Sleep is one of the most important things tied to our overall well-being, and yet it often gets thrown to the wayside when life gets hectic or hard. Between jam-packed schedules and increased stress, sleep can not only be hard to get but also hard to do.
How many times have you stayed up late for a work event or project, just to get up early the next morning for a child's soccer game or a family function? Between life, work, kids and friends, it can often feel like you're not getting enough sleep. In fact, a new study conducted by Natrol showed that 45% of women ages 40 to 60 are losing two hours of sleep or more.
So how do women, specifically, get better sleep? Model Molly Sims spoke with Parade about her favorite sleep hacks for women over 50 (including one that might be under the radar).
Sims recently partnered with Natrol, the #1 melatonin brand in America, because of how much she loves their melatonin gummies. While they're a necessary part of her sleep routine, she shares other go-to habits and tricks she swears by for a restful night of shut-eye.
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The One Sleep Hack That Molly Sims Says 'Can Really Go a Long Way'
"I think that, for me, not getting enough sleep is like... I'm like a crazy woman if I don't," Sims tells Parade. "I went to bed on Monday at 4:30... in the afternoon. No one goes to bed at 4:30. But I was so, I was so ornery and so tired. I couldn't stand myself. I had driven like seven hours in the weekend and I just -- I know me."
As someone who needs to prioritize getting enough sleep, it's no wonder she has some go-to tips for the rest of us. And one of her biggest hacks sounds especially cozy.
"I think, listen, you can't beat a heating pad," Sims shares. "Every now and then a heating pad can really go a long way."
Read on for the rest of Parade's conversation with Sims about how to get a good night's rest.
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What is your relationship with sleep and how has it changed as you've gotten older?
Sims: I think in the past couple of years, whether it just be age or change, I definitely had trouble staying asleep... You know, I lost my father recently. And then the chaos of having three children and launching YSE, my beauty company, and my podcast, Lipstick On The Rim. I think just life in it of itself has changed my sleep.
You know, Natrol found me 'cause I found them. I used to take melatonin a while ago and I stopped. And then through the podcast and through Dr. Baker and Dr. Geller -- Jordan Geller, my endocrinologist -- the power of melatonin is real.
[Previously,] I was taking another brand that I absolutely hated, because I felt like it was horse pills and the gummies are easy. And I was just honestly having trouble falling asleep. So, I needed something. I still do my magnesium... But I needed something that I could rely on because the chaos, the lists and the to-do and not-to-do were kind of driving me crazy.
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Do you feel that it helps with calming the noise and like you said, it helps you fall asleep and then it helps you stay asleep, right?
Sims: Yeah, so there's a time-release one. There's a 3-milligram and a 10-milligram... I've been taking the first one because I used to fall asleep and I just will lay there and I will lay there and I will lay there. So it really does, in about 15 minutes, help kind of just start to calm everything.
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Yeah. And you know what, that's important; knowing what works for you.
Sims: And I can't do anything that's addictive because I'm always worried. You know, so for me, it has to be very high-quality ingredients, very, very drug-free. And I don't want any artificial flavors or sweeteners or anything like that in there. So it's kind of the same thing [with] water. I'm like, okay, we're trying to use glass or aluminum, no plastic. So just trying to make those small, little changes.
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What are some other sleep hacks for women over 50?
Sims: I would do a red light mask. I would do magnesium. I take Sarah Wragge's Restore. I would get a great pillow and a mask. I would make it dark [with] blackout [curtains.] I make my room super, super cold.
There's this thing called HigherDOSE... [It's] like a sauna, like a blanket where you can sweat... You can lay it on your bed. You can get into it. Those are things that can really relax you.
But I think for women over 50, I think they need something you can rely on. Like, I'm very specific on what I do. I think that's why [Natrol] found me because I'm like, "Wait a second. This really works for me and it's easy to take." There's no aftertaste. And then I can still do my drink[s] [like] my hot cocoa or whatever, you know, whatever I do. But yeah, the 50s are a little bit tricky... with sleep.
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In addition to finding habits that work for you, are there any habits that you were doing before going to bed that hindered your sleep? Maybe eating too late, staying on your screen too long...
Sims: Yeah, definitely put the phone down. The light alone will just keep you up and keep you tempted to check Daily Mail or The Post or any other news app that you have on Apple.
Don't open that article. I know it's weird, but everything has been going on lately in the world... Just not reading something bad before you go to sleep... then I start to worry.
I definitely do not eat late. I used to eat late and I do not do that. And it's funny, I used to have really bad heartburn and I think that's because of it. I don't have the heartburn anymore.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
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