With shorter days affecting body clocks, many people find their sleep disrupted. Annee de Mamiel, an Integrated Facialist known for blending Western science with Eastern medicine and holistic therapies, suggests that instead of seeking one remedy, a multi-layered approach can help the body transition more effectively into rest.
Her recommendations focus on three key areas:
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Resetting the nervous system – “It’s about reprogramming the brain,
the lymphatic system and the hormones to ensure a quality of sleep that lets the brain and
body switch into deep repair mode” describes de Mamiel. Anxiety, hypervigilance, and unprocessed daily stress are what keeps many of us from both falling asleep and staying asleep. Simple practices such as humming, gentle shaking or placing hands over the heart can help shift the body from “fight or flight” into “rest and repair.” -
Supporting the brain’s glymphatic system – During deep sleep, the glymphatic system works to flush out toxins and metabolic waste from the brain. Supporting this process can help the brain cleanse itself more effectively overnight, leading to greater clarity the following day. Sleeping on the left side, light neck and jaw massage, and cooling the head with a compress or silk pillowcase may help this overnight cleansing process.
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Bathing to reduce cortisol levels – A warm bath before bed raises body temperature, followed by a cooling drop that naturally encourages melatonin release.
To enhance this final step, de Mamiel created the Anchor Soak, a blend of magnesium salts
with essential oils including neroli, chamomile, lavender and frankincense. Used 60–90 minutes before bed, with a short cool rinse afterwards, it is designed to support relaxation and help prepare the body for restorative sleep (available here). Annee recommends to “focus on the breathing, extending the exhalations to be longer than the inhalations. In combination with the relaxing effects of the warm water will help switch the body in to rest and repair mode. Finish with a 30 second cool rinse to accelerate the core temperature drop which signals to the brain it’s time to sleep.”
