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10 IMAGE staffers share the sleep rituals that work for them
Bedtime rituals are a sacred practice that we here at IMAGE HQ take very seriously.
Dominique McMullan, Editorial Director
I am lucky in that I don’t struggle with sleep. That is probably down to my two young boys and the fact that I am always exhausted by the time I fall into bed! I do however have a few little rituals that I like to do every evening, if possible before the collapse. The first is keeping all lights low from around 7pm, obviously this is more relevant in winter. Low lighting helps our natural melatonin release, which makes for an easier transition into sleep. This started for the kids, but now it’s for the whole family, and creates a nice cosy atmosphere for the evening.
My next non-negotiable is my skincare routine. Every night I cleanse, and apply skincare and masks etc. This gives me a few mins to connect with my body, see how I am feeling and slow right down. Once in bed I write down anything that has been on my mind or that I want to remember for the next day and, lastly, I read a few pages of whatever is on my nightstand. I wish I could say I keep my phone away from my bed, but alas that would be a lie. I try to not look at it too much, and am certainly aiming to get rid of it from the bedroom entirely… one day!
Sarah Gill, Staff Writer
Ah, sleep, why do you forsake me so? I’ve always found it difficult to get to sleep at a reasonable hour, and for a time my body seemed to have adjusted to running on very few hours of shuteye, so I really didn’t see it as an issue. Now, I see sleep for what it is: restorative, and I make valiant attempts at prioritising it as much as possible.
Wherever I go in life, I will always have a little 10ml bottle of Olbas Oil with me. I’ve furnished almost everyone in my life with their own supply, and douse both my pillows and myself with it liberally before I can even consider closing my eyes. Same goes for the Mindful Beauty Lavender Pillow Spray, I have an apocalyptic supply of the stuff because I live in fear of it being discontinued.
For those among us who rent—and whose landlords don’t consider big plush memory foam mattresses with built in back support and temperature regulation as absolute essentials—I could not recommend investing in a good quality mattress topper more. That coupled with soft pyjamas, soft sheets, and soft lighting set the scene for a top tier snooze.
If I really feel like knocking myself out for the count (which sometimes isn’t advisable because I have retained my canny teenage ability to sleep long into the afternoon), I will bring out the big guns. I’ll curl up with a cup of Pukka Night Time Tea, put on my specially curated nighttime sleep playlist of slow and serene sounds, and lather myself with the Sanctuary Spa Wellness Solutions De-Stress Warming Body Balm. I’ll read until I can’t lift my head any more, and if I’m still aggravatingly awake, I’ll source some Brown Noise or ASMR on YouTube to have me open-mouth-snoring in no time.
Sarah Finnan, Deputy Digital Editor
As a very light sleeper, there are two things that have made a world of difference to the quality of my sleep: 1) a good blackout eye mask and 2) wax earplugs. My sister jokes that I enter my own sensory deprivation world at night and she’s right—I don’t care who’s doing what so long as I get my 40 winks.
I also invested in a Shakti mat earlier this year which I love using as part of my pre-bed winddown routine. I light some candles and palo santo, put on relaxing music (Bon Iver’s ‘For Emma’, Forever Ago is my favourite album of all time and the most soothing evening soundtrack) and then try to do anywhere from seven minutes to 20. It’s not comfortable by any means but I feel amazing after it.
Megan Burns, Editor, IMAGE Interiors; Deputy Editor, IMAGE
When I feel I need to relax myself before getting into bed, I turn to GROUND’s Rebalance Face Balm instead of my normal cleanser. It’s not specifically designed as a calming scent (although they do have a face balm that is), but the scent is so wonderful, I think a few moments massaging it into my skin and drinking in the glorious smell is enough to put me in a better mindset for sleep. I also like to put a few drops of their Sleep essential oil blend in a diffuser in the evening, if I’m making an effort to wind down.
Holly O’Neill, Digital Editor and Beauty Editor
I have so many nuts sleep aids that my bedroom is essentially a sanctuary for sleepy tech, gadgets and lovely bits. I have no trouble getting to sleep, but I do have trouble getting up. Newstalk on the Roberts Revival radio wakes me up at the volume of Electric Picnic Mainstage, supported by the Lumie Body Clock Alarm, which comes with wake-up sounds from birdsong (my fave) to military drill (the one I actually need). The idea is to wake up with natural light, like a caveman, so lots of research has gone into its ability to reenact sunrise and sunset in strength and hue, to wake you up feeling refreshed while combating SAD.
I set myself a 30-minute sunset every night before bed and a 30-minute sunrise to wake me up in the morning with a chirpy bird song so I wake up feeling like I’m Snow White. If you struggle with drifting off you need a Drowsy Co mask. They’re like big squishy padded pillows for your face, and they totally blackout light and sound, plus they stop your skincare smearing all over your pillowcase and even come in eyelash-protecting designs – what a time to be alive.
For getting into cosy mode, The White Company’s Cashmere Bed Socks can basically make me drift off right away; life hack – they’re €18 in Kildare Village rather than the €47 in store and online. While you’re in Kildare Village, head to Neom for the Perfect Night’s Sleep Pillow Mist to spritz on your pillow to get lulled into a dreamy snooze.
For comfortable nightwear in these random bouts of heatwaves, look to Irish brand Moon and Mellow for the brightest breathable sets or It’s 9pm for sleepwear so cool you’ll want to wear it outdoors. Finally, a shout out to the alpaca slippers from The Little Finery, the chicest way to tuck your feet up for the night. See I told you I was nuts about sleep bits. Next on my list is an Oura Ring so I can get competitive and annoying about my sleep stats like a biohacker.
Simone Kennedy, Events Manager
Over the years, I’ve struggled with sleep and gone through spells of insomnia. Thankfully, those nights are rare these days, and I’m doing my best to maintain a better sleep routine! Daily movement and avoiding snacking after 7pm have been game-changers for me. To help me drift off, I enjoy a cup of Ethos Rest Tea about 30 minutes before bed. And just as I get into bed I smoother GROUND Wellbeing Sleep Oil on my neck and chest. With all these elements combined, I’m able to drift off into the dreamiest of sleeps!
Jolene Reid, Business Development Manager, IMAGE Media
What always helps me sleep is a long soak in an epsom salt bath. Mixed with a couple of drops of lavender oil and a base oil like almond or jojoba oil it’s so relaxing and helps me unwind after a busy day.
Meghan Killalea, Branded Partnerships, Marketing Account Executive
It has taken me a long time to figure out how to get the perfect night’s sleep (and I’m definitely still learning!). However, there are a few things I do to make sure I will stay snug as a bug and will actually wake up feeling refreshed. Firstly, I make sure to do my skincare routine no less than 30 mins before I go to bed to start feeling relaxed. I always use a silk pillowcase which I spray with the GROUND Wellbeing Sleep Pillow Spray to decompress even further. I then apply the BetterYou Magnesium Sleep Body Lotion to my feet and chest area and I’ve found that this has been a game changer in my routine. Finally, I pop on some Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask and make sure the room is nice and dark before reading some of my book and drifting off to sleep.
Shayna Sappington, Branded Content Editor and Wedding Writer
I have always had trouble sleeping at night – my mom used to call me her ‘little night owl’ every time I came creeping down the stairs past bedtime. That hasn’t changed with adulthood either as I can never quite switch my brain off when I crawl into bed. However, out of all the bedtime rituals I’ve tried, there have been three things that have made an impact and helped me hit the hay faster than usual.
First, a bedtime list. I keep this on my nightstand and anything that comes to mind that I’m worried I might forget goes out of my brain and onto the paper. It’s a huge relief and I feel like I can let that thought pattern go. Second, is something that I heard neuroscientist Brian Pennie say at our last Wellness Project event – if you get stuck in cyclical thinking, you can break the pattern by thinking of random things not associated with each other. For instance, “bread,” “purple,” “shoe” and so forth. This is really mentally tiring as our brain naturally wants to make connections and I find I fall asleep quicker when I try it.
Finally, white noise is essential for me, whether it’s turning the fan on or a clever phone app – the White Noise Lite app and the White Noise Deep Sleep app are great. They allow you to pick a background noise, like Amazon rainforest or beach waves, or create your own playlist of noises, then you can set a timer with it, so the sound automatically stops after you’ve drifted off into a deep sleep.
Emily O’Neill, Branded Partnerships, Marketing Account Executive
I am very lucky that I am a relatively good sleeper, but I do try to stick to the same routine each night. Before I get into bed I spray my pillow and sheets with the Sanctuary Spa Wellness Sleep Mist and I add their Calming CBD Oil to my pulse points. Once settled, I tend to read a couple of chapters of a book or listen to a few chapters on audible. Both tend to make me very sleepy in less than 20 minutes!
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Featured image via Zara Home.
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