Co-Authored by Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell

Mellanni has teamed up with sleep expert Dr. Holliday-Bell and Scentered aromatherapy to celebrate Sleep Awareness Week by offering pro tips to help you create a personalized sleep wellness routine. 

Nothing is more frustrating than lying down in bed, tossing and turning night after night and battling to remain alert and functioning at your best throughout the day. Whether you’re a busy mom on the go, a student balancing the rigors of classwork, or an employee needing to be refreshed for a long day’s work, quality sleep is necessary to perform at your best. Read on for tips, strategies and expert suggestions to help you create a personalized sleep wellness routine.

Mellanni’s 100% Mulberry Silk Pillowcase paired with 1800 Collection Sheets and Duvet Cover Set

Dr. Holliday-Bell’s 3 Essential Bedroom Must-Haves:

With the constant pressure, busyness, and sometimes chaos of our day-to-day lives, it can be difficult to make the transition from the intensity of life during the day to a peaceful state of sleep. Many people treat sleep as if it’s a light switch that you can just turn on when you are ready to go to bed. But unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that. Sleep is not just a passive process as many people believe it to be. It requires a beautifully coordinated set of processes that help transition you from the state of wakefulness to the equally active and essential state of sleep. Here are my 3 essential bedroom must-haves to help you create the perfect bedtime ritual.

Essential #1: Choose the Right Bedding

Your bedding is the most important décor decision you’ll make, but many people overlook the importance of choosing the right bedding to help them sleep soundly. The type of sheets you choose won’t just tie your bedroom together aesthetically; it can impact the quality of your sleep. Best of all you won’t need to spend a fortune to get high-quality sheets when you shop with Mellanni.

Consider these four rules when choosing the perfect bedding for you

Pick your materials carefully. If you are a hot-sleeper or get sweaty at night, choose natural materials like cotton in a lightweight material, as it will help wick perspiration away from your skin while you sleep. Mellanni’s lightweight cotton Flannel Sheet Sets were named Best Flannel Sheets of 2020 by The National Sleep Foundation. Conversely, if you are a cold to regular sleeper microfiber bedding could be the perfect fit for all season comfort. Microfiber is measured in Grams per Square Meter (GSM) unlike cotton sheets that are measured by thread count. Mellanni’s 1800 Collection microfiber bed sheets are 90 GSM making them versatile for all seasons. The fabric is lightweight, so it's perfect for hot summer nights. And during cold winter nights, the fabric will act as insolation trapping your body heat, so you'll feel nice and cozy all night long.

Consider thread count. It is true that the higher the thread count, the softer the sheets. But, did you know that as the thread count increases, the more difficult it becomes for air to circulate through the fabric? This can be problematic especially for hot sleepers and during the warmer summer months. The ideal thread count for most sleepers is somewhere between 200 and 400 (according to The National Sleep Foundation). Materials in this thread count range will feel smooth, soft, and breathable. Mellanni’s selection of cotton sheets come in a variety of weaves including 300 thread count organic cotton flannel, lightweight flannel, and jersey knit, and an all seasons 400 thread count organic cotton sheet set for year-round comfort, which will be available in April 2021 just in time for the spring.

Give your new bedding a test drive. Mellanni knows how important it is to find the perfect bedding, that’s why every Mellanni purchase is backed by a 100% Satisfaction Money-Back Guarantee and a Lifetime Warranty forever! Purchase any of Mellanni’s high-quality bedding products and sleep on them as long as you like. If you find they aren’t the perfect fit for you, simply exchange or return them for a full refund or replace them with a more suitable type of bedding.

Take proper care of your bedding. To keep your sheets in good condition, follow Mellanni’s easy-care instructions. Mellanni’s bedding products are designed to provide a lifetime of comfort. Simply wash them with regular detergent and similar colors in cold water then tumble dry on low heat. While it might seem like a good idea to use fabric softener to make your bedding feel even softer, the chemicals in fabric softeners can actually wear out most Bedding materials even faster. This can also cause pilling which can make the fabric feel itchy. That is why we recommend against using fabric softeners and instead opt for a high efficiency regular detergent that is free and clear of harsh chemicals, fragrances, or dyes.

Mellanni’s Silk Pillowcases come in a range of sizes and colors to suit your personal style

Essential #2: Upgrade Your Pillowcase to Silk

When it comes to getting your beauty sleep, what you sleep on is almost as important as how many hours you sleep. We know that sleep itself has many beauty benefits including decreasing signs of aging, preventing dark undereye circles, and improving your complexion and overall glow. But did you know that you can enhance these benefits by simply changing the type of pillow case that you sleep on?

Mellanni’s 100% Mulberry Silk Pillowcases offer a smooth surface for your face to lie on. This smooth surface helps prevent friction that causes tugging on the skin that can ultimately lead to wrinkles. Silk pillowcases also help to lock moisture into the skin. While standard fabrics like cotton tend to absorb moisture, silk repels it. This is beneficial for those that suffer from dry or irritated skin, and helps to keep those hydrating moisturizers and sleep masks in place while you sleep. This is also an added benefit in regards to preventing wrinkles!

Tired of waking up with bedhead? That smooth surface that decreases friction on the skin, works to prevent tangling and breakage of the hair too! Instead of your hair rubbing and snagging on harsher fabric surfaces such as cotton, the smooth surface of the silk pillowcase allows the hair to glide along without snagging. And that moisture wicking property also helps with hair hydration as well.

Interested in reading my full review of Mellanni’s 100% Mulberry Silk Pillowcases head over to my blog article Finding the Perfect Pillowcase to read more.

Scentered’s Sleep Well blend relaxes the body and quiets the mind for a restful night’s sleep

Essential #3: Set the Mood with Aromatherapy

Now that you have created the perfect sleep wellness routine and selected the proper bedding for your sleep preferences, it’s time to set the mood for a restful night’s sleep. My routine includes dimming all of the overhead lights to set “the mood”, playing some calming music, completing my skincare routine, and doing some light reading before finally falling asleep. But did you ever consider the role your sense of smell plays in helping to either stimulate or quite the mind and body? For those that have trouble falling asleep, aromatherapy can be a powerful tool to help smooth your transition into a blissful night’s rest. 

Scentered is a mindfulness lifestyle brand that has harnessed the power of aromatherapy to teach people how to relax and direct their thoughts and emotions to help them live happier lives. They offer a range of organic essential-oil based aromatherapy candles, balms, hair, and body care products. They have formulated six unique blends designed to help people de-stress, focus, escape, love, improve happiness, and of course sleep!

The Scentered Sleep Well Gift Set is the perfect bedtime aromatherapy ritual, which includes an Aromatherapy Candle and Aromatherapy Balm formulated to help you drift off into restful sleep. The essential oil blend used to create these products includes some of my favorite sleep-inducing oils such as lavender and chamomile but also includes some other powerful pro sleep oils such as palmarosa, Ho wood, Bois de rose, geranium, patchouli, clove, and ylang-ylang. It helps to create a soothing environment that feels almost like an escape, and upgrades the bedtime experience.

Read my full review of Scentered’s Sleep Well blend here.

Dr. Holliday-Bell’s Top 3 Tips for Quality Sleep:

Tip #1: Keep A Consistent Bedtime

Now this tip can be very difficult, especially as adults. When it comes to children, we know how important it is to get them to bed at a specified time making it easier for them to fall asleep at that time on subsequent nights. Yet as adults, that habit tends to fall by the wayside. 

But it’s just as important for adults as it is for children. The reason is that we all have internal clocks (known as our circadian rhythm) which regulates our natural sleep cycle. Your circadian rhythm is responsible for your natural dips and peaks in energy. Now there are variations in different people’s circadian rhythms (hence the term “night owls” and “early birds”), however we also have some control over when these dips and peaks occur. 

One way we control this is by resetting that clock so to speak and programming ourselves to get sleepy and more alert during certain times of the day. How do we do that you ask? By going to sleep and waking up at around the same time everyday.

Now this may seem like an easy enough tip, but let’s not forget that everyday includes the weekend! In order to give yourself the best chance at programming your clock, there should really be no more than a 1 hour difference in your bedtime from night to night. 

I’m not saying you shouldn’t be able to enjoy your weekend freedom by hanging out a little later than normal, just don’t make a habit of it. Stick to a regular bedtime and you’ll see a world of difference in the quality of your sleep.

Tip #2: Avoid Alcohol and Caffeine Prior to Going to Sleep

Along with calling it a night a little earlier on the weekends, you should also watch your alcohol and caffeine consumption prior to bedtime. Have you ever noticed how that 1 glass (or 2) of wine can sometimes make your eyelids droop a little sooner than normal? So that’s a good thing right? Alcohol puts you to sleep…. Wrong! 

While alcohol is a depressant, meaning it will often help you fall asleep and even more deeply at the beginning, the problem is that it interferes with the deep sleep that you fall into later in the night known as REM sleep. This causes more of a disturbance in sleep and more early morning awakenings. 

Again, I’m not trying to dissuade you from the responsible enjoyment of libations here and there (I often enjoy a glass or two of wine myself) but for your sleep’s sake, you should try to avoid alcohol consumption 4 to 6 hours before bedtime. 

Same goes for caffeine. It’s easy to see why this could present a hindrance to your sleep as caffeine is a known stimulant, making it difficult to settle down to sleep. Feel free to enjoy your morning cup of joe, just try not to consume caffeine within 4 hours of sleep (longer if the effects tend to last longer for you).

Tip #3: Don’t Use Blue Light Before Bed

So you’re lying in bed about to call it night but decide to do a little Facebook and Instagram perusing before going to sleep. Seems innocent enough and definitely common in today’s technological age. Did you know that the blue light emitted from your phone (or television) has been shown to interfere with the production of melatonin (your body’s natural sleep hormone), making it more difficult to fall asleep? So while scrolling through your social media may be relaxing to you, you should try a more low stimulating activity such as reading under dim light and avoid media use 1 hour prior to bedtime.

For more tips to help you get your best quality sleep, continue reading on my blog The Solution is Sleep.

Now let’s get you all tucked in!

For those that have a tough time getting the perfect night’s sleep remember to follow a consistent bedtime routine. Set a routine bedtime so your body develops a natural sleep rhythm. Avoid stimulants like coffee, as well as depressants like alcohol at least 4 hours before going to bed. Reduce your exposure to blue light prior to bedtime. Choose the right bedding for your personal sleep preferences. Upgrade your pillowcase to silk for astounding beauty rest results. Then set the mood before bedtime by using aromatherapy to quiet the mind and relax the body so you can transition into a blissful sleep.