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February 17, 2022 — 10:31 AM
It’s no secret that we here at mindbodygreen celebrate sleep. After all, it’s an essential pillar of overall health that sets us up for sharp thinking, creativity, emotional regulation, and more. Of all the tools that claim to promote all-important zzz’s, these are the ones that our discerning team swears by for sleep support night after night.
1. mindbodygreen sleep support+
If the name didn’t give it away, sleep support+ is a supplement designed to help you easily drift into dreamland.* It combines calming magnesium bisglycinate with jujube, a fruit used to enhance sleep quality in traditional Chinese medicine, and PharmaGABA®, a natural form of an amino acid neurotransmitter that relaxes the body and mind.* I personally take this sleep supplement nightly and find that it makes it easier to fall asleep quickly, stay asleep through the night, and wake up feeling more refreshed.*
Trust mbg’s beauty director Alexandra Engler to know a thing or two about beauty sleep. Engler opts to sleep on silk pillowcases because they’re gentle on skin and hair, and they minimize snags that can wake us up at night. “There are lots of options out there at several price points so it doesn’t need to be an indulgence or luxury to get one,” she notes. If you’re looking for a starter set, this one from Good Side—free of irritants and colored using an eco-friendly dye—is her current go-to.
While not exclusively a sleep product, these doctor-recommended earplugs top mbg’s vice president of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN‘s list of nightly essentials. She’s been using them for years to block out any noises, loud or soft, that can disrupt deep sleep and contribute to grogginess. With super-soft foam and a noise reduction rating of 32 decibels (occasionally, she’ll bump up to the 33-decibel blockers), they help ensure a quiet and comfortable sleep environment.
I used to not really consider how the clothes I was wearing to bed were affecting my sleep, but ever since interviewing experts for this article on the healthiest pajamas, I’ve been prioritizing organic, natural sleepwear. One company that’s doing it very well is Hass Apparel—a women’s fashion brand by Avocado Green. Not only do they use soft, safe materials like 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, but they also support the planet and its people through philanthropic products like their new Natural As Love T-Shirt, with proceeds benefiting Brave Trails, a nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ youth.
mbg’s spirituality & relationships writer Sarah Regan started using this foam pillow last summer and noticed an immediate difference in her sleep. Designed for side sleepers, it fosters head and neck alignment to promote deeper rest and reduce aches and pains upon waking. “I can’t go without it,” Regan raves. “It’s been a game-changer.”
The bedroom is a magnet for dust and debris, which can disrupt sleep quality and irritate the sinuses. To clear the air in her sleep sanctuary, mbg’s editorial operations manager Abby Moore relies on this Coway purifier. It features a HEPA filter to snag impossibly small particles, multiple fan speed settings, and an automatic timer. “I always opt for the eight-hour runtime, so I know it’s keeping my air quality pristine throughout my snooze,” says Moore. “And while there are quieter settings, I blast the fan to the highest speed to block out any disruptive city noise.”
Filling your bedroom with the right lighting—soft, warm light at night and brighter, cooler hues in the morning—can help keep the body’s almighty circadian rhythm running on schedule. This smart light and alarm clock from Hatch helps mbg’s associate beauty & wellness editor Jamie Schneider do it with the touch of a button. She’ll set hers to give off 30 minutes of warm reading light at night and 10 minutes of sunrise light in the morning. And for nights when she could use a little extra help winding down, the companion meditation app is clutch.
According to mbg’s nutrition research scientist Emma Engler, getting an eye massage before bed is just as relaxing as it sounds. She’ll pop on this high-tech mask after a long day for a quick air pressure massage or heat compress, complete with built-in speakers that further set the mood with relaxing tones. Bonus: The massager also folds up easily so she can take it with her during travel when sleep is harder to come by.
Aromatherapy can be very effective for relieving stress and soothing the mind before bed. mbg’s social media associate Olivia Giacomo is partial to the smell of earthy frankincense oil and she’ll rub a skin-safe blend on her wrists before reading every night to send a scented signal that it’s almost time for sleep.
