Lush Bath and Shower Set for $8-$40: I’ve tried a lot of Lush products aimed at sleep – they have a wide range of Sleepy products designed for shower, bath and getting ready for bed. Like the spray and powder, shower gelbath bombs (wrapped in muslin and in cube shapes), massage barand body lotion They all have top notes of rich, calming lavender. (I especially like Lush’s Sleepy scents because they don’t have that artificial, overly sweet lavender scent and are balanced with other subtle scents that seem like essential oils like tonka and chamomile.) I really liked the massage barwhich was cut in a grooved pattern that made the bar feel like a little massage when rubbed on the skin. The bar itself smells like lavender essential oil and also contains chamomile and magnesium to promote healthy sleep. It left my skin covered in a waxy, oily moisturizing sheen. The lavender scent lotion It is made from oat milk and cocoa butter, and enriched with essential oils such as almond, jojoba and lavender. Because of the oils, the lotion has a slightly oily sheen on the skin, but it feels like a creamy body butter.
Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Extra for $4: Sleepytime Extra Tea is a variation on the classic Sleepytime Tea, which has been a household name in the commercial tea world for over 50 years. Sleepytime Extra Tea is Celestial Seasonings’ classic blend of chamomile and peppermint, with calming herbs like lemongrass, hawthorn berries, and linden blossoms. Valerian root has also been added, which has historically been used as an all-natural supplement to help with insomnia and anxiety (although this claim has not been tested by the FDA). The tea has a nice, mild peppermint flavor with a hint of citrus. I’m not sure if it actually helped me fall asleep, though – I think just brewing a nice, hot cup of tea automatically makes you feel more comfortable and sleepy. This didn’t make me feel sleepy right away, but it was helpful in relaxing me before bed, and just looking at that snoozing bear on the box makes me sleepy.
Emergen-Zzzz Nighttime Sleep Aid for $14: Emergen-Zzzz Nighttime Sleep Aid is the sleep version of the popular vitamin C drink supplement Emergen-C. Emergen-Zzzz contains melatonin to help promote sleep, along with vitamin C and antioxidants like zinc and vitamin D to support the immune system. (Melatonin is generally considered safe for pregnant people, but a doctor should be consulted.) Stir the powder into a glass of water and bubble until dissolved. The berry flavor tastes very artificial and wasn’t my favorite. The product says it takes about 30 minutes to kick in and contains 3 milligrams of melatonin. I did feel more relaxed and a little sleepier after taking it, but it wasn’t as potent as some others on this list. My problem with this is that it didn’t seem to make me stay asleep, as I did wake up several times throughout the night. However, I think this would help the average person without any major sleep issues fall asleep faster.
Olly Sleep Gummies for $20: Olly is a super trendy brand whose gummy supplements are constantly going viral on social media like TikTok and selling out quickly. They’re delicious: They’re blackberry-flavored with a hint of mint and contain 3 milligrams of melatonin; L-theanine, which relieves anxiety and promotes a healthy sleep cycle; and botanical extracts like chamomile, passionflower, and lemon balm. (Melatonin is generally considered safe for pregnant people, but a doctor should be consulted.) The first time I took these gummies, I felt the effects and fell asleep easily. I woke up around 2 a.m. and took two more and eventually went back to bed. The next night, after taking two, I didn’t feel the sleep effects as strong and doubled the dosage to four gummies (6 milligrams) and fell asleep after about an hour, but again woke up in the middle of the night and took more. Every time I took more, I felt sleepier, so it was effective in that regard, but with so many people (both online and in my real life) swearing by these Olly sleep gummies, I was expecting more. For someone who has as much trouble falling asleep as I do, they didn’t keep me asleep as effectively as some of the other products on this list.
