Coming into the new year, we will see a wave of new trends taking shape. Trends are often influenced by social and political events, pop culture, and they are also often influenced by technological advancements.
One of the overarching trends we'll be seeing more of in the new year will emphasize self-care, health, and wellness. Part of a good self-care ritual includes getting a good night's rest. When we don't have a proper sleep, we can suffer mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. So it's imperative to prioritize sleep time.
In today's blog article, I will talk about the biggest sleep trends in 2022. Let's dive in.
Self-Care, Health, and Wellness
The recent climate crisis talks have caused many of us to suffer from environmental anxiety, while the pandemic has triggered us to rethink our lifestyles. We'll be looking to be calmer, healthier, and focus more on our wellbeing in 2022.
Living a healthy lifestyle means we need to look at our lives holistically. From the food we eat to the skincare we use daily, and even the people we surround ourselves with. Everything we expose ourselves to affects us, whether we realize it or not.
Part of a good self-care ritual should include a bedtime and sleep-time ritual. Chronic Short Sleep is a condition that affects 30% of employed adults in the US. Around six hours of sleep in a 24-hour period is considered incredibly low and can be detrimental to health and wellbeing, particularly if it continues for long periods (5).
Why do we need sleep? According to Healthline (4), sleep:
- Conserves energy: Eight hours of sleep produces a daily energy saving of 35%.
- Restores Cells: During sleep, our body's cells regenerate, muscles repair, tissues grow, protein synthesizes, hormones release.
- Helps brain function: Sleep enables our brains to detoxify and restore, removing waste from our central nervous system.
- Improves emotional wellbeing: Our brains regulate our emotions when we are properly rested.
- Helps weight management: During sleep, our outputs are lowered, so our hunger hormones are reduced.
- Preserves insulin production: Sleep protects against insulin resistance.
- Boosts immunity: Our bodies produce immunity proteins called cytokines while we sleep and immune cells and antibodies.
- Improves heart health: Sleep helps maintain blood pressure and the nervous system.
Not having adequate sleep negatively affects things like learning, memory, problem-solving skills, creativity, decision-making, focus, and concentration, and can also cause us to be more emotional, irrational, and overly sensitive.
Two separate studies (1,2,3) found that:
- 10-30% of adults struggle with insomnia, with 30-48% of older adults suffering the most.
- 57% of men and 40% of women in the US snore.
- 41% of primary care patients say they've experienced night sweats in the last month.
- People with severe insomnia are seven times more likely to have work-related injuries.
- Sales of melatonin grew from $62m in 2003 to $378m in 2014—that's 500% in just over a decade.
- Anxiety caused by uncertainties during the pandemic has caused insomnia and sleep problems in adults.
- The climate crisis has caused mental health and sleep problems in adults.
Given the current state of the environment and the ongoing ambiguity of the pandemic, we can expect our sleep patterns to continue in 2022. So let's highlight the top sleep trends in 2022 to give a night of better quality sleep.
Sleep Trends 2022
Smart Earbuds
If you're a light sleeper like me, you often get woken up by things that go bump in the night. This leads to a poor night's sleep and can negatively affect your whole day when you wake up.
I started wearing foam earplugs to bed a few years ago, and while it's helped with my sleep, disposable earplugs are not the most eco-friendly option. Thanks to advancements in technology, you can now get smart earbuds, which are comfortable to sleep in, and can also be used when you're working or reading and need to block out noise.
My pick is the QuietOn 3. These are ergonomically designed; they are comfortable for slide, back, and front sleepers; they have active noise-canceling (ANC) technology and come with various ear tips to fit in any ear.
Destressing Headband
You could try out a destressing headband for those of you who don't like earplugs. These put comforting pressure around your head and ears and can muffle and cancel-out sounds.
My pick is the Hoom Headband. It has built-in headphones and comes with an app so you can play guided meditations, soundscapes, white noises, and relaxation sounds to prepare your mind for a great sleep.
Silk Bedding
If you're a hot sleeper, you know the feeling of waking up in a pool of sweat. It feels uncomfortable, and it can be challenging to get back to sleep. You may have heard us talk about silk bedding before. This is because it truly is a superior fabric for bedtime.
Silk doesn't pull on our skin or hair, and it is naturally hypoallergenic, so it's a top choice. It's also antibacterial and biodegradable, and it's thermo-regulating, so you can say goodbye to those pesky night sweats.
My pick is the 30 Momme Pure Organic Luxury Silk Bed Sheet Set. 30 momme is the highest grade and heaviest weight of silk available in bedding on the market. It will keep your body at a comfortable temperature all night long. If you're more inclined to sweat just around your neck (like me), you can invest in just a 30 Momme 100% Pure Organic Silk Pillowcase. Choose the silver ion-infused pillowcase at checkout if you also suffer from acne.
Adjustable Mattress
If you're a light sleeper, I understand the struggle of falling asleep and staying asleep if your partner is a disruptive or restless sleeper. Having an adjustable mattress might seem like something for old people, but it's ideal for those who require a little more separation and stillness at night.
My pick is the Solaire Split Top Adjustable Mattress. A decent mattress will set you back a couple of thousand dollars, so why not invest in a mattress that you know will help you sleep better? You can choose from 50 different firmness levels; it's breathable, and keeps hot sleepers cool all night.
Sleep-Time Skincare
Another trend to watch for in 2022 is sleep-time skincare. Our body and mind regenerate while we sleep, and our skin is no different. Follow a solid skincare ritual at night to remove makeup, cleanse the skin, and mask up before hitting the sheets so you wake up with glowing, radiant skin.
My pick is the Honua Ritual. The pack contains four products:
- Pa'akai Cleansing Cream
- Hawaiian Beauty Water
- Aloha Youth Serum
- 'Ōlena Beauty Oil
Perform the ritual before bed, and in the fourth step, mix some Pa'akai Cleansing Cream in with 'Ōlena Beauty Oil to create a mask, and wear it to bed. If there's any residue leftover in the morning, either massage it in or perform a morning skincare ritual as normal.
Sleeping Mask
While sleeping masks are nothing new, they are a great addition to our bedtime ritual, as they help us fall asleep faster. No matter how small, any light pollution can stop us from falling into a deep sleep and disrupt our circadian rhythm. This is why many experts tell us not to have any devices in our bedroom.
My pick is a 100% Pure Organic Silk Mask. As I mentioned earlier, silk is a superior fabric, particularly for sleep. This mask won't pull on the hair and is soft on the skin, so even the most sensitive skin can wear it comfortably while blocking out any peek of light.
Wake-up Lighting
You might want to invest in wake-up lighting for anyone who prefers to sleep without wearing head or face accessories. These are where you wake up to lighting instead of a good old-fashioned alarm clock. If you are the type of person who sleeps in a pitch-black bedroom, you'll benefit from a wake-up light, as it gently nudges you awake by slowly turning on over a period of time to mimic the sun rising.
My pick is Hatch Restore. I like this light because it has several features; it's not just a light. It has a sound machine, sunrise alarm, smart light, meditation app, and an alarm clock, all built into one smart sleep assistant.
Bedtime Rituals
You can ensure you have a good night's sleep by creating a bedtime ritual for yourself that gives you ample time to wind down, so your mind is prepared. It can be tricky for those who work late to find a balance. But the general rule is to get between seven and nine hours of sleep every night.
The best way to get into a bedtime ritual is to work out what time you need to be up in the morning, then figure out what time you need to be asleep to get at least seven hours of sleep. Then allow for at least two hours to wind down before then, and include things like:
- Write down your to-do list for the next day in order of priorities.
- Not eating or drinking anything too close to bedtime.
- Skincare rituals, like the Honua Ritual.
- Five-minute meditation.
- No screen time an hour before bed.
- Remove devices from the bedroom.
- Find a book to read for the last hour.
With the current state of the environment and the pandemic, it's paramount to take care of yourself, so you don't experience emotional burnout. Follow self-care rituals, and invest in high-quality products to enhance your self-care, health, and wellness rituals, including your sleep. Follow these sleep trends in 2022 to have the best sleep of your life.
Emma Jade has been a trained esthetician for over 15 years. She is a sustainable skincare writer, educating and building awareness around proper skin health that doesn't cost the Earth.
Some of the products promoted in our blog are from our online store. Many others are brands we have researched and found to be great examples of sustainable, ethical, and innovative brands in their field, and we don't profit from mentioning them in our blog. #CollaborationOverCompetition
References
1 https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/sleep-facts-statistics
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7367777/
3 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-021-01385-4
4 https://www.healthline.com/health/why-do-we-sleep#energy-conservation
