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All the Stuff You Need to Get a Great Night’s Sleep

Andrew Davey
By

With the hustle and bustle of the modern world following us into the bedroom, it’s no wonder so many of us have trouble sleeping. We all know the proper steps to get a good night’s sleep: No caffeine after 2 p.m., no screens in the bedroom (or after 1o p.m.), no drinking before bed, and, most importantly, having a bedtime routine. Other helpful actions can include sleeping in a totally dark room, keeping the ambient room temperature at 68 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler, and making sure to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day (even on weekends).

Yet even when we do all of this, we sometimes still have trouble getting a great night’s sleep. When that happens, it’s time to upgrade your bedding, tech, and a few other accessories to help you fall asleep faster and wake up feeling more refreshed. After all, better sleep means a better you.

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Bedding

Mattress: Casper Mattress

Casper Original Mattress beside a Caper box.

When you’ve done everything else possible, but you still can’t sleep, your mattress may be the problem. Casper mattresses are made of a proprietary foam blend that’s designed for optimal breathability and ergonomic support. For most people, lying on it feels like being suspended in a cloud. The brand sweetens the deal by offering a 100 night risk-free trial, free delivery, and a ten-year limited warranty.

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Pillow: Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Cloud + Cooling Pillow

A Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Adapt Cloud + Cooling pillow.

Tempur-Pedic has been around for quite some time now, but how many people have actually purchased one of their products? If you haven’t done so yet, you can start with the Tempur-Adapt Cloud + Cooling Pillow. With its space-age construction and material, this is the softest, most supportive pillow you’re going to find. Down feather just doesn’t hold up like NASA-grade foam.

Sheets: Brooklinen Classic Core Sheet Set

Person lying down and raising a mug on a Brooklinen Classic Core Sheet Set.

We love Brooklinen. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. With that out of the way, we suggest the Classic Core Sheet Set, which comes in a variety of solid colors and stylish patterns. These sheets offer supreme softness and comfort, while also adding a pop of color and contemporary design to your bedroom.

Comforter: Buffy Comforter

The Buffy Cloud Comforter placed on a bed with four pillows.

It’s shocking to think that a comforter made from recycled plastic bottles and eucalyptus fabric could be so soft, so fluffy, and so cool – even during summer – but the Buffy comforter accomplishes all this and more. Don’t believe us? The brand will let you try it for free and return it if it doesn’t work for you, no questions asked. Please trust us when we say that you probably won’t want to return it.

Duvet: Riley Home Baratta Duvet Cover & Shams

The Riley Baratta percale duvet cover over a white background.

Now that you have a luxe comforter, let’s work to keep it that way. Enter the Riley Home Baratta duvet cover and matching pillow shams. All-white with neutral-colored trim around the edges, the Baratta provides a sateen finish and a side envelope enclosure for easy maneuvering.

Tech

Diffuser: Asakuki Essential Oil Diffuser

A close-up of an Asakuki essential oil diffuser.

Aromatherapy oil diffusers are hot ticket items in the home goods world. Add a few drops of lavender oil into the water in your diffuser, and inhale the relaxing scent as you get ready for bed. The diffuser not only acts as a way to effectively disperse a relaxing smell throughout your bedroom, but it also humidifies the air. Even better, this diffuser from Asakuki features a 500ml water tank that’s easy to clean, seven LED light colors, multiple mist nebulizer modes, and a safety auto-switch to prevent overheating.

Light: Sunrise Alarm Clock

A Dekala sunrise alarm clock.

Whether you have more trouble falling asleep or waking up (or both), we suggest this sunrise alarm clock. This particular clock from Dekala simulates sunrise and sunset, priming you to wake up and fall asleep naturally, instead of disrupting your REM cycle. It also offers seven colors, 20 level brightness adjustments, seven natural sounds, an FM radio, a two-alarm setting, and even USB charging for your smartphone.

Air Purifier: Dyson Pure Hot + Cool

A Dyson Pure Hot + Cool air purifier.

It’s probably not something you think about often, but when you’re asleep, you’re basically inhaling the same stale air over and over again for at least eight hours. Freshen up your sleep zone with the Dyson Pure Hot + Cool combination fan/heater/cooler/air purifier. Allergy sufferers swear by this thing. And since it’s Wifi enabled and Amazon Alexa ready, your smartphone can function as the remote control.

Luxury

Eyemask: Morus Studio Organic Mulberry Silk Sleep Mask

A Morus Studio organic mulberry silk sleep mask.

If you work a night shift, can’t put up block-out curtains, or otherwise need to sleep where there’s a lot of ambient light, this silk sleep mask will gently cradle your eyes and sit on your nose while blocking out nearly 100 percent of that pesky sleep-preventing light. It’s also great for travel.

Serum: Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate

A bottle of Kiehl's Midnight Recovery face serum

Multi-tasking isn’t really a thing most humans can do. With Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate, you truly can multi-task by sleeping and revitalizing your skin at the same time. Packed with powerful botanicals and oils, the serum is designed to absorb deeply into the skin overnight, leaving your face looking hydrated and handsome in the morning (which is why we named one of our winners in The Manual Grooming Awards 2018).

Medicinal

Melatonin: ZzzQuil Pure Zzzs Melatonin Sleep Aid

A bottle of ZzzQuil Pure Zzzs melatonin sleep aid gummies.

When all else fails, you can always seek medicinal help. We’re not your doctor, so we can’t write you a prescription for a pharmaceutical sleep aid. If you prefer to try something over the counter first, melatonin is a safe and naturally occurring substance that gently signals to the body that it’s time for sleep. We like Vicks’ Zzzquil supplement, as it comes in gummies that are easy to swallow and digest.

Cannabis

A cannabis plant leaf.
Photo by Elsa Olofsson, licensed under Creative Commons, and made available by Wikimedia

If you live in a state with recreational or medicinal cannabis, there’s always a nice, heavy indica out there to help you drift off into slumber-land. If the thought of THC spooks you too much, you can try CBD products that provide the relaxation benefits of cannabis without the psychoactive “high” that tends to come with THC consumption.

Now that you know what you need to help you sleep better, learn why making your bed every morning can also help.

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