Because I’m an over-sharer, I’m going to let you in on another one of my little secrets: I am not a pretty sleeper. I do not wear silky lingerie or lie in a peaceful, angelic repose like Sleeping Beauty. The closest I get to sexy is the black silk eye mask I occasionally use to block out any residual light.
Here’s my bedtime reality:
I wear an old tank top or t-shirt and women’s boy shorts because midlife night sweats are real. My hair is in a messy top knot or low bun — also messy. I wear compression socks to reduce the edema that swells my calves by the end of each day. I have mouth tape over my lips to force nasal breathing. [If you don’t know what mouth taping is, I wrote about it a few months ago here on the blog and at AutoimmuneSisters.com.] And as of last week, I now use a wrap-around overnight castor oil pack to help my liver detox.
Talk about sexy. It’s not Sixteen Candles-style head gear or CPAP + long flannel nightgown bad, but it’s not that far off, either.
If I was younger, or a different person entirely, I might be embarrassed by this. But I’m good with it. I’m not trying to seduce my husband each night; I’m trying to get actual sleep. And at 51, that requires props.
As someone with health issues, I take my sleep very seriously. If I don’t get at least 7 hours (ideally, 8 or 9), everything — and everyone — suffers. To ensure good quality sleep, I have a somewhat complex nighttime ritual that includes dry brushing, lymphatic face massage, meditation, breath work, and now castor oil packs.
If you’re a normal human, this probably seems like a lot. It is. But it helps me.
My detoxification processes are compromised because of my autoimmune condition and funky gene mutation (it’s why I was susceptible to the mercury poisoning and toxic mold in the first place), so I’m open to all sorts of complimentary therapies to optimize my health. Castor oil packs are just the latest thing I’m trying. Sexy slumber be damned.
If you’re a silky lingerie kind-of-girl, good for you. You do you, boo. But I’m sticking with my less-than-sexy sleep attire. It works for me, and doesn’t seem to deter my husband from wanting sex, so there’s that, too.
— LJDT
