We all want to relax, especially at the end of a long day, but we don’t all approach finding our chill in the same way. And so, we give you “Unwinding,” a biweekly column that asks different men about how they shake off the stress and kick up their feet when they get home from the office. Our hope is that their chill will become your chill — or at the very least, that you’ll pick up a habit or two that will help you sleep easier. First up: Michael Salzhauer, the 47-year-old plastic surgeon better known as Dr. Miami on Snapchat, where he often live streams his patented Brazilian Butt Lift (among the many other cosmetic procedures he offers).
What time do you usually finish your work day?
Between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. I used to come home between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. four nights a week for the first 14 years I was in practice, but in the last 18 months, I stopped working Fridays and try to get home by 7 p.m. the other four nights. It’s definitely improved my work/life balance.
Do you change your clothes as soon as you get home?
Nope. My work clothes are scrubs, so they’re very comfortable and like pajamas. After dinner, though, I change into a T-shirt and shorts.
What’s your favorite way to unwind?
Exercise. In particular, riding my Airdyne stationary bicycle for about an hour, or taking a walk around the block with my wife.
What area of your house do you feel the most relaxed in?
My bedroom. I love to sit and chat with my wife about the day. I like to show her my Snapchat and watch her laugh.
Do you read at night?
I read the Wall Street Journal around dinnertime.
Do you shower or bathe before bed?
I shower every night and every morning — in the morning before work and in the evening before bed.
Do you have a nightly skincare routine?
Not really. I occasionally use Bioré Strips because it’s fascinating to see what’s in my pores.
What do you wear to bed?
Satin boxers and a super-soft cotton T-shirt.
What’s your favorite beverage at bedtime?
Tea with honey. Usually Tazo Chai Tea.
Work-from-home-wise, do you give yourself a “hard out,” or do you tend to find yourself still working from bed right before you go to sleep?
I sometimes get texts about patients at home, but I rarely work in bed before sleep.
What’s your bedtime?
I try to be asleep by 11:30 p.m.
Do you meditate or pray before bed?
I always pray before bedtime. I try to focus on gratitude to God for all the blessings in my life. I also consciously try to forgive any people that may have hurt me that day — intentionally or otherwise.
Where do you keep your phone while you sleep?
My phone is kept plugged in and charging next to my bed, in case a patient needs to reach me.
Any bedroom linen, pillow or other accessory you can’t sleep without?
I sleep with an eye mask. I find the darkness really improves my sleep.
Do you prefer silence or sound while sleeping?
I sleep with earplugs every night.
While sleeping with a partner, do you prefer spooning, intertwining or keeping your distance?
We usually start off spooning or intertwined, but then separate when the real sleep begins.
How about when you’re sleeping by yourself?
On my back, hands by my sides.
Have you had any memorable dreams lately?
I had a dream that Hedy Lamarr, the deceased actress/bombshell, and I were working on an invention to cure cellulite. I have no idea what it means.
What time is your alarm set for?
6 a.m.
How many times do you usually hit the snooze button when it goes off?
Once I’m up, I’m up. No snoozing.
Tierney Finster
Tierney Finster is a journalist, screenwriter, actor and model from Los Angeles, California. She is a contributing writer at MEL, specializing in love, sex, mental health, drugs, queer culture and the cannabis industry. She has written for publications such as Playboy, Purple, Dazed and Confused, Jezebel and Broadly and was the key researcher behind Sex On, HBO’s revival of its iconoclastic docu-series Real Sex.
