Sleepstack

Substack but make it sleep

The other day my friend Halle texted me a simple question — “Do you have any sleep hacks / do you mouth tape?” and then she very generously gave me the idea to do a Sleepstack substack so here we are!

Sleep or Die Sleep Strips

I’m obviously partial to these — I just invested in the brand, and True Beauty Ventures put in $1 million, so I’m in good company. But the real reason I love them is the format. I am so over pills. You’ll notice that nowhere in this entire sleep stack do I mention a single one. The strip technology hits you faster, there’s nothing to swallow, and nothing that’s going to wake you up at 3 a.m. to pee. It’s smart, it’s portable, and it’s fun!

OSEA Vagus Nerve Set

The Vagus Nerve bath oil is my number one favorite bath product of all time, and Jean Godfrey-June (who was recently on my Substack) is the one who turned me on to it. The scent is indescribable. Take a bath with the oil, rub the vagus nerve oil into your hands and along your neck, then spray the pillow mist — and you genuinely feel like you’re at a spa. I don’t say that lightly. I go to spas constantly, so it takes a lot to recreate that feeling at home. This does it. They even have a travel set!

Moon Juice Sleepy Magnesi-Om

Magnesium is a sleep essential, and Moon Juice makes a “sleepy” version with a microdose of melatonin. Here’s what makes it special: it’s a vegan melatonin (fun and slightly disturbing fact I learned while consulting for the brand: melatonin is often derived from animal sources… sheep’s brains, if you can believe it). You slip it into your water before bed, it’s genuinely delicious, and there’s the cutest set that comes with a beautiful glass-blown cup.

Half Past 8 Deep Sleep Patches

Full honesty: I wasn’t sold on patch technology at all until I tried their Sleep patch and woke up to the best Oura score I’d ever had. That’s when I knew it actually worked.

The Actual Hard Part: Getting Off Your Phone

The supplements are great, but none of it works if you don’t commit to winding down — phone away, lights low, easing into sleepy time. I’m not going to pretend I don’t scroll in the bathtub, because I absolutely do. Consider this expert advice, not necessarily a documentary of my own behavior.

A Sunrise Alarm Clock

A wake-up light. I’ve had a Philips SmartSleep one for about ten years that gradually brightens to simulate sunrise and dims at night, and I’m not exaggerating when I say it got me out of bed through many brutal New York winters. Waking up to light instead of a blaring alarm changes your whole morning.

This year for my b-day my bff gifted me the RISE Centered Sunrise Alarm Clock and it’s so beautiful I had to include it. Each one is handmade from real Himalayan salt, so the glow is this soft, amber, one-of-a-kind thing. The sunrise starts 30 minutes before your alarm, and if you’re still asleep, it eases you awake with birdsong.

My Beloved Heating Pad

Non-negotiable in winter. I love it more than I can justify.

The Right Pillow

People underestimate this. Last year I bought this one specifically for side sleepers and it’s made a real difference.

Steam Eye Masks

I love, love, love a steam eye mask. This is the one I keep buying off Amazon.

The Perfect Pillowcase

My latest obsession, 100% influenced from Alexis Page’s Self Involved Substack. Made by Lunaweft and woven in Portugal using milk fibre, these are the new silk pillowcase. They are cooling, hypoallergenic, antibacterial and hydrating.

What I Actually Sleep In

What you wear to bed matters more than people give it credit for. Two things I live in:

First, my beloved Negative Underwear Whipped PJ set, which has been a star in my life for years. But — as many of you know from my March post — I then discovered the Amazon dupe (via the brilliant Julia Lynch), And since so many of you bought the dupes after that post, I have to report back: I’ve now also bought the dupe shorts, which are so freaking cute for summer.

Second, the SKIMS Soft Lounge Long Slip Dress. I’ve mentioned this one before, and I’m genuinely distraught that the original style I love is sold out (well actually I fear it’s discontinued) because I only own two and I’m obsessed with it for summer — the low back, the way it feels, all of it. If you find a good lookalike, please report back. I need it.