Sleep Aids

Recently updated on September 24th, 2016 at 08:51 am

This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. For full details visit the disclosures page. 

Marpac Sound Machine

My favorite Sound Machine / White Noise Machine is the Marpac DOHM-DS White Noise Sound Machine. It has a real fan inside that gives you a true analog white noise instead of the often times tinny sounding digital noise you get with typical sound machines. We have used this for the past 4 years with my son since he was a baby and use it when we visit relatives or go on vacations to drown out ambient noise in hotel rooms. It is sturdy and reliable. The noise can be adjusted by turning the housing open or closed. It’s one of the best sleep aids in our arsenal. You can get it and read more reviews on Amazon.com

Bed of Nails

This acupressure mat, aka, Bed of Nails does wonders to help me relax at night. Lay on it for about 15-20 minutes before bed and you will wake up fully rested. Here’s the link to the brand that I use. It’s a great value and as far as I can tell, they are all patterned the same.

The Night Hood

Room not dark enough? Out camping and sun comes up too early? Husband is up before you with the lights on? Wife up too late with the computer in bed? Head too cold at night? Solve all these problems with the Nite Hood. It’s the natural evolution of the sleep mask. It’s made from natural, organic bamboo so it’s extremely soft and produces relaxation and a special amount of coziness. It works especially well during the summer months when the sun comes out early and during the winter months when you want some extra warmth without putting a blanket over your heard. The Night Hood is uniquely stylish and comes in a variety of colors.

Melatonin Shades

If you have reservations about taking a melatonin supplement or any sleeping aids in pill form, do yourself a favor and invest in Melatonin Shades.  They are comfortable glasses that block out blue light which is emitted from light bulbs and electronics such as laptops and phones. Wear them at night a few hours before bed to naturally trigger sleepiness.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is an often overlooked method for falling asleep faster or alleviating problems associated with insomnia. Two of the most popular essential oils used to aid sleep are lavender, chamomile and vanilla. There are many proprietary aromatherapy blends that utilize these essential oils along with others to create a unique scent. You can also buy the oils individually and mix them yourself. Scents can be carried via a diffuser or even sprays for your pillow or mattress. I recommend buying high quality essential oils if you prefer to mix your own. A little goes a long way and therefore you might as well get a product that is effective. Aside from helping you fall asleep, these scents will make your bedroom smell wonderful and reinforce the association with your bedroom as a sacred place for sleep.

Essential oils can also help promote alertness, so you can use them in other rooms of your house where you intend to be productive, for instance your office at home or work. Essential oils and aromatherapy is an easy and fun addition to your sleep regimen.

Supplements

I recently discovered Sleep-X which is a sleep aid that included melatonin, l-tryptophan and other ingredients to get you to sleep and keep you asleep. Here’s the Full Review.

When our children’s sleep schedule’s get interrupted, we occasionally go for OZzzz’s Melatonin. It is a lower dosage than what  you would find for adults, is dis-solvable and has an agreeable taste for children. After taking it, our kids fall asleep within 30 minutes and stay asleep. Great for travel, daylight savings shifts or anytime that your child is having difficulty sleeping. I always keep melatonin for children in stock at our house just in case…

Melatonin is a hormone that control the daily night-day cycle. It works extremely fast, especially if you use the kind that dissolve under your tongue. My favorite brand of melatonin is from Source Naturals. It tastes the best and is the dissolving kind so i can take it about 30 minute before I want to be asleep and it works consistently and effectively. It also hasn’t been habit forming for me so I don’t feel a need to take it every night. Instead, I usually take it on Sunday evenings when I need to get back into my weekday schedule.

The website Positive Health Wellness also lists some other benefits of Melatonin and new findings from emerging research