We’re sure you’ve been told it a million times:
“Get some rest,”
“You look tired, go to bed,”
“Have you tried to just… chill?”
But what do we actually mean when we tell someone to “get some rest”? As Sleep Awareness Week approaches, we at SleepSwag have been thinking more than usual about this question, and have come to the conclusion that maybe the best way to go about this is by outlining for you all, what “getting some rest” is not:
1. Binge watching the new season of Grace and Frankie for four consecutive hours. Put the remote down. We love Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as much as the next person—and we’ve certainly been making time to watch the new season ourselves— but “getting some rest” does not mean sitting in bed awake.
2. Telling yourself that you just have to do your four new face masks before you can really get some sleep. A nice face mask can do wonders for your skin, but having to wait twenty minutes for each one to sink in is not adding any cycles to your night of sleep. Maybe stick to just one and get some z’s to work on those bags instead.
3. Playing Candy Crush on your phone till you finally finish level number 1142. You’ve been at it for years— I’m sure it can wait one more night. And that’s not even to mention that the blue light from your phone can make it harder to got to sleep once you want to— eye mask or not. Try charging your electronics on a different side of the room, that way you can’t sit in your bed scrolling Instagram till you have to wake up.
It’s easy to think that when somebody says “Get some rest,” it just means you need some downtime, but there’s certainly no better downtime than actual sleep. So put down the remote, plan ahead to make time for your elaborate 10-step Korean skincare routine, and leave your phone in the bathroom, your body, your mind, and your skin will thank you in the morning.