Style-ish Podcast: "How can I have the best sleep of my life?"

Episode Date: January 27, 2026
Host: Madison Sullivan Thorpe (MST)
Co-hosts: Joanna Fleming (Jo) & Annika Joshi Smith (Annika)
Podcast Theme: All things fashion, lifestyle, brand, and beauty

Overview

In this lifestyle-focused "IUL" (Is Your Life-ing) episode of Style-ish, the hosts dive deep into the multifaceted world of sleep—how much the community is really getting, bedtime rituals, the challenges of modern adult life, practical tips (including surprising ones like kiwifruit!), and expert-backed advice from Dr. Moira Junga of the Sleep Health Foundation. The hosts share their own struggles and routines, peppered with lighthearted humor and genuine vulnerability, aiming to help listeners make sense of sleep hygiene in a demanding world.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. New Year, Pivots & Winter Fashion Inspo

• Timing: [00:34]–[07:49]
• The hosts reflect on the year's chaotic start and upcoming shifts from the Chinese Year of the Snake to the Year of the Horse, representing "rapid change, fresh opportunities, personal growth, and a faster pace of life." (Jo, [01:30])
• Annika is inspired by turtlenecks and "the Olsen hair tuck" and recommends Grace E. Nicholas' Instagram trick for a chic look ([04:22]).
• Madison raves about her new Dearing shoes—a $550 splurge but a great style investment ([06:04]).
• Jo delivers a life-changing cleaning swap: Vamouche pet hair dissolver, which reduced her laundry woes by about 60% ([07:59]).

2. Community Sleep Survey Results

• Timing: [11:11]–[17:46]
• Madison breaks down stats from listeners:
  • 48% sleep "pretty well," 26% "sometimes," 11% "really well," 10% "badly," 5% "struggle/have insomnia."
  • 46.5% go to bed between 9–10pm, 29% between 10–11pm, and 15% between 8–9pm.
• Annika shares her specific routine: "My phone goes on like quiet mode or do not disturb at 8:44. And I try to be offline... I try to have no screen time so I can actually fall asleep by 9:30." ([12:09])
• Jo and Madison open up about their later bedtimes—between 11–12pm, often due to work demands, and how it impacts their sleep and energy ([13:21]).

3. Sleep, Work, Burnout & Mental Health

• Timing: [16:09]–[21:54]
• The hosts tie poor sleep directly to work stress, career progression, and especially global roles with wild time zones (Madison: "[Tower 28]...I could be on calls at 2 or 3am my time, have to go back to sleep, get back up at seven..." [16:34]).
• Burnout and elevated cortisol are discussed as part of the modern "always on" hustle, with Annika reflecting on how her own burnout peaked in the early years of her business ([18:20]).
• Madison is surprised so many community members are getting 6–7 hours, considering the prevalence of anxiety and demanding lifestyles ([19:45]).
• Jo shares her empathy for listeners struggling with sleep, referencing insomnia during COVID: "I was so used to being in an office every day...and then suddenly I was just sitting at home all day and ... I struggled to go to sleep and stay asleep." ([20:45])

4. When Did You Sleep Best?

• Timing: [21:09]–[22:28]
• Annika: "Probably before starting Sage, if I'm being perfectly honest. ...I'm so fucking tired all the time now..." ([21:13])
• Madison: Best sleep was during COVID due to intense exercise regimens: "It's almost like my body was so exhausted that it just had to sleep." ([21:54])

5. Expert Advice: Dr. Moira Junga on Sleep

• Timing: [23:33]–[25:02]
• Dr. Moira Junga (Sleep Health Foundation) emphasizes:
  • "Sleep is as important as your diet and physical fitness." Long-term poor sleep increases risk for mental health issues, obesity, cancer, and dementias ([24:05]).
  • Most adults need 7–9 hours per 24 hours; it’s OK if not all at once. Duration, consistency, timing, and quality matter.

6. Wearables & Tracking Sleep Quality

• Timing: [24:30]–[25:58]
• Mixed views on tech trackers: Madison finds them "a little too connected," while Jo’s partner uses them for shift-work health ([25:02]).
• The importance of not obsessing over numbers but trusting subjective feelings of restfulness is stressed.

7. Modern Life, Sleep Pressure, and Routines

• Timing: [26:51]–[32:33]
• Madison: "I walk my dog every morning...come home, cook my dinner, clean up, do my laundry...and then it's late and then I'm wired..." ([27:05])
• Annika recalls earlier years where sleep was always deprioritized: "No wonder I was tired... But then I could still party all weekend" ([28:51]).
• Madison discusses sleep anxiety: "[I'm] so anxious and so tired anyway." ([29:31])
• Emphasis on evening routines as critical—Annika shares her ritual: "I will make myself this, like, magnesium hot chocolate... even showering with the light off and putting a lamp on or a candle." ([30:44])

8. Practical, Science-Backed Sleep Hacks

• Timing: [33:08]–[39:44]

Dr. Moira Junga's Top Tips ([34:50]):

• Prioritize sleep, but don't try too hard to sleep.
• If you can’t sleep, get up and do something quiet in another room in the dark—then return when sleepy.
• Avoid devices in bed and don’t clock-watch.
• Understand that sleep needs and patterns are highly individual—what works for one may not for another.

Community-Shared Tips:

• Reading in bed
• Personalized bedtime routines (Annika's routine and "no screen time" championed)
• Exercise regularly
• Limit coffee after lunch
• Magnesium supplements
• Podcasts/audiobooks on "dry topics" to lull yourself to sleep
• Kiwi fruit before bed: Now science-backed. Madison: “There is scientific evidence to back up the kiwifruit hack... serotonin is a brain chemical that helps regulate your sleep cycle. Eating fruit like kiwis may help promote better sleep.” ([37:02])

Notable Moment:
Jo’s partner, Adrian, eats kiwi with the skin on: "Oh, that is so disgusting!" (Annika, [36:55])

9. Sleep Quality: How to Tell if your Sleep is Good

• Timing: [34:22], [38:46]

• Dr. Moira: "You will know by your subjective feelings of alertness throughout the day. Can you wake up with relative ease? Are you able to carry out daily activities with energy? Do you have unintentional naps?"
• Tip: Wait 30–60 minutes after waking before judging your sleep quality.

10. Implementing Learnings & Closing Thoughts

• Timing: [37:29]–[40:41]

• All hosts plan to integrate new sleep hacks (kiwi fruit, magnesium creams, maintaining routines).

• Madison resonates with the advice not to judge sleep quality immediately upon waking: "Especially because, you know, within like 15 minutes of being up, I'm at my local coffee shop..." ([39:20])

• Final recognition that sleep “is a complicated relationship,” and everyone’s journey is different. "Unfortunately, there is not one gold bullet." (Madison, [40:18])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Burnout & Work:
  "There was a time in my career where I was so available to everybody... my burnout and my stress were so high, like, we're peaking. I went and got my cortisol tested and it was so high, but I was operating and I was functional. I was like, 'oh, so this is a good thing?' and she was like, 'no, this is a sign to slow down...'"
  — Annika ([18:20])
• On Sleep Anxiety:
  "I have such bad sleep anxiety and I sleep so poorly that going to dinner with friends, I'm like, 'well, I'm gonna be tired anyway...'"
  — Madison ([28:59])
• On Routines:
  “I will make myself this, like, magnesium hot chocolate...even showering with the light off and putting a lamp on or a candle. Just little things that would help me."
  — Annika ([30:44])
• On Biohacking with Kiwi:
  “There is scientific evidence to back up the kiwifruit hack. Not just for the Tum Tum, but for the sleep...Serotonin is a brain chemical that helps regulate your sleep cycle.”
  — Madison ([37:02])
• On Judging Sleep:
  “Do not judge your level of sleep quality as soon as you wake up. Give it 30 to 60 minutes and give yourself time to do some exercise. Get in the light and have a shower and then assess…”
  — Dr. Moira Junga ([34:45])
• On Reality of Modern Life:
  "I walk my dog every morning because that's my responsibility...I come home after work and the first thing I do is walk him again, take him to the park. I come home, I cook my dinner, then I have to clean up whatever I've cooked. ... It's exhausting, and then it's late and then I'm wired."
  — Madison ([27:05])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Year of the Horse & fresh starts: [01:26]
• "Olsen hair tuck" fashion hack: [04:22]
• Listener poll on sleep habits: [11:11]
• Community bedtime confessions: [12:09]
• Work & Time Zone Madness: [16:33]
• Mental Health & Burnout: [18:20]
• Dr. Moira Junga’s advice: [23:33], [34:22], [34:50]
• Science of Kiwifruit & Sleep: [37:02]
• Practical, evidence-backed community tips: [36:29]
• Personal sleep routines & building healthy habits: [30:44], [38:08]
• Final thoughts on the complex relationship with sleep: [40:18]

Episode Takeaways

• Sleep is crucial for health, and most adults benefit from 7–9 hours per night, but quality, consistency, and timing are just as important as raw hours.
• Individual lifestyle, work, family, and mental health all influence sleep patterns—comparison is not always useful.
• Simple routines, limiting screens, using supplements like magnesium, and perhaps eating kiwifruit—backed by science!—are practical takeaways.
• Recognize that many are struggling with sleep—and that’s normal. Prioritize self-kindness over perfection.

Final Word

The Style-ish team delivers a relatable, genuine exploration of what it really takes to "have the best sleep of your life." They're honest, self-aware, and bring in both scientific and crowd-sourced wisdom. If you've ever wrestled with sleep, you'll find both camaraderie and actionable advice in this warm, witty episode.