It’s time for my first ‘Edit’ of 2023, and in this instalment I’m focusing on things to help improve your sleep.
I’ve had insomnia since summer 2017, when I left my former job to go freelance. Working from home means I find it difficult to switch off, and at night my brain tends to go into overdrive, worrying about everything from emails I’ve forgotten to send to the state of the world. I also have chronic back, hip and pelvic pain, which often flairs up in the small hours.
Over the years I’ve developed strategies to cope, and although I still don’t get as much uninterrupted sleep as I should, I now manage enough to make it through the day without feeling exhausted. A big part of that has been finding products that create a calm, relaxing environment and regulate my body temperature, so I thought it was time I shared my tried-and-tested discoveries. I’m not going to claim they represent magic cures that will suddenly have you snoozing soundly until morning, but they will help you unwind and get as comfortable as possible. I’ve also included tips on how I use them, but everyone’s different so it’s worth experimenting to see what works best for you.
1. White linen bedding, from £21 for a pillowcase, £79 for a sheet and £115 for a duvet cover, Secret Linen Store
It’s been scientifically proven that we sleep better around natural materials, and for me linen bedding is the most comfortable – warm in winter, cool in summer, and wonderfully soft all year round. Secret Linen Store’s range is the best balance of quality and price that I’ve found to date.
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2. ‘Silent Night’ bath salts, £22, Evolve Organic Beauty
This soak is made from a combination of Dead Sea salt, Epsom salt and Himalayan salt, with lavender, bergamot, neroli and ylang ylang essential oils. Once or twice a week I add it to a relaxing bath, normally about 90 minutes before I go to bed. That means my core body temperature will be starting to drop, signalling to my brain that it’s time to sleep, at just the right time.
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3. Kally Sleep full-length body support pillow, £49.99, John Lewis
Support pillows aren’t just for pregnant people – they’re useful for anyone who suffers from pain at night. They encourage you to adopt the foetal position, which is conducive to deeper sleep, and they take the pressure off your spine and joints. This one is made from breathable jersey fabric so it doesn’t make me hot or sticky, and it’s machine-washable.
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4. Grey linen pyjama trousers, £49, Piglet in Bed
These stone-washed linen pyjama bottoms are incredibly comfortable, keeping me cosy or cool as needed. I like the fact they don’t have a drawstring waist to get twisted or dig in at night.
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5. Ecru organic cotton vest top, £28, Object Story
I prefer to wear something with a little more stretch on top, so this super-soft Fairtrade vest is ideal. Best of all, the care instructions are printed on the inside of the fabric, so there’s no irritating label to annoy me!
6. Pure cashmere bed socks, £35, Soak & Sleep
These socks are so warm and snuggly – a real treat for the feet! I don’t generally get cold enough to wear them overnight, but I put them on in the evening when I’m watching TV or reading. They help create a cosy, cocooning feeling and get me in the sleep mindset. And they’re breathable, for those who do actually keep them on in bed.
7. Ceramic ultrasonic aroma diffuser lamp, £85, and ‘Selene’ essential oil blend, £17, Cedar Lifestyle
Aroma diffusers are a great way to reap the benefits of essential oils overnight. This is one of the prettiest I’ve come across, and it runs for up to 12 hours. There’s also a choice between continuous and intermittent mist modes, three light settings (on, off, dimmed) and four time settings (one hour / three hours / eight hours / always on). I love using it with Cedar Lifestyle’s ‘Selene’ oil blend, which has been created specifically to encourage sleep.
8. Sleep balm, £12, This Works
This Works makes all sorts of things to improve sleep, from bath soaks to body cream, but this pulse-point balm is the most useful for me. It contains calming lavender, camomile and vetivert, and I take it with me when I’m travelling.
9. Air filter, £329, Briiv
Indoor air pollution can significantly disrupt sleep, especially for asthmatics like me. Made almost entirely from natural and renewable materials, this purifier has three separate filtration layers to trap particles big and small. I was given it to test out as part of a collaboration last year (read my full review here), and I was – and still am – very impressed. I tend to leave it running in the bedroom for a couple of hours every evening to catch any chemicals or allergens that have built up during the day, as well as traffic fumes from the busy road nearby.
10. Lavender and flaxseed eye pillow, £17.50, Made By Coopers
A heated eye mask helps soothe my muscles and reduce tension, especially on days when I’ve been staring at a computer screen for hours on end. I used to buy self-heating disposable versions, but to reduce waste I’ve recently switched to this reusable linen eye pillow, which you just pop in the microwave for a few seconds. It’s infused with a subtle lavender scent to aid relaxation, and it’s weighted to help it sit perfectly across your face.
11. ‘Deep Tranquility’ scented candle, £20, Nui Naturals
I always light a scented candle in the evenings to help me unwind in the hours before bed. This relaxing combination of sandalwood, jasmine, frankincense and bergamot from Nui Naturals is one of my favourites.
12. ‘Breathe’ temperature-regulating duvet, from £55, and pillows, £34 each, The Fine Bedding Company
Controlling my temperature has become more and more important for me as I approach my 40s and the perimenopause, and I absolutely love the ‘Breathe’ bedding range. It’s made with Modal – a fibre derived from natural wood pulp that wicks away moisture – and it really does make a difference, keeping me cool and dry on warm nights and snug on colder ones. I have the pillows and the 7.5-tog summer duvet, which I layer with a large throw in winter, but there are heavier weights too.
13. ‘Frome’ mattress topper, from £280, Naturalmat
Created from two layers of organic lambswool wrapped in a breathable, hypoallergenic cover, this topper also helps to regulate body temperature by improving the airflow around you. It’s very comfortable, too.
14. Rhoeco organic chamomile loose-leaf tea, £8.50, The Future Kept
There’s something wonderfully comforting about curling up with a hot drink just before bed, and chamomile has a mild sedative effect. This loose-leaf tea also has notes of night-flowering jasmine, creating a gently sweet, herby and velvety brew.
15. Chapter Organics ‘The Peace’ linen mist, £12, Tea & Kate
I’ve tried numerous linen sprays over the years and this one is my favourite to date. It’s made from lavender, patchouli, ylang ylang and bergamot essential oils, and a quick spritz on my pillow helps calm a racing mind when I’m trying to drift off.
Please note this post contains affiliate links (all clearly marked), which means I will receive a small commission on any resulting sales. You won’t pay any more by clicking on these links than you would by visiting the websites directly, and it helps to support the free content I create here.
Top and bottom images, plus photo of The Fine Bedding Company duvet and pillows, by Abi Dare; all other photography courtesy of the respective brands and retailers
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