It seems harder and harder to get a good night’s sleep. A 2021 study revealed that, in the UK, some 36 per cent of adults struggle to fall asleep at least one a week. Anecdotally too, more and more of us seem to find it tricky, whether our longed-for eight hours are affected by fluctuating hormones, anxiety or something less obviously identifiable. A visit to the GP will routinely return advice around sleep hygiene: keeping the temperature of your room conducive to sleep, eschewing caffeine and alcohol, sticking to a consistent bedtime routine, exercising in the day are all excellent ideas. But what if you’ve tried them and they just have not worked? Before you turn to sleeping pills in despair, do try some of these alternatives to promote good sleep.

Brown Noise





Anyone who has ever tried to soothe a baby to sleep has, doubtless, at some point turned to white noise to soothe them. But have you ever tried a similar principle to aid your own efforts to nod off? These days, it’s all about brown noise, a dense neutral sound that has been garnering more and more fans recently; not only does it help people with ADHD to focus, but it also promotes relaxation and better sleep by helping to switch your brain off. The human ear can only detect frequencies that stimulate the cochlea, and since brown noise contains every frequency our ears can detect, the sound feels like a wholly immersive experience and thus acts like a noise blanket of sorts. The good news is, there are plenty of free brown noise resources online, which means it has to be worth a go.

Weighted Blankets


John Lewis Specialist Synthetic Weighted Blanket, 4.5kg

Weighted blankets have been gaining popularity over the past few years, with devotees extolling their myriad benefits. If you haven’t yet slipped underneath one, the idea is that they use deep pressure stimulation to stimulate the production of serotonin, reduce cortisol, and increase levels of melatonin, the latter being the hormone that helps you sleep. There are tons on the market to try, but we like this one from John Lewis (£80 – £110), which offers a good range of weights to try.


Buy An Alarm Clock


Newgate Clocks Fred Mid-Century Modern Silent Sweep Alarm Clock, Chocolate Black Copy

It may sound basic but investing in an alarm clock rather than relying on our phones to rouse us at the appointed hour in the morning can really make a difference. Why? The blue light our devices emit ruins sleep quality – if, that is, we manage to drop off at all. Smartphones play havoc with our circadian rhythms if we expose ourselves to blue light just before bedtime, not to mention the negative effect that looking at to-do lists or emails last thing at night can have on our ability to switch off. Instead, invest in a trusty alarm clock and do turn the phone off at least an hour before you attempt to nod off. We like this smart Newgate Clocks Fred Mid-Century Modern Silent Sweep Alarm Clock from John Lewis (£25).


Magnesium


Food-Grown® Magnesium

The health benefits of taking magnesium are manifold. They include relieving stress, improving hydration, lowering blood pressure and improving muscle recovery. And chief amongst the mineral’s exceptional benefits is its regulation of sleep. We especially rate Wild Nutrition’s food-grown magnesium supplement (£18.50).


Face Mask


TUSCAN KISS

Sometimes the old remedies really are the best. Blocking out any vestiges of light to get a really good night’s sleep can be all it takes – and this face mask from Drowsy (£69), not only shuts out the light but, in the words of an enraptured Vogue Williams, also feels ‘like someone is hugging your face, I cannot describe how amazing it is.’ Simple, effective, comfy and luxurious: in short, perfect.

By Nancy Alsop
January 2024