Tag Archives: sleep

Sniff Your Way To A Full 8 Hours

If lack of sunlight or too much stress or “Downton Abbey” is interrupting your beauty sleep — I know I’ve been sleep deprived lately — 21 Drop’s Sleep aromatherapy roller ball may help you get the eight hours you need. A soothing blend of sandalwood, ylang ylang and vetiver essential oils work to  quiet your cacophonous mind and help you surrender to your pillow. Just dab on your wrists, temples and under your nose before bed drift off to dreamland. Um, can I have some right now, please?

[$29.00 21 Drops]

On Sleeping Naked

sleeping naked photo

Last night I did something I’ve never done before: I slept naked, alone, in my bed.

I usually sleep with my window open — there’s a screen, of course — so gusts of wind can circulate in my room. Last night, though, there was not a single gust of wind. It might have been 75 degrees outside at midnight and maybe 80 degrees in my stupid bedroom that doesn’t have air conditioning. I flipped and flopped and wondered how my pillows could possibly feel so warm. At last, I decided the only thing left to do would be to take my pajamas off — my “pajamas” being a summery romper that weighs, at most, three ounces.

Let me be clear about something: I never sleep naked, even if I’m sleeping alongside a dude and even if we just had sex. It feels so … bare to me. I have to wear underwear and pajamas — top and bottom preferably, unless it’s summer and I’m wearing something lighter — or else I can’t fall asleep.

As you can imagine, this has not been such a popular opinion with dudes. Keep reading »

Ditch Your Bed, Get A Hammock

According to some new research in Switzerland, we should ditch our mattresses and start sleeping in hammocks. Besides making us feel like we are on vacation in the tropics, the gentle rocking motion of the hammock,was found to inspire quicker, deeper, more high-quality sleep in adults. The motion increased “sleep spindles,” a certain kind of brain activity which has been linked to better memory and brain plasticity. No need to get all technical, I am so into installing a hammock in my bedroom, although I may be scared of falling out of it in the middle of the night. Maybe I’ll just cover my floor with a layer of fake sand. [NPR] Keep reading »

I Wish I Were A “Short Sleeper”


Researchers have discovered that a very small percentage of the population (between 1 and 3 percent) only need between four and six hours of sleep a night to function like rock stars:

“Natural ‘short sleepers,’ as they’re officially known, are night owls and early birds simultaneously. They typically turn in well after midnight, then get up just a few hours later and barrel through the day without needing to take naps or load up on caffeine. They are also energetic, outgoing, optimistic and ambitious.

I am seething with jealousy. Those extra hours to get more stuff done would change my life. While I’m not a big sleeper, if I don’t get at least seven hours, I’m a useless waste of space prone to crying fits. Just to recap … these superior humans only sleep a few hours a night, drink NO coffee, are always productive AND in a good mood. Is that even possible? If you are one of these rare unicorns, please alert me. I need to know your secrets. [WSJ] Keep reading »

Poll: Ladies, Would You Rather Have Good Sleep Or Good Sex?

Ladies, Would You Rather Have Good Sleep Or Good Sex?

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Sleep: Your Number One Beauty Enhancer

File this away in the “No duh” study findings. Researchers in Stockholm have “discovered” that women look better when they have gotten plenty of sleep versus when they’re sleep-deprived. I know, shocking, right?! They made this amazing discovery by photographing 23 “healthy young adults” after eight hours of sleep and then again after only five hours. Keep reading »

8 Ways To Look Rested (Despite Your Sad Sleep Habits)

Between late party nights and deadlines at work, it’s sometimes impossible to fit in the recommended eight hours of sleep per night needed to keep those under eye bags stowed. Here are eight ways to fake a refreshed and well-rested look even if you can’t remember the last time you snoozed soundly. Keep reading »

Meet The Girl Who Sleeps For 2 Weeks At A Time

Most teenagers sleep a lot, but not like 15-year-old Louisa Ball of the U.K. Louisa suffers from a rare neurological sleep disorder called Kleine-Levin Syndrome, where she can doze off for up to two weeks at a time. Doctors aren’t sure what causes these bouts of deep sleep, but they suspect something with the brain’s hypothalamus goes awry.

Oh, and FYI, Kleine-Levin Syndrome affects males 70 percent of the time. But Louisa is so gorgeous, we can see why the Daily Mail couldn’t resist slapping up her picture as a “real life Sleeping Beauty.” Keep reading »

Since Women Are More Sleep-Deprived, Is Insomnia A Feminist Issue?

I get about 5.5 hours of sleep a night due to kitty hijinks, sleep apnea, and a BlackBerry addiction. But apparently, the human body needs a minimum of 7.5 hours. According to Michael Breus, Ph.D., “Women are significantly more sleep-deprived than men.” Bummer. So, Arianna Huffington and Glamour‘s Cindi Leive have started a feminist crusade to put us to sleep since we’ll never take over the world while passing out in our lattes, right? Having literally blacked out from sleep deprivation numerous times (often awkwardly mid-coitus … whoops), I see their point. We’re barely functioning and that phrase, “There are only so many hours in the day,” didn’t mean we could scavenge the evening hours for more time to watch “Jersey Shore.” [Huffington Post] Keep reading »

This Pillow May Make You Prettier

In the market for a new pillowcase? Here’s one that claims to make you prettier overnight. Right. Beautyzzz Natural Silk Pillowcase claims that it “works naturally with skin and hair to make nighttime beauty routines more effective.” Since it’s made of skin-friendly elements (hypoallergenic silk) instead of cotton, all those creams and moisturizers you put on before bedtime, apparently, will work even better. Plus, the company promises that you can say goodbye to bed head and wrinkle lines on your face. So, for $47.00 would you shell out? [Grazia] Keep reading »