Erika Jayne Can Fall Asleep In 3 Minutes Flat

In Chill Chat, Bustle sits down with celebrities and influencers to talk about all things wellness, from daily routines to hacks for getting a good night’s sleep. Here, Erika Jayne shares her unexpected self-care practice and the book genre she can’t get enough of.

Erika Jayne has been a driving force on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills throughout the nine seasons she’s been on the show: She’s a true entertainer (she’s the mastermind behind “XXpen$ive,” after all), she’s always ready with a quippy retort, and she has consistently provided the most dramatic storylines. IRL, though? She admits she prefers a more low-key lifestyle.

“I probably could spend the rest of my life sleeping or in my bed. I really just love it,” she tells me over the phone. “I’ve turned into this person that when I’m not working, I’m at home in bed, watching something or reading.” Not exactly what you’d expect to hear from the woman who sings “It’s expensive to be me” to large screaming crowds while wearing a glittery minidress and latex boots.

But when you think about what she’s been through — from her public divorce to her husband’s legal scandal and her struggles with depression afterward — it makes sense that Jayne has curated a self-care routine that keeps her so grounded.

“Your mental health dictates everything,” she says. “The mind-body connection is real. One feeds the other. You have to take care of your body, and you do need to work out. You need to treat it with discipline so you can be calm.”

On top of filming for Real Housewives, she’s regularly on stage, having just headlined her own Las Vegas residency, starred as Roxie Hart in Chicago, and performed at the Mighty Hoopla pop festival in London. Here, Jayne, 53, chats about the rituals she relies on to stay healthy amid a busy schedule, including her go-to workout and how she falls asleep in three minutes flat.

Walk me through your morning routine.

I naturally wake up at around 6 a.m. I’ve always been that kind of person. I drink a lot of water, brush my teeth, and go to the gym. Then I’ll eat after that.

Do you need any caffeine to get going?

I usually drink between one and two cups of coffee a day in the morning. I drink Americanos. I have this really cool machine at home. I grind my own beans and make my own coffee, and it’s really satisfying.

What kind of workouts do you do?

It depends on how many days I have available on a given week. Sometimes, I’ll do full-body; other times, I’ll split it up and do upper and lower body on different days. But I work with lots of weights, and I’ve been doing some cardio to improve my stamina for the stage. It’s more conditioning. My trainer has been having me do sprints, which is fun.

What does your beauty routine look like?

I struggle with eczema and rosacea, so it’s all very gentle, hydrating, and calming. I use the La Roche-Posay Lipikar body wash and I’ll also use Dove soap and a washcloth.

Have you picked up any beauty hacks from your glam team?

No, I think it’s the other way around, because I’m older. My eyes are so sensitive, so I’m constantly showing them how to moisturize the eyes without irritating them.

What do you like to do for self-care whenever you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed?

This is going to sound corny, but I’ve been listening to Tibetan chants. I’ll just let it play throughout my house as I do chores, and it calms me down. Sometimes I’ll listen to Catholic stuff too — the religious music does it for me.

I wish I could be one of those people who are so disciplined and meditate every day, but I’m not. I do believe it helps though. It’s a great way to organize your thoughts. I’m also in therapy, so that helps as well. My therapist is probably the number one solution to my anxiety.

Therapists are heroes.

They really make a difference. If you stick it out, therapy can really do great things for your life.

How do you like to relax and unwind at the end of a long day?

You can find me curled up in my bed. I sleep with two comforters. I’ll be there reading or watching something on TV.

What type of books do you like to read?

Psychology. I like reading about why people do the things they do or why your personality forms in a certain way.

And what do you like to watch?

I just started watching more psychology, like lectures on people who can hypnotize others. Documentaries on human behavior, how the brain is developed — that kind of stuff.

Do you think you would be a psychologist in a different life?

I enjoy getting to learn about psychology, but I don’t know if I have the patience to be one. I would probably be impatient with the patients and be like, “You know what? This is all self-inflicted. Get it together.”

What do you need to get a good night’s sleep?

Ideally, I’ve taken a really hot shower and put on my PJs. I put on my binaural beats. Then if I really want to go to sleep fast, I’ll start reading. Or I’ll listen to a podcast. I’m usually out within three minutes.

This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.