Wind down with LUNYA founder and Rest Concierge herself, Ashley Merrill. We chat nighttime rituals, setting “the mood” for achieving better REM, and envision our dream bedtime scenarios. Tune in – then lights out.

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Where does a solid bedtime routine enter the equation in one’s busy lifestyle?

I do think it's really helpful to have a nighttime routine. Our days are so busy that going from a really hardcore, productive mindset to one that is receptive to sleep is so important. And we signal that to our body in many different ways.

Rest for me is obviously a big focus because I know that if I get a good night's sleep, I'm in much better shape for my day. 

Describe the dream bedroom scenario for true unwinding.

I'm definitely somebody who believes in having a bit more of a minimalist bedroom. The clutter just makes me feel chaotic … and I have enough of that in my life.

I do think it's really helpful to have a nighttime routine. Our days are so busy that going from a really hardcore, productive mindset to one that is receptive to sleep is so important. And we signal that to our body in many different ways. Certainly there's an aesthetic component to that. I like to keep my bedroom a bit more minimal so I don't have this cluttered, overwhelmed feeling before bed.

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What (seemingly) overlooked qualities impact your sleep? 

We know that light has a very important effect on our brain. And so we don't want to overstimulate our brain or trick our brain that it's daytime. We want to use lighting in a way that helps us decompress from the day.

My little trick is I've got two duvets. My husband and I have found this to work wonders. We're not playing tug of war anymore over the duvet cover.

We also have a bit of a problem with pillows. I actually reduced it down to three each to look a little less crazy, but we use a lot of pillows. I put one in between my knees; I often hold one; sometimes I'll put one on my back; definitely one under my head. I love pillows.

Considering how glued we are to our screens, where do you stand with striking that perfect balance of businesswoman, and well-rested woman?

I'm not one of those people who's super anti phone in the bedroom. I've read all the papers, I know all the studies on it, but for me, if I have a bunch of emails or thoughts flying around in my head with nowhere to put them or no way to clear them out, I'm actually in big trouble for sleep. Once I'm done though, I do try to cultivate a calming mood. I’m definitely into candles,  aromatherapy, all the things you can do to help get a more relaxing vibe.

I know I'm gonna buck tradition when I say this, but I am a cell phone by the side of my bed person. I find that I can't go to sleep if there's anything hanging over my head. So the same way that people would use a notebook to write down any thoughts that they have or things they don't want to forget, that's how I use my cell phone. I knock out a couple of emails just to make sure my inbox doesn't feel too crazy. And then when I'm done, I put it away.

What’s a sleep hack you abide by?

I keep water next to my bed, or tea. I'm a huge tea drinker also. But, anything for hydration through the night, so you wake up feeling like you're not all dry and crackly. 

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A night-time tradition you’ll never stray from?

I love reading at night. Once I've done my emails and I've kind of finished with my technology, having a book is great. If I'm tired, it puts me right to sleep, and if I'm not, I love the transporting quality of a book

How do you balance non-stop emailing and your wind-down time?

Rest for me is obviously a big focus because I know that if I get a good night's sleep, I'm in much better shape for my day. So for me, that's also things like ending work at 5:00pm when possible. I know it's not always possible, but it's a target. And I feel like even by articulating that, it's helped adjust our family and our timeline.

Countering the act of resting, what does it look like on the other side of stillness?

I'm really into working out. Not everyone needs to take it to the extreme, but I love it. For me, it really helps because I'm physically tired, not just mentally tired, by the end of the day. So getting some good physical exercise also really helps with sleep.