8 Essentials Every Woman Needs On Her Nightstand

If you grew up in the early 2000’s like I did, then it’s possible that shows like “Real World”, “Laguna Beach”, and “TRL” graced your TV screen between summer chores and on lazy weekend afternoons. It’s also likely you had a love/hate relationship with low rise jeans, ate pizza rolls at least once a week, and texted using T9 ~if~ you were cool enough to even have a phone in the first place, but we’ll save those for another time.

One of my favorite MTV shows was “Cribs” because those celebrity closets, kitchens, and backyard pools were #goals, and there was also something oddly thrilling about peeking behind the scenes in other people’s lives. Nowadays, Instagram stories and Facebook posts update us on everyone’s breakfast choices or latest home reno by the second, but it used to take a DVR recording or flip through the TV guide channel to see where Mariah Carey did her makeup every morning.

While I’m no celebrity (and the most exciting things in my fridge at the moment are raw milk and drool-worthy leftover brisket), there’s a little corner of my home I thought would be fun to share with you here. My nightstand has become a personal oasis, home base, and relaxing retreat for this working mama with a passion for [all the things], and though I believe stepping in someone’s bedroom is as personal as it gets, I’m excited to let you in to one of my favorite spaces ever.

Now…nothing on my night stand is earth shattering, and the styling won’t be making anyone’s home décor Pinterest boards. But you ~will~ find useful items that contribute to my health in every form of the word, and I’m giddy to show you these bedside essentials that just might change your life…ooooooor at least the quality of your sleep.

**A GOOOOOOD BOOK**

I L-O-V-E reading, but when I became a mom, my free time to sit and get lost in a book became non-existent and I was forced to squeeze my reading into nap times, lunch breaks, and right before bed. While I enjoy paging through self-improvement or educational books by day for growth and inspiration, I turn to fiction at night and allow my mind to wander as my eyelids get heavy (sometimes after only a paragraph or two).

Research shows that reading fiction at night not only improves sleep quality, but also the ability to easily fall asleep, and I use this scientific finding as an excuse to have a drama-filled romcom or thrilling adventure story by my bedside at all times. I personally prefer a hard cover that smells like the library, but also find my kindle super handy, especially if my guy is trying to sleep next to me. And for my fellow e-reader users, if you haven’t discovered the Libby App yet, it’s *everything* for renting free e-books from the library…all you need is a library card!!!

I always have a book (or three) on my nightstand or locked and loaded on my kindle, and if you have a hard time winding down at night or wanted to read more but just haven’t found the time, diving into a good book right before bed, even a few paragraphs or pages at a time, may be just what you need. So far this year, my fiction favorites have been “Malibu Rising”, the Jojo Moyes “Me Before You” Trilogy, and “The Blinds” to name a few.

WATER MUG

As a pelvic rehab therapist who’s concerned about your bladder health aaaaaalmost as much as your sleep quality, I often recommend decreasing your water drinking one to two hours before bed time to avoid unnecessary trips to the bathroom at night. If you’re consuming adequate water throughout the day (for most this is five to ten ounces per hour), you should be adequately hydrated without having to guzzle water right before bed.

While I’m an avid water bottle user through the day (this is my ride or die), I prefer having a simple glass or “fancy” mug (i.e. – a cute little thrifted pottery find) of water on my nightstand in case I need a few sips right before bed or throughout the night. Using a cup rather than large water bottle ensures I have what I need but prevents me from over-drinking so my bladder doesn’t become my alarm clock (which is not normal, bee tee dubs).

Whatever water I don’t drink at night, I have first thing in the morning. I down it before my feet even hit the floor to hydrate my body and start the day right.

THERMOMETER

When I got off birth control to naturally manage my endometriosis, I wasn’t quite ready to get pregnant yet, so I turned to the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM) for our family planning needs. FAM uses basal body temperature (BBT, your oral temperature first thing in the morning before even getting out of bed) and cervical mucus to determine ovulation to prevent…or plan…pregnancy.

With balanced hormones, your BBT should drop with ovulation and rise with your period. You’ll also see your cervical mucus become slick and clear like egg whites with ovulation and dryer right before your period. Studies show that the FAM is 99.4% effective (!!!) and I’ve been able to predict both my ovulation and menstruation to the day, which is so much more reliable than a period app calculating your cycle.

After silencing my alarm clock, I roll over, grab my thermometer off my nightstand, and take my temperature. Once I’ve had my water, I get up and go to the bathroom, then log my BBT and cervical mucus in the Kindara app while pouring my espresso shots. This tiny addition to my bedside table has been one of my biggest life hacks to date, and I now know my body better than ever before.

DIFFUSER

I’m slowly but surely becoming an essential oils ~~user~~ lover, and adding this diffuser to my nightstand has been *chef’s kiss* in all the ways. Aromatherapy is proven to help with a racing mind, stress, restlessness, bad dreams, and muscle tension (to name a few), and depending on the type of day I had, I’ll take all the help I can get with any and all of the above, please and thank you.

As I already shared, I’m not an essential oils pro…yet, so I rely on lavender for sleep 99% of the time because (1) I don’t have a large variety of oils and (2) it’s worked like magic again and again. For more sleep-time options, this blog post has 11 essential oils that are perfect for bed time, and it’s one I’m referencing often as I slowly build my essential oils collection.

I personally don’t like the idea of my diffuser running all night long, so I made sure to get one that has a timer. When I remember, I turn on the diffuser while I’m upstairs putting Sloan to bed, let it run in the room for about an hour, then turn it off after reading and right before falling asleep. The Libra in me loves ~everything~ about sitting in bed and reading a good book with the diffuser going, and if you too like all the hygge, cozy, extra vibes, this is a must.

GUN

You may not agree with me on this one, and that’s ok (if so, keep scrolling for three more ~lovely~ nightstand-worthy items)…but I’ve gained so much peace of mind from having a gun by my side at night. When Bob was gone fighting fires this summer, I ~~wanted~~ needed to be confident protecting Sloan and I, and learning to safely own and use a firearm has helped me sleep so much better.

A bit bigger than what I carry while out and about, this gun is still the perfect size for my hand but feels a bit “sturdier” for home defense. I keep it in this safe at all times which makes me more comfortable as Sloan is getting into EV-ERY-THING these days.

Fear used to keep me up for nights on end when Bob was in the Navy, but this summer I slept without any issues and I attribute that in large part to owning a gun that I’m self-reliant with. My personal opinion is that every woman should know how to confidently defend herself in the worst-case scenario, and being ready with a firearm is the best way to do so.

ALARM CLOCK

While most people use their phone as an alarm clock, I’m a big fan of leaving phones out of the bedroom and utilizing an actual, old school alarm clock instead. We have a bed that wakes us up with vibration (yes!!!…and it also heats and cools, and tbh I told Bob we didn’t need it, but damn am I happy we have it), but ~if~ we didn’t, you better believe I’d have an alarm clock on my nightstand instead.

With group text messages gone wild with gifs, work emails, or social media notifications informing you your reel went viral, our phones are notifying us 24/7. All these brain stimulants plus the blue light that a phone emits are the not the last things you should see at night or the first things in the morning.

Before getting our fancy-schmancy bed, I was shopping for alarm clocks in the attempt to get my phone out of the bedroom. My wants included sound and light alarm options, no harsh, bright display, and at least somewhat cute…obviously, and this is the one I aaaaalmost got.

BLUELIGHT GLASSES

For the times my phone sneaks it way into the bedroom for whatever reason, I make sure my bluelight glasses are always right there too. Bluelight is known to suppress the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep, and can have a negative effect on alertness and sleep cycles as well.

There are other devices that emit bluelight too – televisions, computer screens, tablets, e-readers, video game consuls, and LED lights are all common offenders. If possible, it’s best practice to limit bluelight exposure two to three hours before bed, but options other than wearing bluelight glasses include dimming your screens or setting the device to “night mode” if able.

I personally use bluelight glasses as much as possible…at work, home, even when out and about. I purchased two pairs and one stays on my nightstand at all times so I know I have bluelight protection when and where it matters most.

JOURNAL

I stillllllllll don’t consider myself a diehard journal-er, but I have made it a regular practice to document five daily gratitudes and jot down how the day made me feel, any high or low lights, and ah-ha moments along the way. Because I end up being “too busy” at any other time, grabbing my journal off my nightstand in the evening has helped keep me accountable and I’ve become more consistent than ever before.

While you don’t need anything fancy (any paper and writing tool will do), I love using these notebooks as my journal and trust me when I say these pens are the GOAT.

I’ve found that journaling right before bed is the perfect way to remove stressors and avoid distractions; I can get everything out on paper so my brain and body can focus on resting and winding down.

Physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health are all important, and there’s at least one, if not more, items on my nightstand that check each of these wellness boxes. Nothing on my nightstand is special or super fancy, but they’re all intentional (and essential, IMO) elements that contribute positively to my health, life, and a better night’s sleep.

If you have any of these items around your home but weren’t optimizing them in the bedroom, I highly recommend giving them new life on your nightstand and watch the magic happen. Small but mighty tweaks to everyday life are my jam, and these are easy and actionable ways to benefit your health with low effort but allllllll the effectiveness.

– Amanda

Disclaimer: The content provided here does not constitute medical advice, nor is it a substitute for personalized healthcare. If you have concerns about a medical condition, diagnosis, or treatment, you should consult with a licensed healthcare professional.

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. No pressure, but I have a feeling you’re gonna like what I’ve taken the time to put my recommendation behind.