Bedside Staples: All of the Items You Should Keep on Your Nightstand

Maybe you’ve already feng shui-ed your kitchen. (Yes, it’s a thing.) And now perhaps you’re moving on to other things, like the art of setting up the proper bedside table essentials.

Whether you’re looking for items to help get a better night’s sleep, general support for your overall health and wellness, or just fun items to have on hand that are literally an arm’s reach away from you while you’re lying in bed each night, here are some bedside essentials. (Some of which you may even find on my very own list of nightstand essentials.)

bed with nightstand next to it

Bedside table essentials

Better sleep items

Call them bedside essentials or nightstand essentials, the reason you’re in bed, to begin with, is to sleep soundly through the night. There are certain foods to avoid and some to eat before bed, but sometimes you just need a little something something to help you clock those quality zzz’s.

Think of things like good bedding that keeps you cool throughout the entire night. (Check out My Sheets Rock for some great bedding options.) You will also want a good pillow, like the ones from Coop Pillows.)

Additional items may include a sound machine like the Hatch Restore or the Hatch Rest 2nd Gen, a sleep mask, and maybe even a roll of Dryft Sleep mouth tape if you’re trying to cut down on your nighttime snoring habit.

Books

Other bedside table essentials include a stack of books. Whether it’s a book for your monthly book club, a book you’ve been working your way through for months and still can’t seem to finish (don’t DM me), or any book you have nearby to help you fall asleep, consider adding a stack of books as one of your nightstand essentials.

Read recommendations: National Geographic’s Food Journeys of a Lifetime, The Moon Book, Well to the Core, and Your Blueprint for Pleasure.

General health and wellness items

Some other bedside table essentials that fall into the category of general health and wellness items that you may want to add to your list of nightstand essentials include Aura Frames because maybe you want a picture of your family or friends that makes you smile before drifting off to dreamland at night, Barker Wellness body better for smooth, soft skin, LIPS&CUTES by ClearStem Skincare because everyone wants hydrated lips, and The CBDistillery gummies to help you relax and unwind after a long day.

Oh, and this may not be something you exactly keep on your nightstand, but you can easily store it next to your nightstand — a Bed of Nails acupressure mat. Who doesn’t want a before-bed acupressure session to relieve any lingering aches and pains before a night of sleep? Ummm, yeah, I would totally consider that a bedside table essentials item.

Hydration

One of my top nightstand essentials is a bottle of water so I can stay hydrated throughout the night. Choose from a reusable water bottle like one from Brümate or Water Drop.

If you’re focusing on things like alkalinity and pH levels, opt for a bottled water brand like Perfect Hydration. If you’re feeling run down and feel a cold coming on (keep reading), keep your electrolytes in check with packets of Liquid I.V.

Immunity staples

If you’re feeling under the weather or are simply wanting to prepare for cold and flu season, you’ll want to have some bedside essentials that support immunity. Some of my personal favorites include Beekeeper’s Naturals propolis throat spray, Umcka, and Wedderspoon drops and pops as well as their Manuka honey.

Intimacy options

If you know me, you should very well know it’s only a matter of time before anything pertaining to sex ends up on this list of recommended bedside essentials. I mean, why even have a nightstand if you can’t fill it with naughty yet nice nightstand essentials? (Seriously, though, I still need a place for my glass of water.)

If you feel like getting frisky with yourself (no, you can’t break your own vagina) or getting it on with your partner (sex workout, anyone?) you’re going to want to add some bedside table essentials to your nightstand ASAP. My recommendations include condoms, lube, and of course, some fun sex toys.

Some brands to check out include SKYN for non-latex condoms, Coconu, Foy by Dr. Collins, Lelo, Lube Life, and Pure for Men for lubes, and Deia, Lovers Store, plusOne, Velvet Co Sex Toys, and ZALO for sex toys.

Oh, and don’t forget to add Neuro’s minty gum or mints to add to your list of bedside table essentials as well as some Home-Pourri spray from Poo Pourri. Gotta set the mood here, people! If not, candles will do just fine as nightstand essentials. Plus, mood lighting!

Period products

If you’re ovulating or starting to get some sneaky signs your period may be coming (oh, hey, period poops), you’ll want to adjust your grocery list and weekly workouts. You’ll also want to stock up on products like the Apollo TENS and Heating Belt from My Obi or Tap, the evidence-based TENS device, both of which can help alleviate cramps and provide fast-acting relief to anything causing pesky period pain. Hey, don’t let a few cramps stop you from getting it on with some fun period sex.

Supplements

One of the easiest ways to remember to take your daily supplements and vitamins is either first thing in the morning or at night right before bed, so if you have a list of supplements to down on the daily, consider adding them as item numero uno to your list of bedside essentials.

Some great supplement brands to try include Fatty15, Happy Mammoth, Inner Glow, Metavo, Protekt, and Trace Minerals. (A personal favorite is the Trace Minerals Beef Organs, because let’s be real, like I’m really going to eat the actual organs like my ancestors. Nope, I’ll take a pill, please.)

The bottom line on bedside table essentials

Bedside essentials are as unique to you as they are to me. It all really just depends on what’s important to you before you hit the hay for a night of sleep. This list of bedside essentials is a good starting point to give you some inspiration in creating your very own bedside oasis complete with all of your favorite bedside table essentials. Night, night, sleep tight!

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About Ashley Martens

Ashley Martens is a Wellness Writer based in Chicago, Illinois. With a lifelong passion for all things health and wellness, Ashley enjoys writing about topics to help people live happier and healthier lives. With a foundation in fitness, food, and nutrition, Ashley covers it all including sexual health and travel topics.