What Camille Prats wants mirrors what many moms need most.
When asked about her Mother’s Day wish this year, she told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) in an exclusive interview, “I just want a whole day to relax, read, and enjoy the things I like to do—nang ako lang.”
Of all these, her favorite is sleep, which she considers the best reward after a long day’s work.
Camille, who is also an actress and host, said: “Imagine mo, the whole day kang nagwo-work.
"And for mommies, hindi mo naman ma-i-switch off ang role mo sa mga anak, di ba? “So yung pahinga, you deserve that.
"So wag nating i-deprive ang mga sarili natin ng tulog talaga.”
Read: How Maxene Magalona fixed her sleep and overall well-being
WHY SLEEP MATTERS TO CAMILLE PRATS AND HUSBAND VJ YAMBAO
In the Yambao household, sleep plays a big role in how they start their day.
At the height of the pandemic in 2020, Camille and VJ decided to embark on their fitness journey.
Since then, they have been sleeping early so they can wake up early and do their workouts. This has become their routine.
In her interview with PEP, she said: “I need to be healthy. I need to have more energy.
“It became parang a holistic practice for the family. Let’s have enough sleep, so we can do what we want during the day.”
At a press conference held earlier this month for the 125th anniversary celebration of Fieldcrest at Our Home in SM Megamall, the Kapuso star echoed this statement.
“We try our very best to be physically healthy. So VJ and I, we make an effort to work out every morning. So for us to be able to work out, we have to have good rest.
“It’s important to us that we get to sleep well so that the next day, we really have the energy that we need to last all throughout the day at magawa namin productively…efficiently the things that we need to do the next araw.”
To VJ, his sleep schedule is non-negotiable.
“We have 24 hours in a day, and then 16 hours of that, marami tayong ginagawa. And that eight hours of sleep is very important to us.
“Ako, I go to bed around 9:00 P.M., and I wake up earlier than Camille. I normally wake up 4:30-ish, 5:00, and that's when I start my day.
"So totoo iyon. I feel a little bit of, uh, cranky kapag konti lang yung tulog ko.”
The habit took years of practice and entails rituals.
Camille revealed, “We get off our phones early.”
She elaborated: “I think it really helps for you to be intentional to do everything that you can to get good sleep. Lalo na kung kayo ay nag-i-struggle.
"So there are a lot of things that you can do. You can put lavender essentials. You can dim the lights. Puwede kang mag-play ng soothing music.”
VJ threw in, "And the mattress really matters."
Read: Sleeping problem? Here’s what you need to know about melatonin
WHY THE MATTRESS MATTERS
He sees it as an investment, noting that a bed is used for years and should support what you need—whether it’s your back, your body, or your overall comfort.
VJ said: “I’m speaking as a husband and as a father. I'm a very practical person, so I want to make sure that my investment …napupunta sa maganda.”
What do they look for in a mattress?
Both mentioned that the comfort level has to be in between soft and firm.
Camille said it has to be “supportive enough that yung parang niyayakap ka,” and firm enough that you don’t “struggle to get out of the mattress.”
She encouraged everyone to choose well and test it.
“I’ve learned, you know, being in this industry since I was seven, parang feeling ko most of my life, kulang ako sa tulog, di ba?
"So super important talaga sa akin that I get to sleep really, really well.
“And parang, parang for a time din, yung conversation namin kasi, I love to sleep talaga. Parang feeling ko napaka-sacred ng sleep for me.
"So choosing the right mattress will really help you with recovery.
“And for some, ito kasi yung medyo hindi natin pina-prioritize kasi feeling natin hindi siya kailangan.”
During her interview with PEP, she added: “Kailangan talaga. May mga mattress na kapag natulog ka, imbes na pahinga, masakit sa likod. Imagine mo if every night, ganun.”
The Fieldcrest brand has a 12-inch mattress with a Motion Isolation Pocketed Spring System or MIPSS, which minimizes movement transfer.
Press conference host Jackie Go described it this way: “So if you're sleeping with a partner, you won't be easily disturbed 'cause di ba minsan in the middle of the night when you wake up to pee or ano, pag hindi maganda yung mattress, alam mo yung parang, ‘Gising na ako, gising na ako,’ kasi gumalaw ka.
“I tested it a while ago, like, someone was sitting here, hindi mo talaga siya na-feel when she moved. Sabi ko, ‘Ang galing na parang minimal movement.’
“So this is something that you would consider when you really want good quality sleep, lalo na if you're sleeping with a partner.”
It also has "pressure-relieving Gel Memory Foam, Cool Gel Foam, and breathable Convoluted Foam for superior support, enhanced airflow, and exceptional pressure relief."
How much?
On Our Home’s website, the Fieldcrest Seaqual Original, which has the MIPSS technology. is currently 70 percent off:
- Single: PHP 20,398.50
- Double: PHP 23,298.50
- Queen: PHP 26,398.50
- King: PHP 33,898.50
The mattress the couple sat on during the press conference was the Fieldcrest Seaqual Reserve, which has the features of the Original plus a built-in flame barrier.
Only the Queen and King sizes are available on the Our Home website.
- Queen: PHP38,998.50
- King: PHP44,99850
Lastly, Camille reiterated in her PEP interview, “Yung pagpupuyat, bad habit. It affects health, mood, you energy.”
PEP asked: “Kahit beauty?”
The 40-year-old star laughed, nodding her head.
Camille was ten years old when she starred in Sarah…Ang Munting Prinsesa in 1995—30 years ago—yet she still looks youthful. People still associate her with the famous character.
She remarked: “I feel like I should be more pressured in a way that I should be taking care more of myself more than I should be, ano?
"But somehow it's a good kind of pressure siguro. If I may say, kasi it makes me... because I appreciate what people say about me.
"All the more na I'm motivated to take care of myself.
“I'm happy na some people they still see me as that young Princess Sarah.
"It makes me feel young…and it makes me realize that age is really just a number.”