senses
I am a noted Lush stan so naturally I decided to invest in their new Sleepy lotion, since I love lotion in general. This version is particularly luxurious and moisturizing. Is there any science behind it? In my own personal lab experiments, I’ve found that one out of every one user falls asleep easily after use.
Sleepy Body Lotion, $9.95; lushusa.com
Claim your baggage
I go through an array of face masks. I’m addicted, to be honest. But the one staple in my journey is Wander’s Baggage Claim gold eye mask. Not only does it look chic—Heidi Klum uses it (hair flip, hair flip)—but it treats my under-eye bags unlike any other, both hydrating and reducing redness and puffiness.
Wander Baggage Claim Gold Eye Mask, $25; sephora.com
Channel Sleeping Beauty
I invested in good bedding. This was one of my first grown-up purchases and I’m grateful I’m a sucker for subway advertising because I fell hard for these Brooklinen sheets. They’re so soft, they’re so luxurious, and I feel like a fancy little adult woman living in the city. I’m the Carrie.
Brooklinen Move-in Bundle, $619; brooklinen.com
Invest in a great eye mask
If there is one thing I would say that beats all the rest in my exhaustive self-care routine, it would be this Slip Silk Eye Mask. It’s the Beyoncé of eye masks. It literally feels like a silk pillow for my eyes. (It also is kind of exactly that.) My dream is to invest in seven different silk eye masks and embroider them with the days of the week like the bougie queen I dream to be.
Slip Silk Eye Mask, $45; sephora.com
Sage it out
I’m really going deep on this hippie stuff. I don’t burn this every night in a ceremonial ritual, but if I have a bad day or a bad week it is nice to get out the bad vibes in the house.
Again it’s all about getting in the right mindset. Even if it’s not really smoking out the bad juju, holding a flaming stick does keep me off of Twitter, which is literally just a platform that packages bad juju into 280 characters ad infinitum.
Juniper Ridge Sage Stick, $11; urbanoutfitters.com
Palo Santo Incense Bundle, $11; anthropologie.com
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