I put my head on an artisanal pillow, covered in a bespoke silk cover, of course. My skin is soaked in a calming cbd-infused oil, overnight masks nourish lips and skin, a lavender scent fills the room as an olfactory lullaby. The handmade eye mask is ready on my bedside table, a weighted blanket hugs me to sleep…
The beauty and lifestyle industry is doing their best to make me rest well at night with posh products, intriguing ingredients and deluxe design.
My real struggle however is not the dusk, it’s the dawn. I need tools to arise that beautify my wake-up journey.
I am not against optimizing my bedtime, I wouldn’t reject a silky bedsheet, nor a potent night cream. But my wake-up needs a boost. I see the opportunity to have „better“ mornings. Loud alarms, some snooze – that’s the status quo.
Where is my morning candle, where is the wake-up oil, espresso infused foot cream? It’s a marketing opportunity. But also, an invite to rethink mornings, or the whenever you get up time.
I understand the cheer to sleep and rest.
But sometimes it seems we are almost afraid of being too active, as if “calm” is the ideal, sleep the goal. Whereas I think, after healthy activity, I might come naturally. When I saw an influencer complaining about “toxic productivity”, I was both in shock and awe. This comes from a very privileged point of view (work is not just an option for most, but necessary to survive) and also indicated activity might be harming. It might be a post girl-boss-era syndrome where it is more interesting to share what you do not do rather than achievements, a natural reaction from a younger (than me) generation that sees struggling (probably sleepless) grownups, parents. The response is avoidance of stress, prevention of productivity – but usually, it is impossible to lead a life alarm less.
What I am longing for is not more efficiency, I don’t ask for squeezing in more tasks or pre 9am achievements.
I just see room for rituals and products that create a more pleasant morning experience, that make me want to get up and wake up, putting that heavy blanket to the side and feel energized.
In order to come to the point of nighttime routine, I need to get up first anyways.
Laura Dunkelmann
