For years, I battled severe sleeping issues. I tried the standard advice, but when my doctor eventually recommended medication, I knew I didn't want to take that approach. I wanted to fix the root cause, not just patch it over. So, I started experimenting on my own. Like everyone, I wanted a quick fix. But, that mindset only turned into more disappointment, stress and sleepless nights.
Fast forward to today: I fall asleep so fast that I've had people jokingly comment on how annoying it is.
But here is the hard truth I had to learn: There is no single "thing" that fixes everything. I found out that deep rest comes from a combination of small habits, or a habit stack, that eventually turns into a routine your body craves.
I’ve dialed in my temperature (68 degrees), my lighting (blackout shades), and my screen time (zero within an hour of bed). But the biggest game-changer was combining Japanese hinoki oil with a specific breathing technique.
Something so simple to do, all natural and not expensive.
The Missing Piece: Scent Association & Breathing
About 30 minutes before bed, I finish my skincare routine and do my last routine for the day. I sit or lay down, smell hinoki oil and do 10-15 minutes of simple breathwork. I don't even call it meditation. Just breathing. Doing it at the same time every night is also important so keep that in mind as you go through the rest of this post.
Why hinoki?
I’m a bit obsessed with the details. Hinoki oil (from the Japanese cypress) contains a high concentration of phytoncides, which are compounds found in forest air that are scientifically shown to reduce cortisol levels and calm the nervous system. This is why forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) is so popular in Japan. It's simple and it works. A big part of why it works is because of these wonderful all natural compounds.
But it’s not just about the chemical compounds. It’s about the trigger.
By smelling this specific, woodsy scent every single night while I slow my breathing, I’ve created a Pavlovian response in my brain. Now, the moment I smell that hinoki scent, my body instantly knows: “Okay, work is done. Anxiety is off. It’s time to sleep.”
My Go-To Method: 4-4-4-4 Box Breathing
I usually stick to the 4-4-4-4 Box Breathing method. It’s simple, effective and you can do it anywhere. If you’re feeling anxious or wired, try this right now:
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Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
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Hold that breath for 4 seconds.
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Exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.
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Hold your lungs empty for 4 seconds.
Repeat this for 5 minutes while inhaling the scent of the hinoki. It creates a physical and mental "off switch" that is hard to beat.
Quality Matters (Don't Buy "Garbage Fillers")
When I first started this journey, I wasted money on cheap essential oils. I quickly realized that a lot of the cheaper stuff on the market is diluted with garbage fillers or synthetic fragrances that gave me a headache rather than relaxed me.
I travel to Japan often, and I realized the only way to get the quality I wanted was to source it directly from the local forests. That’s why I created the kimorii collection. I wanted to be 100% sure that the hinoki oil I personally used was as high quality as I could get. Not just for me, but my friends, family and people who buy from my company.
Finding Your "Habit Stack"
If you’re going the natural route, you have to understand that it takes time to find your rhythm. There is no overnight fix.
My advice? Keep a journal. Commit to trying the hinoki + box breathing combo for two weeks. Write down how you feel. Then, maybe add in some stretching or gratitude journaling (I do this right before lights out).
At times, fixing your sleep can be frustrating. But looking back at where I started versus how I sleep now? The entire process was worth every penny and every minute of experimenting.
