Being sleep deprived is the worst. It can make you irritable, amplify your stress, contribute to weight gain and even mess with your skin. And with the holidays right around the corner, those are the last things anyone needs (hello, huge pimple—you’re just in time for the company holiday party!). So while you’re getting your shopping lists together this season, consider giving your loved ones the gift of beauty sleep. These gifts can do everything from calm the mind and help you unwind, fall asleep quicker, sleep deeper, and even boost your beauty while you’re off in dreamland. So no matter the dollar value, they truly are priceless.
MORE: How Sleep Deprivation Affects Health and Beauty
1Wrinkle-Fighting Pillowcase
Iluminage Skin Rejuvenating Pillowcase, $60
Talk about multi-tasking. Woven with copper oxide fibers, this pillowcase was created to turn back the clock while you sleep. Copper has been shown to play an important role in skin cell regeneration. When your face touches the pillowcase, copper ions are released into the skin’s surface, helping spark the skin’s natural self-renewing processes. This cell reparation results in a reduced appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and therefore, overall well-rested and younger-looking skin.
2Stabilizing Body Pillow
Tempur-Pedic Body Pillow, $199
Ideal for side-sleepers and expectant mothers, this generously filled 48-inch-long body pillow provides extra stability and support for your entire body. Plus, the cover (a blend of silk and bamboo) feels soft and luxurious, making this the perfect sleeping companion to cuddle up with.
3Overnight Hydrating Skincare
Dr. Jart + Water Fuse Water-Max Sleeping Mask, $48
Give your skin a serious dose of hydration overnight with this replenishing mask. The light gel texture forms a protective layer on the skin and continuously amps up your skin’s moisture levels as you sleep. With hyaluronic acid, natural ingredients such as olive leaf and cranberry, and nine essential oils such as lavender, myrrh, rose and sandalwood, this mask will lull you to sleep with promises of a softer, smoother complexion come morning.
4Skin-Preserving Eye Mask
Blush Belle De Nuit Eye Masque, $42
For those who sleep better in complete darkness, this 100 percent silk mask can provide the perfect bedroom environment. Even better: It actually improves your skin as you sleep, too. The underside is made of un-bleached, non-dyed silk, which minimizes skin creasing while your face is smooshed against the pillow and, in some studies, has been shown to actually help reduce inflammation. The luxurious mask is also infused with copper, which promotes skin renewal and has antimicrobial properties, meaning it can reduce the amount of bacteria on your skin, giving you a cleaner, clearer complexion.
5Sunrise Simulating Light
Sleep Studio Wake Up Light, $120
Perfect for the winter, when morning light is a rarity, this light simulates the rising sun, helping you wake up gently instead of abruptly rousing you from sleep. The user chooses a wake time, and the lamp will gradually brighten, just like the actual sun would. No more being jolted awake by that piercing iPhone alarm and cracking open one eyelid to complete darkness in the dead of winter. This lamp will help you ease your way out of bed and give your body the feeling that its circadian rhythm is in sync with the sun. Plus, you can choose a natural sound or plug in a USB with your own music to wake up to.
6Adjustable Mattress
Tempur-Choice Luxe, $3,699 for a Queen
Choosing a mattress that’s the perfect firmness for two people is tough. But at the touch of a button, Tempur-Choice Luxe lets you adjust the feel on just your side of the bed, leaving your partner’s side unmoved. This bed pairs the body-contouring support of Tempur-Pedic’s signature material with the capability to adjust multiple “comfort zones” under your head and legs so you can find the perfect combination for full-body support and a heavenly night’s sleep. It’s great to give to your S.O.—but it’s OK to give it for selfish reasons, too (we won’t tell).
7Tranquilizing Tea
Risa’s Whole Leaf Sweet Honey Vanilla Rooibos Tea, $10
As a nutritionist with her own line of teas, Risa Blau of Risa’s Naturals always turns to Rooibos tea to show insomnia who’s boss. This naturally caffeine-free tea not only has a calming effect, but it also packs some other health benefits, such as antioxidants that fight free radicals, which keeps your body younger inside and out (via a clearer, healthier complexion). Plus, it’s full of alpha hydroxyl acids, Blau adds, adding to its anti-aging abilities. Our favorite flavor? The sweet honey vanilla, with its mixture of soothing and creamy flavors and just a tinge of sweetness.
8Calming Candle
R. Nichols Breathe Candle, $45
This paraffin-and-soy-blend candle smells of pure French lavender, an herb that is known to promote calmness and tranquility. In fact, studies have shown that aromatherapy with lavender may slow down the nervous system, promote relaxation and improve mood and sleep quality in people with sleep disorders. Aromatherapists also use lavender to treat anxiety and headaches. With 60 hours of burn time and a cute illustration on the jar, this candle is the perfect accessory to turn a bedroom into a sleep oasis.
9Noise-Cancelling Sound Machine
Sound + Sleep Nomad Travel Version, $150
Whether you’re a frequent traveler or just a city-dweller who can’t ignore the car horns and ambulance sirens blaring at night, a sound machine works wonders in creating a natural, soothing environment to help you fall asleep. The technology in this sound machine takes it to another level: It listens and responds to the disruptive noises in the user’s environment to neutralize background noises. You can even plug in your iPod or laptop to play your own music through the speakers, making it the perfect nightstand accessory.
10Aroma-Therapeutic Pillow Mist
Earth Therapeutics Anti-Stress Pillow Mist, $8
This blend of essential oils, herbs and botanicals calms the mind and body and encourages sleep with its dreamy scent of lavender, chamomile and citrus. A few spritzes onto your pillow right before you turn in for the night will set a soothing atmosphere and surround you with an air of relaxing, sleep-promoting scents.
11A Bed Fit for a King
Okay, time to talk about really splurging. This is on our wish list—but sadly, we don’t know anyone who could really afford to gift it to us. But if you’re looking to solidify your spot as the favorite child or just really truly impress someone you love, giving them a bed that His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden has in his own home—er, castle—wouldn’t be a bad place to start. (Seriously…Hästens is the exclusive supplier of beds and mattresses to the royal family of Sweden.) Hästens’ “sleep recipe” includes: luxury horsehair, premium cotton, hypoallergenic wool and soft flax laid on top of a Swedish pine frame. It promises a strong bed that is always at the ideal temperature, is hypoallergenic and makes you feel like you’re sleeping on air yet also fully supported. There’s not much we wouldn’t do for a luxurious night’s sleep in this baby.
