Yawn! Welcome to Sleep Week, a seven-day stretch where we source you the best buys in the Zzz-catching business—from editor-vetted bedtime rituals to exclusive mattress deals and more of the internet’s most slumber-worthy scores. Go ahead, hit snooze with us.
Skincare routines and fitness commitments get a whole lot of love, but what about our precious nighttime rituals? We’re talking about those crucial moments in between, say, brushing your teeth and fully closing your eyes for the evening. It’s the very last sequence of motions we go through, all to make sure we’re keeping our minds and bodies in decent form — in preparation for the bright-eyed, bushy-tailed morning ahead, of course.
And, as many of us can attest, a solid nighttime routine can be a make-or-break sequence — between whether you’ll have a chipper morning or a wrong-side-of-the-bed wake. So, for Sleep Week, we thought it’d be worth uncovering the right-before-bed processes of R29’s most well-rested editors (or, at least, editors who are doing whatever they can to get as many winks as possible).
As you’ll see, there are some surprising discoveries among the clear-eyed favorites ahead. There’s Hatch’s resoundingly top-selling white noise machine-alarm clock hybrid that multiple editors swear by; shockingly affordable linen bedding from Quince; and gently weighted eye masks from Slip, along with plenty of under-cover MVP products that get us giddy for snuggling up with ourselves. (Think: A trusty vibrator; an aromatic body oil; or a round-boi stuffed animal even an adult can’t deny.) We hope some of our top sleep-aid picks drift their way into your own nighttime routine as well. Here’s to having a good night’s rest.
Lizzy Gulino, Staff Writer
Type of sleeper: Night owl
“I try to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night, but I have a problem of going to bed way too late. I’ve been working on getting to sleep earlier!”
“My nighttime routine is pretty simple. I do my skincare routine, brush my teeth, fill up my biggest glass with water, and get into bed. I’ll usually watch a couple episodes of a TV show (right now I’m watching Succession and Sex and the City on HBO Max, Love Island on Hulu, and I also started Emily in Paris on Netflix) and then I scroll through TikTok until I feel my eyes get heavy. I always wear my silk eye mask from Slip to bed because I like how the weight of it feels on my eyes (and it just feels luxurious, TBH). If I’m struggling to get sleepy, I’ll play a sound or a guided meditation on my Hatch Restore.”
Elizabeth Buxton, Senior Affiliate Director
Type of sleeper: Just doing my best
“I need 8 hours of sleep to feel my best during the day — anything more or less will either leave me feeling out of it.”
“My nighttime routine is all about fostering an ideal environment for winding down, falling asleep, and then (eventually) waking up — so think everything from customizable lighting to temperature regulation and noise control. As a shopping expert by day, I’ve tested a LOT of products in the sleep space and the following brand picks are, in my professional opinion, the best: Quince’s washable silk pajama set, Piglet In Bed’s linen sheets, and Hatch’s Restore smart sound-light alarm clock.
“As far as 100% silk PJs go, Quince’s are on the more affordable end while not sacrificing any of that luxe cooling quality that the material is know for. I’m a HOT sleeper and cotton sleepwear tends to give me occasional night sweats — this set never fails to keep my body temperature adequately regulated throughout the night. It’s silky and cool while still feeling cozy. And, as an added bonus, the style is very well tailored and elegant looking so it easily passes as a day look.
“Since discovering linen sheets a few years ago when they started surging in popularity, I’ve never looked back. As mentioned previously, I am a very hot sleeper so temperature-regulating fabrics are key in my bedtime repertoire. With that being said, I am also someone who appreciates the softer things in life — so anything too crisp (like a percale fabric) or too cozy and warm (like flannel or jersey fabric) isn’t my snuggle-up ideal. Linen is the perfect in-betweener; it’s super soft and snuggly with a casual-elegant look and incredibly breathable feel. Although my absolute favorite linen sheets from Piglet in Bed are pricey, they’re more than worth the investment for a buy that is sustainably made and just gets better with age. Plus, the calming customizable color offerings are just *chef’s kiss* for fostering an ideal sleep environment.
“I do not know where I would be without my Hatch Restore smart alarm clock. This thing is seriously worth the investment for any sensitive or troubled sleepers out there looking to establish a tighter nighttime and morning routine. The gadget serves as everything from a regular clock to a reading light, meditation guide, natural noise machine, and sunrise simulator. You can preprogram your exact routine down to the very minute. Mine looks like this: I wind down with a soft ambient nightlight and the sound of a waterfall, then tap to start my guided meditation followed by my eight hours of pink noise with no light and a gradual sunrise wakeup complete with birds chirping.”
Kate Spencer, Affiliate Strategist
Type of sleeper: Early riser
“I try to get 8 hours of sleep, but that doesn’t always happen because I have a really hard time falling asleep and like to wake up pretty early in the morning.”
“I usually start to wind down around 8 or 9 p.m. I’ll make myself up a cup of Sakara Sleep Tea, roll on some calming Tata Harper essential oil, and sit on my bed to read a book on my Kindle or watch a show on my laptop until I feel tired enough to go to bed between 10 and 11 p.m. I also just recently got a Nolah Mattress Topper and it has completely changed the feeling of my 5-year-old mattress. It’s so cushiony, squishy, and supportive and I find that my body relaxes easier too!”
Alexandra Polk, Lifestyle Writer
Type of sleeper: Early riser
“I try to get 8 hours of sleep a night, but usually get 6.”
“What do I do other than have a glass of wine, wash my face, and PTFO? I like to have a cup of caffeine-free Numi Honeybush Organic Tea — it helps me stay hydrated throughout the night and keeps me warm in my chilly apartment. Then, I wrap my ‘fro up into a satin scarf from Amazon and put on my matching plaid winter pajamas and socks. (YES, I wear socks to bed; it’s called having poor circulation.)
“FYI, while this prep is all happening, my Amazon heated blanket is cooking up to its highest temp. Then, post-skincare and oral hygiene, I hop into my Quince linen bedding with my plushie Cheesecake and spritz my pillow with a thisworks Deep Sleep Pillow Spray just for a little extra lavender pizzazz.”
Emily Ruane, Commerce Editor
Type of sleeper: Just doing my best
“I get anywhere from 5 to 7 hours of sleep a night.”
“As a mom, I don’t have much of a personal bedtime routine anymore — there’s more of a family bedtime routine centered around my kids, especially on the weekends when we’re not racing to get everyone to sleep.
“First, bathtime: I love Mustela products and use them on myself and my daughters; right now we’re using the Mustela Gentle Cleansing Gel. It’s designed for skin and hair and it’s very moisturizing and gentle. After bathtime, we put on our bathrobes. This sounds so insanely indulgent but it’s weirdly practical — my toddler likes to run around naked after she gets out of the tub (obvi) and I worry that she is going to catch a cold, so it’s easier to throw a robe on her than chasing her around with her towel or pajamas. (What IS insanely indulgent is that I spent $50 on her bathrobe — but it’s from Hill House Home and is THE CUTEST thing I have ever seen. Truly, the amount of joy I get from seeing her toddling around the house in a tiny terrycloth robe is priceless, and I feel like was money well spent. Plus, it was a Christmas present.) My own bathrobe is from MagicLinen and it’s a super cozy waffle-knit linen that’s cut really generously and securely covers my entire body.
“After getting everyone into their PJs, settled in their rooms, and reading Madeline approximately 1,000 times; I turn on their Hatch Rest sound machine. This was a baby shower gift and I bought a second one for myself when my older daughter moved into her own room because I became so accustomed to falling asleep to the sound of falling water. After that, it’s lights out for the little ones. On the weekend, I hit the hay pretty soon after they do, but I try to squeeze in a little wind-down for myself, by slathering on my current favorite Essentiel by Adele moisturizer and forcing myself to spend five minutes writing in my journal. I try very hard to do this every night, even when I only have the energy to jot down a single sentence.”
Karina Hoshikawa, Beauty & Wellness Market Writer
Type of sleeper: Early riser
“I get between 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night.”
“For as long as I can remember, I’ve never really had any problems with getting good quality sleep. While this is probably partially due to luck/genetics, I also take my nighttime routine very seriously and like to be in bed by 10-10:30pm at the latest. I’m a nighttime shower-er, so I usually add a few drops of aromatherapy oil (my favorite is Deep Relax by Aromatherapy Associates) to help me calm down after a day of work. If I haven’t done laundry, I’ll sleep in undies and a T-shirt, but I also live for cute pajamas. I just got a ribbed Parade set that I love!
“I try to minimize phone time as much as possible before bed, so around 9 p.m. or so I always, always, ALWAYS rely on the iPhone’s Do Not Disturb mode for sleepytime and change my iPhone screen brightness to Night Shift. I seriously can’t remember the last time I didn’t do that, and I feel like it actually has helped me relax since blue light can be kinda severe. Around the time I do that, I also try to dim the lights in my bedroom or living room, depending on where I’m posted up at. I have those Philips Hue smart bulbs that allow me to adjust the brightness (and turn them on/off) from my phone — total gamechanger. I think I remember a sleep specialist telling me that dimming the lights helps your brain signal that it’s time for bed, and I feel like it’s made a pretty big difference!
“I drink tea 24/7 — okay, not really, but for all the waking hours of the day, I’m very likely with a warm bevy. I’m not much of a coffee drinker. At night, I love herbal tea to help me relax. My favorites are mint or Japanese roasted green tea that I get in Tokyo. There’s also a David’s Tea called Serenity Now that I half bought because of the name (Seinfeld hive, assemble), but it is actually SO delicious. I brew it in a loose-leaf tea pot that I also bought in Japan.
“I like to sleep with a white noise machine on to help me ignore background noise from the street or neighbors on my apartment floor. Mine is by LectroFan and it works great. I usually don’t take any melatonin or sleep aids (unless I’m jetlagged and feel like 0% tired), but when I do, I love the Hims/Hers Melatonin gummies, which I get at Target. They are so fucking yummy, I could probably eat a whole bottle. (Writer’s note: DO NOT DO THIS!) Another thing I sometimes do is wear a silk eye mask (I have a Slip one that I love) to help me block out light. It also just feels nice! I also sleep with a silk pillowcase, which I think has also helped me feel extra comfy and cozy in bed. Bliss.”
Mercedes Viera, Associate Deals Writer
Type of sleeper: Night owl
“I try to get at least 7 hours, but it’s probably anything from 5 to 7.”
“My nighttime routine consists of eating dinner probably too late in the night, showering (if I didn’t do it earlier in the night), doing my skincare routine (which consists of the BYOMA cleanser, the BYOMA clarifying serum, the BYOMA hydrating serum, the First Aid Beauty Eye Duty Brightening Cream, and the BYOMA face moisturizer), taking my meds, and enjoying myself for like an hour with my trusty LELO Sona Cruise and Dame Arousal Serum. Finally, I spray my room with my milk + honey lavender eucalyptus spray, then I’m on my phone watching TikTok or reading fan fiction until like 1:30 or 2am depending on how tired I am.”
Jinnie Lee, Freelance Fashion Market Writer
Type of sleeper: Just doing my best
“Although I wish for 8 hours of sleep a night, my Health app reveals I’m averaging a solid 6.”
“Around 11:30pm is when I start preparing for bed — for me, that means finishing up my day’s dishes, going through my normal washup routine, consuming my various supplements and wellness products, and putting on my Brooklinen sleep set (I love the Morgan Tank and Bleecker Short). Mmm, the fabric blend is ooey-gooey soft on the skin and I am already thinking about putting them on. The WFH lifestyle has ruined me.
“To help my body wind down, I take a shot of this very sugary Mary Ruth’s Liquid Nighttime Multimineral and swallow two or three pills of WTHN Dream On, which, I don’t know what’s in this, but it has me feeling fresh and alert in the morning and not at all groggy. And if I’m feeling particularly bloated or constipated from my day’s poor eating choices, I’ll also take a Mary Ruth’s Probiotic (in addition to taking one in the morning). My face and eyes tend to get very dry overnight so I combat this by ceramide-bombing my face and neck with Sunnie Sweet Dreams Night Cream and squeezing a bit of GenTeal Tears Lubricant Eye Night-Time Ointment into my lower eyelids. It makes my vision look Vaseline-y and somewhat dream-like.
“I’ve reviewed this WTHN Acupressure Mat to help with my back pain, but it also feels meditative right before bed too, especially if I’m been feeling particularly tense throughout the day. I lay on it for about 20 minutes on top of my mattress with this Rose Quartz Eye Mask resting heavily on my face and I let the blood rush up and down my spine. It naturally warms my body up in a delightfully cozy way and I enjoy the sensation immensely.
“Then, I squirm under covers! My friend Ellen is the designer of a very colorful, very graphic-heavy home goods line called Dusen Dusen and I have to say that this coverlet and sham set is one of the best products she’s ever released — it’s somewhere between a plush quilt and a lightweight duvet. As a hot sleeper, this coverlet is just fluffy enough to satiate my need for a blanket but it’s not so thick that it’ll sweat me out.”
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy or click on something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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