Better Than Counting Sheep?
Here is the truth about six popular sleep aids. 1. SOOTHE YOURSELF WITH SOUNDS Many people swear that white noise or relaxing music helps them fall asleep. “While there’s no hard data, we do know that white noise helps to buffer intrusive noise from the outside,” says Janet Kennedy, Ph.D., a psychologist/sleep trainer with NYC Sleep Doctor. As for how to block out the noise, the experts are of mixed minds. Sleep doctor/clinical psychologist Michael Breus, Ph.D., thinks that Sleep-Phones, wireless headphones wrapped in a soft, stretchy headband ($40, sleepphones.com), might do the trick. “I love these. While they look a little '80s, they’re fun and effective,” he says. Kennedy doesn’t recommend wearing headphones that are hooked to your phone. She prefers a white noise machine, like a Dohm-DS Sound Conditioner ($50, marpac.com).
2. SIP SOME TEA It’s true, noncaffeinated tea may help you fall to sleep. “Certain types of tea, such as chamomile, are believed to be especially relaxing,” says Kennedy. “But it is the ritual that is most beneficial. The tea becomes a relaxation cue.” One option: Yogi Bedtime tea—a cup contains valerian and organic chamomile, both widely shown to help prompt sleep ($4 for 16 bags, amazon.com).
3. SNIFF ESSENTIAL OILS Multiple studies have shown that aromatherapy can help treat insomnia. One to try: Place a drop of Sleep Remedy by H. Gillerman Organics on a tissue and drape it near your nose. The combination of blood orange, clary sage and lavender may help you drift off ($48, hgillermanorganics.com).
4. TAKE A BATH A good soak in a tub of warm water is an oldfashioned way to help prompt sleep. “The rapid rise in body temp while you’re in the tub followed by rapid cooling after the bath could help you fall asleep more quickly,” Kennedy says.
5. BLOCK THE LIGHT Can wearing an eye mask improve your sleep? Maybe so, since your body responds to light even when your eyes are closed, Kennedy says. “Light also affects melatonin levels, compromising sleep duration and quality,” she says. Pure Care offers a twist on the traditional sleep mask: a cooling, scented gel pack ($40, purecare.com).
6. SIP SOME CHERRY Drinking just one glass of tart cherry juice (particularly Montmorency cherries) may improve your sleep thanks to the high levels of melatonin in it, according to a recent study in which 20 individuals consumed either a placebo or tart cherry juice concentrate for seven days. Among those who drank cherry juice, the total melatonin content in their urine was significantly elevated. And, if none of these remedies work, it may just be that counting sheep is worth a try. “Doing something to focus your mind away from stressful thoughts or pressure to sleep is helpful,” Kennedy says. “It stops the anxious thought process and allows the body’s fatigue to take over.”— Lambeth Hochwald