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Sleep Smarts is your guide to shut-eye—with trusty tips, product recs, and new routines for a better night’s rest.
The worst thing about my sleep is that it’s unpredictable. The best thing about it is that it is predictably unpredictable. Some night…
Sleep Smarts is your guide to shut-eye—with trusty tips, product recs, and new routines for a better night’s rest.
The worst thing about my sleep is that it’s unpredictable. The best thing about it is that it is predictably unpredictable. Some nights I struggle with falling asleep; other nights I’m a super light sleeper, woken up by the sound of my own breath; still others I wake up at the crack of dawn for no apparent reason other than to mutter curses at my sleeping husband.
Sleep Smarts is your guide to shut-eye—with trusty tips, product recs, and new routines for a better night’s rest.
The best sleep of my life was thanks to a combination of fresh pajamas, jet lag, falling rain, and the background murmurings of Bravo…
The best sleep of my life was thanks to a combination of fresh pajamas, jet lag, falling rain, and the background murmurings of Bravo’s Below Deck, a reality television show about the interpersonal dynamics of a mostly dissatisfied megayacht crew. But what works for me is not, apparently, what works for the rest of you.
For the longest time, I’d never given much thought to my mattress. I’m not a bad sleeper by any means—once the lights go out once I put my phone down, I’m out like a baby and if I didn’t have a job to set my alarm for, I’d sleep until noon (or later). …
For the longest time, I’d never given much thought to my mattress. I’m not a bad sleeper by any means—once the lights go out once I put my phone down, I’m out like a baby and if I didn’t have a job to set my alarm for, I’d sleep until noon (or later). Fun fact: I once slept standing up in the middle of a casino.
I slept just fine with my old hybrid mattress that had a mix of innersprings and foam—I mean, when is sleep ever a bad thing? But it was never really great. It had gotten less supportive and more squeaky over the years so I’d often roll out of bed with a sore neck and back to avoid waking up my husband, and the thick memory foam was suffocating if I didn’t kick off my comforter. When I moved into my first home almost two years ago, I decided I needed an upgrade that would help me feel more refreshed and awake—you know it’s a problem when you’re still feeling meh after a solid nine hours of sleep.
Sleep Smarts is your guide to shut-eye—with trusty tips, product recs, and new routines for a better night’s rest.
The murkiest memory I have from the years I worked as a baker isn’t much of a memory at all. Just the jolt of the realization that I w…
Sleep Smarts is your guide to shut-eye—with trusty tips, product recs, and new routines for a better night’s rest.
The murkiest memory I have from the years I worked as a baker isn’t much of a memory at all. Just the jolt of the realization that I was in my bed, it was dark outside, and the person I was screaming at wasn’t a predator, but my partner, and he wasn’t going to hurt me, and there wasn’t anything to be afraid of.
I’ve been an insomniac since I was in sixth grade. Sleeping through the night has just never come easy for me, no matter what I do. I do all the sleep hygiene things you’re supposed to: no caffeine after noon, no alcohol three hours before bed (I mean …
I’ve been an insomniac since I was in sixth grade. Sleeping through the night has just never come easy for me, no matter what I do. I do all the sleep hygiene things you’re supposed to: no caffeine after noon, no alcohol three hours before bed (I mean most of the time), exercise, go to sleep and wake up on the same schedule, no screens. But I’ll still myself awake at 3 am, trying desperately to avoid checking the alarm clock and repeating the mental calculation of how much sleep I can get if I just managed to fall asleep right now and how tired I’ll be for whatever I have the following day. I’ve tried meditation, baths, sleeping pills, CBD, THC, sleepytime tea, Valerian tea, exercising in the morning, exercising at night.
These days my insomnia tends to come back in cycles—a few days every month I just won’t be able to sleep, no matter what I do. But most of the time, I figured out something that works: My wind-down routine is to treat myself like a baby.
For quite a few years now, bedroom design has erred on the side of light and bright—you know, white walls, creamy drapes, minimal art and decor—but I happen to think that’s far from the only way of doing things. Last year, I painted the back wall of my…
For quite a few years now, bedroom design has erred on the side of light and bright—you know, white walls, creamy drapes, minimal art and decor—but I happen to think that’s far from the only way of doing things. Last year, I painted the back wall of my bedroom in a deep, brownish gray (Otter Tail by Behr, to be specific), and I loved it so much that I knew I’d likely never go back to a bright white bedroom.
With two coats of paint on just one wall, my bedroom immediately felt more like the sanctuary almost everyone is reaching for when they design a bedroom. It felt cozy, warm, and altogether… sleepy. Think about it: Sure, some spas are light and bright, but aren't the most relaxing experiences (like massages and facials) in dim rooms with delicate wind chime music? You know I’m right.
Welcome to Best of the Test, a thoroughly tested, expertly vetted, only semi-serious product recommendation series. Join us as we sleep with a dozen different bed sheets, make gallons of ice, air fry all the wings, and more in pursuit of the very best …
Welcome to Best of the Test, a thoroughly tested, expertly vetted, only semi-serious product recommendation series. Join us as we sleep with a dozen different bed sheets, make gallons of ice, air fry all the wings, and more in pursuit of the very best things to buy.
It’s ironic to think that I’ve lost sleep over testing, and writing about, the best bed sheets, but here we are—one year, a dozen sheet sets, and several thousand words later.