Sleep, wake, repeat. Read all about how our friends optimize their surroundings, unwind, and relax the mind for a good night—every night.

We sat down with Kat and Victoria, the founders of LOHN, small batch, sustainable candles and essential oils meant to transport you, to talk about their nightly bedtime rituals.

Double, Queen, or King? 

Kat:  KING all the way.

Victoria:  Is California King an option? I’ve gotten so used to a Queen with condo living so whenever I stay in hotels I always try to choose a room with a King bed, it’s so luxurious.

Why is a good night’s sleep important to you? 

Kat:  My brain can’t function properly without a proper night’s sleep. Sleep is my medicine!

Vic:  My mind races throughout the day so sleep is key to helping me recharge for the next day. It takes a lot of energy to have a good day after a bad night’s rest.

How many hours of sleep do you get a night—or at least dream of getting? 

Kat:  8ish hours.

Vic:  6-7ish hours. Probably the reason why I nap after work.

1. Are you a dreamer? 

Kat:  Yes! I dream every night

Vic:  Absolutely! If I remember it well I’ll look up the meaning behind my dream. I also do that full body twitch right before I hit deep sleep. Sleep is weird.

What’s currently on your bedside table? 

Kat:  My 5-minute journal, “Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer, Three Ships Buttercream Lip Mask, my pink Slip eye mask and a large glass of water, always.

Vic:  My humidifier (key for condo winters), my glasses, a glass of water, a lamp and my LOHN scent pebble essential oil diffuser. Lately I’ve been falling asleep to the scent of our ESTE blend. It has chamomile, grapefruit, lavender, patchouli and petitgrain essential oils. So calming & mellow.

Do you partake in any nightly routine before settling into bed? 

Kat:  I wish I could say I had a consistent morning/night routine, but I don’t. Sometimes I will take a candlelit bath to wind down, I try to shut down all devices by 9pm and I aim to read for at least 15 minutes before I fall asleep.

Vic:  TBH I usually watch The Office or Seinfeld before bed with a candle lit (DYM has been on heavy rotation at home) and a mint tea in my hand and then I get into bed and pass out immediately or add some drops of essential oils to my scent pebble and read a book to get sleepy.

Tell us about where the magic happens—and by magic, we mean sleep. How do you optimize your sleep environment? 

Kat:  Oh, here we go! Lol. My thermostat is usually set to 64F at night, which really helps because my body temperature runs hot. My Dyson fan is always turned on before bed for an extra breeze and white noise, and I always wear an eye mask to block out any light.

Vic:  Clean sheets, a shower, a mint tea, a calming scent, a good book and my hubby :) It gets even better when it’s Friday night and I know I can sleep in.

If you feel a restless night coming on, is there anything you do to help get you through the night without waking? 

Kat:  If my mind starts to wander, I usually try a simple breathwork exercise which involves breathing in for 5 counts, holding for 5 then breathing out for 5. It helps calm down my nervous system and my stressful thoughts tend to dissipate, usually allowing me to eventually fall back asleep!

Vic:  I’m a very anxious person so if I notice my mind is racing before bed I’ll stop what I’m doing (usually working, watching tv, or scrolling) put away my laptop/phone, wash my face, spritz a face mist, moisturize, make a tea, light a candle, read a book and that usually calms me down and gets me into the best headspace for sleep. Kat introduced me to break work and it’s a miracle worker for those moments you wake mid sleep and have racing thoughts. Force yourself to take the deepest inhales and exhales - works like a charm.

What kind of pillows do you use to keep your head in the clouds? 

Kat:  Hmmm unfortunately I don’t know the brands offhand. But usually my head rests on a firm pillow, and since I sleep on my side, I place a softer pillow in between my knees to help promote spine/hip alignment.

Vic:  Down pillows! The flatter the better for me :) one behind my bed, the other between my knees.

Last but not least, what is your number one piece of can’t-sleep-without advice? 

Kat:  My eye mask, hands down. I can’t live without it, and take it with me on every getaway.

Vic:  A soft oversized t-shirt. My favourite type of pajama.