Eight Items Which Have Been Helping Me Sleep Better

Sometimes I struggle a bit to get to sleep, that’s not to say I suffer from insomnia but I just toss and turn a bit more than I’d like which can mean early mornings aren’t always welcomed. I am trying to get into a better routine with my sleep and head to bed at a reasonable time so that my hopeful 6 am wake up isn’t too horrific. Going back a few years ago my usual bedtime was about 12 pm-1 am so I’ve already made great progress but being able to sleep that bit quicker would make a massive difference.

It wasn’t that long ago that I bought most of my bedding in Primark or Asda not really knowing the comfort of having a proper soft set of bedding with a thread count, I thought this was just what you got in hotels but wasn’t real life. After trying my first set I am a convert and find that having a soft-touch duvet cover makes me feel more snuggled and comfortable in bed which is the first step to better sleep. Julian Charles does a lot of great sets and you can pick up not just a duvet cover but pillowcases and sheets with the same soft touch and comfortable fit.

Pillow sprays are one of the most commonly used methods of helping sleep and with most of them being lavender enthused as it’s known to be calming and designed to help promote a good night’s sleep. The spray I’ve been using recently is the organic pillow spray* from healthy2u which not only contains lavender but Litsea Cubeba and Bergamot also associated with relaxation and Lemon and Rosemary which promote blood circulation. I love the combination of scents as it means that it isn’t as strong as some other pillow sprays. It’s a non-stain liquid as well which is always good when you’re spraying it on your sheets and pillows as opposed to on your pulse points.

I’ve tried a few products from The Hero Project recently and the latest one to intrigue me was the Night Drops*. This is a serum which is designed to help relax you and prepare you for a better night’s sleep by combining 10% niacinamide which is the most potent anti-inflammatory with natural essential oils such as lavender, chamomile and neroli. All you need to do is apply a small amount to your fingertips breathe it in and massage the drops into your face, neck and upper chest. Thankfully it’s non-greasy so you can use it after your normal skincare routine right before you head to bed. I definitely found myself more relaxed just smelling the serum and it’s a nice comforting scent.

I’m keen to try out some sleeping aids and drops with CBD oil in them. CBD is having a bit of a surge at the moment but a lot of people still don’t know too much about it. CBD oil is a type of oil which contains a large amount of CBD (cannabidiol) which is a compound found in the cannabis plant.

Both hemp and marijuana are considered cannabis plants, but CBD oil in the UK only comes from hemp. So it doesn’t have the same effects of feeling high like the drug which is why it’s legal. But it’s been used for a long time as both a pain reliever and a treatment for insomnia. CBD oil can help induce feelings of calmness and tranquillity which is just what you need when you’re trying to sleep. It is extracted from CBD-rich cannabis or hemp using an oil solvent like olive oil or vegetable oil.

As you will all know I absolutely love candles and usually have multiple ones burning in my living room but I never really thought about a candle with scents in to help me sleep until I received the Sleep Well Travel Candle by Scentered* which is a fairly new candle from the range with a floral lavender blend balanced with Geranium and Ylang Ylang.  The candle is made from natural wax so you get a clean burn without any of that black smoke you sometimes get from the cheaper candles out there.

I’ve had this burning a few times when I’ve had an evening bath and I do find that it really calms me and I feel so relaxed afterwards that all I want to do is lay down and cuddle into my duvet so it definitely works. Of course, you probably don’t want to burn this in your bedroom just in case you fall asleep which wouldn’t be good, but it does have a good scent pay off even when it’s not lit which is nice. The brand also sells balms which you can swipe onto your wrist as you’re relaxing in the evening which is always nice.

At last year’s Harper Bazaar Beauty Awards the BetterYou Magnesium Flakes* was named the product ‘best for total relaxation’ so of course, I had to give them a go. The flakes are designed to either be added into a bath or a foot soak and are ideal for replenishing the body of essentials minerals while aiding in relaxing your muscles, relieving tension and aiding skin health. Low levels of magnesium have been associated with poor sleep, migraines, anxiety and depression so it’s really important to keep your levels topped up, especially as an estimated 70% of us are running on low levels. All I’ve been doing is adding a small handful of flakes into my bath alongside my normal products and letting it relax me, and I have to say I’ve either been really tired the nights I’ve had it or the flakes really do work (I’d like to think the latter).

There’s so many different sleepy night time tea’s and there’s plenty out there which just don’t taste nice, but thankfully the Sleep Easy Tea* from Clipper bucks that trend. It was created by master tea blender  Daniel Parr with a combination of Cinnamon, Chamomile, Valerian and other natural herbs, and is designed to be drank about 30 minutes before bed to help you settle down to sleep. Warm cinnamon helps to balance blood sugar which is a key element in energy useable, chamomile has anti-anxiety properties and studies show that valerian reduces the time taken to fall asleep which isn’t half bad.

I’ve been making this in the kitchen before taking it with me to drink in bed as I’m relaxing or reading, and for me, I think it’s the addition of Cinnamon which makes this a nice taste as it’s a slightly stronger taste than the other ingredients.

If the more organic and herbal options just aren’t cutting it for you then Phenergan Night Time* (£4.79) might be the product for you. It’s a behind the counter product which is perfect for the treatment of short-term insomnia as it contains promethazine which works by blocking the action of histamine in your brain which causes you to feel sedated so you drift off to sleep. As they’re short term you shouldn’t take them for longer than 7 days but if you’re struggling to sleep just take one or two tablets and they can start working in just 20 minutes. Whether it was coincidence or not I did fall asleep much quicker after taking the tablets.

Alongside the tablets, I had an ‘Essential Sleep Kit’ which contained a beautiful velvet eye mask from Oliver Bonas which perfectly keeps the light out and a sleep journal which has some expert tips to help you sleep and has space for you to note down night time thoughts and reasons why you struggled to sleep.

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