La La Anthony's Genius Hack For Getting A Good Night's Sleep

In Chill Chat, Bustle sits down with stars to chat about all things wellness, from their ultimate workout playlists to their most reliable self-care hacks. Here, La La Anthony shares her weirdest wellness ritual and her secret for getting a good night’s sleep.

La La Anthony has been in the spotlight since she was an MTV host in the early 2000s (remember TRL?). That’s not to say she doesn’t keep her chill: The author, TV personality, producer, and actor is diligent with her self-care routine. “Self-care [is important] because it allows me to be a better person for myself, for my family, for my son, for my job, for my friends,” she tells Bustle.

Anthony — who’s working with Kellogg’s Special K on its Feeding America initiative — says her wellness game became even more essential for keeping a healthy mindset during the pandemic. “My mom always says, ‘Be gentler with yourself, be nicer to yourself,’” she says. “So I’m constantly reminding myself to practice my self-care.”

Overall, her wellness philosophy is about centering yourself before you can help others. “You can do all of these [different wellness habits], but if you don’t feel good inside, then none of that really matters,” says Anthony. “It all starts with loving yourself and doing what you need to do to feel good. Whether it’s working out, putting on clothes, eating certain things... all of that is in line when you feel really good about yourself.”

Here, Anthony shares the self-care practices that she turns to, the music on her workout playlist, and the buzzy wellness product she uses at home.

Matcha or coffee?

Matcha. I’ve never even had coffee in my life — I don't know what coffee tastes like. I saw my mom be so obsessed with coffee, and I was like, I’m never going to be like that. So I’ve never tried it.

What’s your morning routine like?

I wake up, I say a quick prayer that gets me feeling grateful for another day. I’ll then go into the bathroom, wash my face, brush my teeth, comb my hair. I’ll probably put on some lip gloss and maybe a little bronzer, then get dressed and start the day.

What’s your go-to self-care practice?

I definitely try to do some meditation apps on my phone in the morning or at night and just kind of zone out and not be on email or Zoom. I think it’s important to just block out all the noise and sit in silence for a couple of minutes a day to get your mind right.

Do you have any weird wellness rituals?

I do cryotherapy. There’s a cryo studio that’s really close to where live in New York. [You] go in there and freeze your butt off like that ... but you feel so good afterward.

What kind of workout are you loving these days?

Peloton. I love it because you can do it at home and you feel like you’re interacting with whoever the instructor is when you’re on the bike, which has really been a savior for me during the pandemic.

What’s on your workout playlist?

I love hip-hop music — whether it’s Drake or Nicki Minaj or Cardi, [I love] music that gives you energy because it’s hard to focus and keep your energy up when you’re working out.

Yoga or Pilates?

I love Pilates — I should get back to doing that. I know how great [yoga] is, but it moves really slowly and I’m such a fast-paced person that I just can’t get into it.

Baths or saunas?

Saunas for sure. I love to sweat in the infrared sauna blanket I have at home. It's great because you just lie there and you just sweat and detox.

Is there a wellness trend you’ve always wanted to try?

I saw the vampire facial was going around — I thought it could be cool and different, but I’m terrified of needles. I still want to know how it really works, though.

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

I like to put on some relaxing R&B at the end of the day to wind down and chill before I go to bed. I tend to stay up really late, which I’m working on, but music helps wrap up the day and brings me to a place where I can go to sleep.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.