Doesn't she look well-rested?

I have an array of cute sleep masks, which I don as part of an elaborate pre-bed ritual that involves scrubbing all that big city grime off my mug, dry-brushing my skin, brushing / flossing / protective rinsing because it’s insanely important and dabbing a bit of patchouli on my wrists. (Don’t laugh; for me, a whiff of that famously crunchy essential oil has become the olfactory equivalent of my Diapered Darling’s precious “night night” blankie.) Oh, and I make sure I’m wearing my Q-link necklace, which I’ve written about at length.

Anyway, from researching my book, I knew that a mask can aid with the basic tenets of “sleep hygiene,” which state that the optimal environment for snoozing is rawther nippy and crazy-dark. And since there’s a bit too much light streaming into my bedroom from street lamps, and Hubby often likes to watch baseball on the flatscreen with the sound politely turned off, I’ve taken to covering my eyes.

In chatting with my latest Mama Guru, integrative doctor Jeffrey Morrison, I learned something new: The pitch-dark scenario is crucial to the production of the vital hormone melatonin, which is non-negotiable for deep sleep. He says that if there’s enough light in your bedroom to see your hand in front of your face, you’re inadvertently short-circuiting your melatonin-making.

As if you needed another reason to make like Zorro, here’s a goodie: If you wear a silky style, you can prevent those awful pillow-case crinkles that, over time, can become etched into our faces in the form of teensy weensy lines and wrinkles. Trust me, you don’t want that. So grab a mask, hot mama, and get your beauty sleep.

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