Penelope Cruz covers the June issue of Red. It seems like a filler interview they were sitting on for months, or maybe it just sounds like that because Penelope isn’t great at giving new quotes for each interview she does. Penelope talks about her relatively quiet life with her husband (Javier Bardem) and children (Leo and Luna) and how she needs a good seven hours of sleep. Which sounds bonkers to me right now. Some highlights:
Time for herself: ‘I’m not so good at it because I’m a very nurturing person by nature, I have to keep reminding myself to also create time for myself. It’s not something that comes to me naturally, I tend to do the opposite, but I’m working on it!’
How she feels good: ‘Feeling good is not about getting your hair and make-up done. It’s about being healthy, strong, feeling nourished and giving your body and mind what it needs. If I don’t have these things covered, it’s hard for me to feel centred. It’s very important for me to eat well, eat clean and eat healthily.’
She needs seven hours of sleep every night, non-negotiable: ‘If I don’t have at least seven hours, I feel it later. I can lose focus, I can get moody. It is one of the toughest things about having children – you have to wake up earlier. I say to myself, “Go to dinner or go to bed? If I go out, how am I going to feel tomorrow?” Sleep always wins. I prefer to prioritise the rest so that I can be focused and strong later.’
She’s never been into drugs or alcohol: ‘The great thing is, I’ve never been interested in drugs or alcohol…I went to Guy Oseary’s [Oscar] party. It was great and I saw lots of friends. A lot of them said, “Wow, I can’t believe it’s 2am and you’re still here!” But, I do that once every two years!’
How she feels when someone calls her beautiful: ‘Uncomfortable. I don’t think of myself in those terms. I was not too confident [about my looks when I was younger] but I didn’t grow up too focused on them. I wouldn’t change the way I feel now for the way I felt when I was 20. There were some insecurities about things that you later realize are not important.’
[From Red & The Daily Mail]
It really is one of the biggest tricks of ageing and confidence that when we are (arguably) at our peak of beauty (say, 18 to 35) is when we’re also hampered with low self-esteem and an inability to recognize how pretty we are. Just when we start to feel confident and we care less about what people say or think about us, that’s when the bottom drops out and suddenly there are “crow’s feet” and “saggy jowls” and “weird chin hair.” As for her sleep stuff… I think people who manage to consistently sleep seven or eight hours every night are bonkers. HOW? And how do you do that as a parent? I am childfree and I can’t do that. I can manage one night where I sleep eight hours and then for the rest of the week, I have to make do with five or six hours of sleep at most.
Photos courtesy of WENN, cover courtesy of Red.
How depressing to read our beauty slot (18-35 years old)… Not sure I agree.
Yup total bs and just perpetuates socialized beauty standards linked to reproductive years etc.
I would argue that biologically, this is when we “should” be at our peak, but, especially in our day and age, we’re able to extend that youthful beauty much longer.
Yea where did that come from??
i also need to sleep at least 7-8 hours and i’m 29
Sleep is very important at any age. Incorporating consistent healthy habits (sleep, good nutrition, hydration, exercise, meditation and positive thinking) leads to a longer, happier life.
I think Penelope Cruz looks lovely.
Remembering a zillion years ago when she was living with Tom Cruz…. Yeah I’m old too 🙂
Lucky for her, she escaped!
You only get 5-6 hours sleep at night,K.? That’s how many Spaniards are living but they drink soo many cups of coffee per day. I usually get 8 hours of sleep unless I am reading a very good book at night. And then I wake up the next day and regret that I read those chapters sleepily.
When your health is fragile, or when you rely on your best, healthy self to perform (Cruz was a longtime, serious ballet dancer), you just do it. Some people, like me, just feel like cr*p when they don’t take care of themselves, including not sleeping enough. Feeling cr*ppy is a great motivator to carve out enough sleep time. Btw, people usually guess that I am a lot younger than I actually am!
I sleep now in lockdown for 8 hours and with the stress and my allergies my skin looks like I’m 13 yo…. I hate it.
Sleep has always been a huge priority to me, but that does mean that I don’t get through a binge list or anything as quickly. I went to bed by ten most nights in college. Now that I’m in my forties and my kids finally don’t get up in the middle of the night, I still get plenty. In quarantine when I don’t have to get up for a commute, I’ve been getting 9 hours; it’s just lovely.
I’m a mess without 8 hours, and have been getting 8 hours of sleep my entire life (in my 30’s).
same. cannot function without 8+!
I am a disaster if I don’t get enough sleep. 8 hours is the absolute minimum for me and 8 1/2- 9 hours is ideal. I have a very stressful job and the only thing that really alleviates the stress is sleep, so if I don’t get enough of it, my skin breaks out into stress-induced eczema. I tried to treat the skin condition with lots of remedies (herbal medicine, Chinese acupuncture, diet changes) then realized if I just committed to getting as much sleep as my body needs, my skin could heal rapidly from any breakouts. For me, sleep is really the best medicine.
Sleep makes everything better and is always a top priority. 7 hours is my minimum and 8+ is even better. I work full time, have kids, date, volunteer, take care of my shit…it’s totally possible.
How is it impossible to sleep 7-8 hours for a childless person??… I’m childless as well, and I’m mystified. You mean one works more than 16 hours a day??!!
I’m pretty functional at 6-7 hours, but I notice a huge improvement once I get to 8-9. That said, I’m a single night owl and I often need lots of alone time after work/before bed! So on those nights where I’m up late because I worked late, I find it difficult to make myself go to bed before enjoying some hours of solitude.
I actually remember an old article when she said she gets TWELVE hours of sleep a night! She’s clearly someone who’s always needed a lot of sleep.
I’ve realized this years ago because I’m a night owl + overthinker so I forced myself to make it a habit to sleep at least 7 hours so I can function. I can totally relate to her. I don’t have kids but I am an absolute mess when I don’t sleep enough and I hate it.
I agree with her in regards to beauty. I see my pics from my twenties now and see how pretty I was and think about how ugly I felt. I’m 34 and it’s still a struggle but I have hope for the future lol. I like my more adult face though.
People are constantly complaining about health issues but a lot of it could be avoided with just the right diet and enough sleep and exercising. No need to take shit tons of medicine.
Do you find that 5-6 hours leaves you feeling rested enough? I read Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker not that long ago. It was eye-opening. My preference is well over 8- more like 10. I would consistently get 7 pre-iso; now we get to work from home I get a good 8 to 8.5.