Advice for the sleep-deprived

Drink warm milk. Take a quick shower. Read a few pages of your book. Listen to soothing music. Rub lavender-scented balm on your temples and nape. These are just some of the well-meaning pieces of advice given to those who ask how to easily fall asleep. As is often the case, what works for one person might not necessarily work for another. A cursory online search on how to achieve restful sleep reveals other suggestions. Climbing into a bed already made with fresh sheets is one, and choosing the right pillows is a second. It’s the reason why Gourdo’s held a weekend event at Podium Mall in Ortigas. Last Sept. 5, visitors tested a selection of pillows by lying on a bed that had been set up in the middle of the mall. “The “Dream Oasis: Sleepcare x Healthguard” was designed as a sensory pop-up that included stations offering flavored teas and scented pillow sprays. There was a mini competition on who could make up a bed — complete with fitted sheet, flat sheet, duvet and pillowcases — the fastest. As expected, a hotel housekeeping staff completed the task in under four minutes. To emphasize their existing pillow range, the home store came up with four urban sleep profiles for their…