Can a pillow mist really help you fall asleep? We were cynical to begin with, but there may be something to it...
How have you been sleeping lately? Not so well? You're not alone. More than half of the UK population struggle with sleep, according to a study by King's College London.
There is a number of things that can affect how well, and for how long we sleep. From diet and medication to the environment and stress, and while the amount of sleep each individual needs varies, most adults should aim to tot up between seven and nine hours of sleep a night, according to a Philips’ global sleep survey .
Establishing a strong sleep hygiene routine can cumulatively make a huge difference to how we sleep and a pillow mist can be part of that. The carefully selected aromatherapy oils and soothing blends of calming ingredients found in pillow mists and sleep sprays are a helpful way of creating a relaxing environment for you to unwind in.
More gloss: How to cope with a bad night's sleep
Every person in the Get the Gloss office has a sleep pillow spray that they swear by on their bedside table and we've shared our tried and tested picks below that help us switch off and sleep better.
The alternative to a prescription sedative Drowsy SOS Sleep Pillow Spray £21.95
“This is a deep, dark, liquor-y scent with camphorous, hypnotic notes of ylang-ylang, geranium and patchouli,” says GTG contributor Ingeborg van Lotringen who uses this sleep spray when she can’t get her mind to stop whirring. It’s pretty powerful stuff, each ingredient has been chosen because it’s known to trigger the parts of the brain that can help you feel less stressed. And, the more relaxed we feel the more likely we are to drift off to sleep. “I sort of feel a bit drugged when I smell it, in a good way!” says Inge, “it really does make me feel heavy and sleepy.”
The best budget sleep spray Avon Aromatherapy Beauty Sleep Pillow Mist Spray £4.50
This budget pillow spray proves you don’t need to spend big money to be sent over to the land of nod. This Avon offering was the first pillow spray GTG contributor Mel Macleod ever tried when she was about 15 and spotted it on her best friend's bedside table; 15 years on she still comes back to it, which is a testament to how soothing it is. On Amazon, it has a 4.7-star rating, with reviews applauding the spray for ‘helping them sleep like a baby’ and creating lovely scented bedding. Like lots of pillow sprays, it has a soft lavender scent combined with chamomile which are ingredients known to relax the nervous system. At only £4.50 you can't go wrong, think of it as a bit of a gateway drug to the other more expensive sprays out there.
The long-lasting sleep spray Tropic So Sleepy Pillow Mist £20
We love Tropic's sleep spray for how long it lingers in the air, leaving the pleasant scent of lavender and eucalyptus long after you've sprayed it. While we wouldn't normally associate eucalyptus with sleep, it's known for clearing the mind which is just what you want ahead of peaceful slumber. While the fragrance is quite strong, it’s more spa-like than medicinal so we’d recommend this if heavy fragrances tend to leave you feeling headachy. You only need a few spritzes of the stuff to turn your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary, GTG’s social media manager Jemma has had her bottle for six months and there are still plenty of spritzes to go.
The neuroscientist-approved sleep spray This Works Sleep Plus Pillow Spray £35
This Works is a brand that has been dedicated to improving sleep habits since it launched in 2004. Each of their sleep solutions goes through rigorous testing including six user trials (with over 900 participants), as well as independent functional MRI studies which are overseen by neuroscientist Professor Gaby Brader. This Works are serious about the science of sleep. This Works' Deep Sleep Pillow Spray £20 is a permanent fixture on GTG contributor Verity Clark’s bedside table, but for nights when you're really struggling to switch off you can't beat this extra strong version. Lavender, vetiver and chamomile combine to create a potent spray that 89 per cent of ex-sleep prescription medication users would use instead of sleep medication - what a seal of approval! This Works also sells a travel size version which is ideal for when you're struggling to drift off when you're away from home.
The stress-busting sleep spray Ren & Now To Sleep Pillow Spray £20
First of all, can we take a minute to appreciate how cute its packaging is? Just as lovely to use as it is to look at, this subtly scented spray from REN containing soothing frankincense which is thought to help ease anxiety, calming hops and anxiety-reducing lavender not only helps put you into a deeper slumber, but it doesn’t leave you feeling groggy the next morning. Combine with one of the brand’s bath oils for the ultimate in pre-bed bliss.
The multitasking sleep spray for body, pillow and room Templespa Quietude £25
In a departure from pure lavender pillow mists, this green bottle houses cedarwood, cypress, lavender, clove, vetiver, orange, patchouli, frankincense and chamomile and smells more like a cologne than a traditional sleep spray. The heavenly scented spray has become a staple on editorial director Victoria's bedside table. In fact, it's quite the multi-tasker since it's designed to be sprayed lightly on the body, post-shower or bath, or it can be used as a room spray. Of course, you can also spritz this on your pillow if you're after a more targeted sleep inducer. We also love the suggestion from Templespa that you keep this in your car and spray it on your headrest to help keep you calm when you're travelling. Goodbye road rage.
The crystal powered sleep spray Norfolk Pillow Sleep Mist Relax and Release £20
With a strong leafy scent of marjorana (which, if you’re not familiar smells kind of like oregano) and nutmeg, this is a great option if you find most pillow sprays too sweet. Got a crystal lover in your life? This could be the gift they’ve been waiting for. Those green stones at the bottom of the bottle are aventurine gems, a semi-precious stone that crystal fans rate for soothing mental irritability aka a racing mind that stops us from sleeping. The aroma releases slowly, so on the first spritz it’s not super strong but once you’ve spritzed onto your pillow the fragrance will diffuse around you throughout the night. Oh, and it comes without a lid which at first meant we thought it was missing but now we reckon it helps make it look super stylish on our bedside table.