[Instagram Live] Stylist Kumiko Ohirakata and chef Naoko Tanijiri talk about "How to deal with sleep"

Personal stylist Kumiko Obinata, who has attracted attention with 98,000 Instagram followers, hosted an Instagram Live session with guest Naoko Tanijiri, a chef with 23,000 followers, on the theme of "How to approach sleep."

They discussed sleep problems, dietary habits they follow to improve sleep, and the "Brain Sleep Pillow" they both use and love. Here's a report of the session.

Instagram Live Report!

Ms. Obinata, who said her sleep quality improved after starting to use the "Brain Sleep Pillow," asked chef Ms. Tanijiri how she, as a working woman and mother, approaches sleep in her mindful daily life.

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Kumiko Obinata

Fashion Advisor, Personal Stylist.

After working for an apparel company, she went independent in 2013. Currently, she works as a fashion advisor, collaborating with companies and as a personal stylist. She is the author of "Adult Simple Style Created from 'Elegance'" (KADOKAWA).

Naoko Tanijiri

Chef

After working in the fashion industry, she transitioned to become a chef and is now the owner of "HITOTEMA," a reservation-only restaurant in Shibuya, Tokyo, that opens only once a week. With the concept of "modern home cooking," she leverages her experience as a vegetarian and growing up in a family of eight to offer course meals that pair well with alcohol without feeling heavy. She is the author of "HITOTEMA no Hito-tema" and "HITOTEMA no Hito-tema Part 2" (both from Shufu no Tomo-sha).

To improve sleep problems, diet and bedding are crucial.

Ms. Tanijiri, who juggles work and childcare and says she lives "three times more actively than the average person," discussed her sleep problems and the dietary habits and bedding they both prioritize for quality sleep.

I can fall asleep easily, but I wake up after 3 to 4 hours, which is called "middle-of-the-night awakening." So, I want to maximize my efforts in exercise and diet to improve my sleep quality.

Ms. Tanijiri

Ms. Obinata

I think a deep sleep of 3-4 hours leaves you less tired the next day than a shallow 7-hour sleep. Improving sleep quality enhances your quality of life, so it's especially important for those with short sleep durations to focus on sleep quality.

Choose a small, easily digestible dinner

Ms. Obinata

I generally don't eat dinner. If I eat too much, I can't sleep, and sometimes when I do eat, my body uses up energy for digestion, leaving me exhausted in the morning. To fall asleep smoothly and wake up refreshed, I think it's best to either not eat or eat only to about 50% fullness.

Not only the amount and content of food, but also if you don't chew enough, the food enters the stomach without mixing with saliva, which burdens the stomach and intestines and leads to shallow sleep. So, it's important to eat less for dinner and chew thoroughly.

Ms. Tanijiri

Ms. Obinata

Besides food, you're also particular about herbal teas, right?

Exactly. Valerian and chamomile are good herbal teas for sleep. I'm so particular about sleep quality that I even bring them with me when I travel and the sleep environment changes.

Ms. Tanijiri

The two of them are careful about their evening meals and drinks to avoid disturbing their sleep. They also seem to be particular about their bedding.

"Adult women" dealing with hormone imbalances should be particular about bedding.

Ms. Obinata

When you reach your 40s, you encounter the unavoidable challenge of hormone imbalance. That's why it's important to control your sleep through lifestyle, diet, and bedding.

I sometimes find it difficult to fall asleep because my hands and feet are cold, but my head and face are hot. As the old saying goes, "cold head, warm feet," for good quality sleep, it's necessary to efficiently lower the temperature of the head.

Ms. Tanijiri

Ms. Obinata

That's right. For us adults to get good quality sleep, we need bedding that regulates body temperature. Even if it's a bit pricey, considering we use it every day, it's not an expensive purchase at all; in fact, I think it's a necessary investment.

Brain Sleep Pillow Recommended Points

What is the Brain Sleep Pillow?

The Brain Sleep Pillow, Brain Sleep's flagship product, was born from brain and sleep research. Focusing on the "golden 90 minutes" that determines sleep quality, this pillow improves sleep quality by cooling the brain. Furthermore, it features a patented three-layer structure, with the softest top layer adapting to the size and weight of your head over seven days, making it popular for its custom-made feel.

Why do the two of them love it?

Ms. Obinata

When I read "The Stanford Way to a Better Sleep," a bestselling book on sleep research, I was really convinced by the theory and thought, "This is something I must try!" That's when I bought the pillow and discovered Brain Sleep. It's a brand focused on releasing heat from the head, and I think it's the culmination of neuroscience and sleep research.

Kumiko and Makoto (my husband) recommended it, and I started using it. You can't frequently trial and error with bedding, so you want to use a reliable product. The "Brain Sleep Pillow" felt completely different the moment I rested my head on it, and it gradually fit the shape of my head with each use, which felt incredibly comfortable. I wake up less often after 3-4 hours now, so it's become an indispensable item for me.

Ms. Tanijiri

Ms. Obinata

It was sold out for a long time after a busy celebrity introduced it on a TV show. But it seems they've finally caught up with production and it's available for purchase again recently.

Once you use it, you want to recommend it to your loved ones. Unlike down or feathers, there's no animal odor, and it's easy to clean because you can wash it entirely in your home shower, which is great for maintaining hygiene. You can also restore its fluffiness from when you first bought it by soaking it in 45-50 degree hot water, so it can be used almost permanently, which is another key point.

Ms. Tanijiri

The "Brain Sleep Pillow" is available in three heights: "LOW," "STANDARD," and "HIGH." During the Instagram Live, when asked "Which height do you use?", both answered, "I use the LOW size." Ms. Obinata also advised, "If a pillow is too high, it can cause wrinkles in the neck, so LOW is definitely recommended for women."

Children and dogs instinctively choose Brain Sleep.

Ms. Tanijiri's son and Ms. Obinata's dogs also seem to love Brain Sleep pillows and mattresses.

When I was using the "Brain Sleep Pillow," my 7-year-old son started using my pillow to sleep on his own. It means that a child, who doesn't know about pillow structures or information, is instinctively choosing a comfortable pillow. I think his sleep quality improved because he became less irritable, so I bought a smaller pillow for him.

Ms. Tanijiri

Ms. Obinata

My dogs seemed to get hot sleeping in their own beds, so they started climbing onto my "Brain Sleep Pillow." Then, when I started using the "Brain Sleep Mattress," which is made of the same material, my dogs, who used to sleep on top of the futon, started going under the covers and sleeping directly on the mattress. I was surprised that they stopped wandering around due to heat and started sleeping soundly until morning.

Both children and dogs find comfortable spots instinctively, like animals.

Ms. Tanijiri

Ms. Obinata

Ms. Obinata That's right. Seeing my dogs' behavior, I wanted them to use a mattress that releases heat, so I collaborated with Brain Sleep to create the "Brain Sleep Nomin Pet Bed" using the same material.

It seems that using comfortable bedding improves sleep quality for adults, children, and pets alike. And they say that focusing on sleep quality is important for enriching daily life.

Sleep and health are deeply related in pets such as dogs and cats, and sleep is important for maintaining a healthy mind and body. Especially for senior dogs, care is even more necessary due to longer sleep times and decreased immunity and muscle strength. However, currently, there are few pet beds on the market that are designed from the perspective of sleep science, and few are designed to be entirely washable for hygiene purposes.

Meanwhile, the fact that Brain Sleep's main item, the "Brain Sleep Pillow," is popular with pets has become a hot topic on social media. With the desire for pets to also enjoy comfortable sleep, we collaborated with personal stylist Kumiko Obinata, who has lived with rescue dogs since childhood and currently lives with four rescue dogs, including seniors, to develop a pet bed that focuses on functionality and also incorporates design.

Prioritizing sleep quality improves daily performance!

Ms. Obinata

Not letting heat build up in your head leads to high-quality sleep, and I now understand at this age that it improves daily performance. I prioritize sleep so much that I'd confidently say that the item adults should invest in is bedding that suits them!

We can choose what we use for our tomorrow and future, so we should choose carefully and get the best sleep.

Ms. Tanijiri

We reported on the Instagram Live session where they discussed sleep, which is vital for both mental and physical well-being, including recovery from fatigue and stress. Let's aim for quality sleep by focusing on diet and bedding, just like these two.