We're all aware of how key sleep is to good health, especially when we find ourselves exhausted but unable to nod off.
Getting a good night's sleep can be a challenge at the best of times, but during the last two years, many of us have found it especially difficult as our normal circumstances drastically changed.
According to sleep behaviour expert James Wilson, we’re supposed to spend a third of our lives asleep, so when we struggle, the bedroom can feel like a prison.
While there certainly isn't a one-size-fits-all solution to sleep, we decided to test if sleep sprays could help you drift off calmly.
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The reviews of the sprays seem impressive - with some customers claiming they slept more peacefully than they ever had before.
Personally, I'm a bit dubious but willing to try. Two years of working from my bedroom have left me struggling to nod off, with no boundaries between work and sleep times.
But paradoxically, the more I worry about sleep, the less I get - and not getting enough hours can have a serious impact long term.
Dr Rangan Chatterjee, GP and author of The Stress Solution, has previously warned it can lead to poor concentration and increased stress.
He added: "But a chronic lack of sleep can also lead to type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease and even Alzheimer's disease."
I tried out three kits - from This Works, Sanctuary Spa and Aroma Active - and one sent me straight back to sleep on a restless night.
This Works Choose Sleep £8
This sleep spray is scented with relaxing lavender, vetiver and chamomile. The marketing material quotes an independent survey showing that 97per cent who used it slept better
This little pack also includes a 'stress-busting' formula of eucalyptus, frankincense and lavender to apply to your pulse points.
My thoughts: It's a lovely touch to have the pillow spray and pulse point oil, it makes it feel like a luxurious experience.
The spray smells lovely but doesn't stay on my pillow long, which is a shame. I'm unconvinced by the independent testing claim - it's a survey, not science. There is some research however showing inhaling these scented oils can help reduce anxiety.
I can't say I notice I sleep better after a few weeks of usage but I don't suffer from my normal frantic dreams, which does leave me feeling like I've slept better.
7/10
Sanctuary Spa Wellness Sleep Mist £12
This claims to be a multi-purpose product that you can apply to your face and pillow.
The blurb says the spray contains a "cocktail of nourishing ingredients to help condition and protect the visage" including hyaluronic acid and the scents of jasmine, patchouli and frankincense.
My thoughts: I don't love the idea of a multi-purpose product for my face and pillow. If I'm planning to use it on my skin, it feels wasteful to spray it on my pillow too.
But for others - that might be a massive plus, as inevitably anything you've sprayed on your pillow is inevitably being absorbed into your skin.
The spray smells lovely, and while I can't say it improved my sleep, I think it relaxed me which is still helpful. But the scent doesn't linger, and I'd prefer a product with more staying power.
6/10
Aroma Active Sleep Mist £7
This spray contains a blend of lavender, valerian and ylang-ylang, with the marketing blurb saying it is combined with buddha wood and added hops help to aid sleep.
My thoughts: This was an absolute game-changer for me, I slept better than I had in a long time while testing this product.
One night a noisy car outside wakes me up and I spritz my pillow with Aroma's spray – perhaps it’s purely psychosomatic but I fell asleep again straight away. Overall, it delivers one of the best nights sleep I think I've ever had
It's got a lovely natural smell that lingers and fills the room - with no synthetic notes ruining the product.
9/10
Review
For me, there is a clear winner - the Aroma sleep spray. Finding out what can help you sleep is such a personal thing, and it can be difficult to find what works.
So I'm thrilled to find a cheap product to aid me on nights I find myself tossing and turning into the wee hours.
If you're looking for help on sleep, check out the NHS advice here.
