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We spend a third of our lives asleep—that means our bedroom is the most lived-in space in our homes. It’s the room where we start and end our days, and that’s why the rituals that happen there are extra important. In The Wind Down, we’ll be exploring the nighttime routines of people we admire and taking their advice to make the moments just before bed feel our best.
In the past few months, the video-sharing app long beloved by Gen-Z, TikTok, has quickly become a mainstream form of entertainment for people of all ages. The bite-size clips on the platform have provided much-needed humor, comfort, and advice in a stressful time—and one of its biggest creators has rightfully emerged as a bona fide lifestyle star. With 3.7 million followers on TikTok and 2.2 million on Instagram, vegan foodie and actress Tabitha Brown is the next big thing.
Her feed is full of cooking videos that are accessible and entertaining—accented with her now-beloved catchphrase “Because that’s my business”—and earnest heart-to-hearts. Brown’s philosophy is all about feeling good, whether that means making a vegan grilled cheese or letting yourself sleep in a little (because you probably need some extra rest anyway). And she practices what she preaches, taking the time at home to wind down in a way that helps her approach the next day with a smile. Here, she walks us through her full nighttime routine.
@iamtabithabrownSpicy Mac n cheese by @eathowl ! ##vegan ##Tabithabrown♬ original sound – iamtabithabrown
Stream team: I don’t really watch TV during the day, so nighttime is when I’ll catch up on my shows. I love This Is Us and Insecure. I’m also counting down to the next season of Stranger Things. I have what I call my junk TV, too, like Real Housewives of Atlanta. Sometimes I just put it on while I’m working—I’m not watching, but I can hear it and I don’t really have to think about it.
Wash away: I’m always in prayer. When I’m in the shower, that’s really a good time for me to just release and just be quiet in the moment. I always try to focus on the positives—it’s important to make sure your mind is clear, because the world is crazy. You have to stay centered.
Skin saviors: The only thing that I consistently use is my face wash and exfoliator. I use the seaweed collection from The Body Shop—it’s one of the first big vegan lines it had. One of my secrets is that I exfoliate every day, which people say you’re not supposed to do, but just look at my skin!
Hydration nation: I always pour myself a huge glass of water. I know it causes me to go to the bathroom throughout the night, but that’s my business. Every now and then I’ll have ginger tea or turmeric tea, too. Depending on what I’ve eaten, sometimes I’ll drink a dandelion tea with a little agave and lemon to make sure that my stomach isn’t doing anything weird.
Aromatherapy: I love candles. I do a show called Very Good Mondays, and every Monday we feature a candle of the week. There’s a candle company named Addison’s Grace, and it makes a Creole Lemon Pound Cake candle. It is so good that it makes all your worries go away.
Perfect pj’s: Believe it or not, my favorites are caftans. They can be short or long. They always remind me of my mom.
Pillow fight: Because I have arthritis in my neck and bone spurs, I literally sleep with four, sometimes five pillows. I cannot go to bed without a pillow between my knees. I have one behind my head, one under my right arm, one under my left arm, and one on my left side I can roll to. My husband’s like, “You don’t even see me in the bed because of all the pillows.”
Extra ease: I use a CBD rub on my neck and my shoulders every night before bed. Otherwise, sometimes I’ll wake up in the middle of the night and gravity’s rolling onto them.
House hunters: I like to look at houses on my phone—I’ve done this for a long time, always before I fall asleep. Redfin is my go-to, but sometimes I’ll use the Movado app. I always think about houses I’m going to buy someday. When I bought the one I live in now, it was a very old home and I redid everything in it. So I always like to look for new ideas—my husband and I watch HGTV often, too. It helps me dream about the future.
@iamtabithabrownI love this quote: You can’t heal in the same environment you got sick baby…. Let that sink in❤️Love yall❤️ ##tabithabrown♬ original sound – iamtabithabrown
Checking in: Sometimes between midnight and 1 a.m., I’ll feel like people need to hear from me and I’ll make a TikTok with some inspiration. I’ve dealt with anxiety and depression, so I know that time of night is when it gets tough for people who can’t sleep or might be going through something. I’ll do that either from bed or from my couch. After that, I’ll check my Instagram for a few minutes, and then I go to sleep.
Lights-out around 1 a.m.
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