Beyoncé suffers from insomnia.
The 39-year-old singer – who has children Blue Ivy, nine, and Rumi and Sir, four, with husband Jay-Z – has found years of touring has taken its toll on her body in various ways, including leaving her struggling to sleep, “stressing” her hair and skin with heavy stage make-up and general aches and pains.
She told Harper’s Bazaar’s Icons issue: “I think like many women, I have felt the pressure of being the backbone of my family and my company and didn’t realize how much that takes a toll on my mental and physical well-being. I have not always made myself a priority.
“I’ve personally struggled with insomnia from touring for more than half of my life. Years of wear and tear on my muscles from dancing in heels. The stress on my hair and skin, from sprays and dyes to the heat of a curling iron and wearing heavy makeup while sweating on stage.”
Though the “Black Is King” hitmaker is aware she needs to “take care of [herself] and listen” to her body to be at her “best”, she admitted she used to struggle with body image and was fixated on her physique.
She said: “In the past, I spent too much time on diets, with the misconception that self-care meant exercising and being overly conscious of my body.”
But now Beyoncé is trying to change her habits and focus on her mental health and register the “subtle signs” that her body needs a break.
She added: “My health, the way I feel when I wake up in the morning, my peace of mind, the number of times I smile, what I’m feeding my mind and my body – those are the things that I’ve been focusing on. Mental health is self-care too.”
Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar for their Icon issue, she said: “During quarantine, I went from overindulgences to creating positive rituals drawing from past generations and putting my own spin on things.”
“I discovered CBD on my last tour, and I’ve experienced its benefits for soreness and inflammation. It helped with my restless nights and the agitation that comes from not being able to fall asleep. I found healing properties in honey that benefit me and my children.”
“And now I’m building a hemp and a honey farm. “I’ve even got hives on my roof! And I’m so happy that my daughters will have the example of those rituals from me.”
And the 39-year-old star admitted her new interest sparked one of her “most satisfying moments” as a parent when she came across her daughter enjoying a relaxing ritual.
She added: “One of my most satisfying moments as a mom is when I found Blue one day soaking in the bath with her eyes closed, using blends I created and taking time for herself to decompress and be at peace. I have so much to share … and there’s more to come soon!”
