Can a £14 body lotion give you a good night’s SLEEP?
That’s what many insomniacs claim. LINDA KELSEY puts it to the test . . .
Agood night’s sleep is my Holy grail. After my son was born, my body recovered but my sleep patterns didn’t — I’d got into the habit of waking several times a night, and 29 years later I’m still not back in a good routine.
over the past few weeks, my sleep has been even more disrupted than usual. Autumn, experts say, is the worst time of year for insomniacs.
The dark afternoons and evenings mean there’s no clear signal for bedtime, and no bright sunlight to wake you. Since production of the hormone that helps send us to sleep, melatonin, is triggered by darkness, this can leave our sleep habits in a mess.
And from menstruation and pregnancy to the years leading up to the menopause, women’s hormones can play havoc with our sleep.
So, what can you do to beat autumn insomnia? Until now I’d never tried cosmetic sleeping aids — sprays, balms and creams that boast they can give you deep and restful sleep. But an online excitement over Lush’s Sleepy body lotion said to promote slumber piqued my interest.
So I tested different cosmetic sleep potions over a week and using the tracker in my health monitor, a Fitbit Charge 2 wristband, recorded if I woke during the night and how much rest I got.
THE Z FACTOR
Lush Sleepy body lotion, £13.95 lush.com
WHAT IS IT? This new sleep balm from Lush, which prides itself on handmade cosmetics, has rave reviews. But will it work its magic on me? A pretty, pale lilac cream, it smells of calming lavender and oatmeal, plus avena sativa, a herb known for relieving minor stress.
THE TEST: Normally I rush through my pre-bed routine. But this forces you to slow down. The self-pampering, smoothing lotion is part of the relaxation effect. I no sooner open my Kindle than I feel my eyes closing.
TOTAL SLEEP: Six hours 38 minutes, but barely any time awake. It’s definitely quality of sleep that counts for me, not just the quantity. ZZZZ RATING: 4/5
VERY HANDS ON
NEOM nourish, breathe and sleep hand balm, £15 neomorganics.com WHAT IS IT? Cocoa and shea butters plus essential oils, including lavender, camomile and patchouli in a hand balm that smells delicious. It feels a little heavy, almost sticky, but it sinks into the skin and the following morning my hands felt soft and nourished. After applying, you cup your hands over your mouth, then breathe in the soothing smells. THE TEST: Really? A hand balm? Although I could happily sniff it for hours, it didn’t do the trick for me. I was restless and only achieved 38 measly minutes of deep sleep according to my tracker. Perhaps if I’d combined the balm with a pillow spray the results would have been better.
TOTAL SLEEP: Seven hours seven minutes but I spent a full hour awake and had hardly any deep sleep. ZZZZ RATING: 2/5
DUAL ACTION VALUE
Dr Organic’s Sleep Therapy Body Oil, £11.99 and Pillow Spray, £7.99 hollandandbarrett.com
WHAT IS IT? So well- priced I decided to experiment with two at once. The body oil has intense lavender plus organic essential oils including jojoba, camomile, sandalwood, cypress and cedarwood. The pillow spray combines lavender, ylang-ylang, vetiver, patchouli, bergamot and jasmine.
THE TEST: I applied the oil over my entire body, except my face, and gave my pillows a quick spritz of the spray. Although I slept less overall because I had to wake up for an early appointment, I felt I’d had a decent night’s sleep. great value for money.
TOTAL SLEEP: Six hours 42 minutes, but much less time awake and in light sleep. ZZZZ RATING: 3.5/5
DREAMY CONCOCTION
Elemis Sleep, £55 elemis.com WHAT IS IT? This subtly fragrant bath oil contains 13 pure essential oils including palmarosa, which has anti- bacterial properties, and something called ‘elemi’, said to reduce wrinkles. You add three capfuls to your nighttime bath or apply while showering.
THE TEST: I don’t tend to bath before bed because it stimulates rather than calms me. on this occasion though, I almost fell asleep in the bath. Then as soon as my head hit the pillow I nodded off. But two hours later I woke and took a further hour to get back to sleep, according to my tracker. So I didn’t feel wellrested next day.
TOTAL SLEEP: Six hours 33 minutes in two stints, with a big wakeful gap in between. ZZZZ RATING: 2.5/5
A LITTLE GROGGY
L’Occitane Aromachologie Pillow Mist, £18 loccitane.com
WHAT IS IT? This lavender pillow mist claims ‘proven soothing effectiveness’ – just spray onto your pillow 15 minutes before getting into bed.
THE TEST: I can definitely smell the lavender and a hint of orange. despite a few wake-ups in the night, overall I slept almost eight hours, a good hour longer than my usual maximum. Curiously, though, I wake up feeling groggy, possibly because I had overslept. TOTAL SLEEP: Seven hours 53 minutes. The longest overall! ZZZZ RATING: 3.5/5
THE FULL MONTY
Cowshed Sleepy Cow Calming Bath Salts, £18, Calming Body Butter, £24, Calming Pillow Mist, £16 cowshedonline.com
WHAT IS IT? The Sleepy Cow range blends the herbs melissa and lemon myrtle for a citrussy kick. The Body Butter and Pillow Mist also have St John’s Wort, a natural anti- depressant also used to treat anxiety, and Lady’s Mantle, a herb used for menstrual pains.
THE TEST: Would throwing three co- ordinated products at my sleep problem might have more effect than just one? The bath salts, with added olive oil and Vitamin E, smelt lovely, but despite two generous spoonfuls in the bath, the scent seemed to dissipate. The body butter felt deliciously creamy. But my sleep time was about average for my week. For sleep, rather than pampering, I’d skip the salts. TOTAL SLEEP: Six hours 36 minutes. ZZZZ RATING: 3/5