As a mum of three, including a two-year-old who still wakes during the night, I'm used to broken sleep. But even before I had kids, I've struggled with insomnia, and I've tried my fair share of ways to fix it over the years.
From over-the-counter supplements to countless bedtime routines, if it promises to improve my sleep, you can bet I've given it a go. But with so many sleep aids now at our disposal, it's hard to know which ones (if any) actually work.
It turns out I'm not alone in my quest for some decent, regular shut-eye. According to research published in The Lancet, insomnia affects up to a third of adults worldwide.
With everything from sunrise alarm clocks to sleep trackers and magnesium promising to be the fix, I've dipped in and out of plenty of them over the years, but never properly stuck with any to see if they really work.
So, over the course of a month, I committed to testing the most popular sleep aid interventions with guidance from leading sleep experts to find out if any of them could be the answer to my prayers. Not only that, I wanted to know whether improving my sleep would translate into more daytime energy.
Keep scrolling to find out if I discovered a magic fix, and while you're here, check out our guides on how to improve sleep, how to get to sleep, insomnia treatment – plus find out how other health writers got on when they tried the Huberman 'Sleep Stack' and a 10-minute daily habit.
I Spent a Month Testing Popular Sleep Hacks—Here's What Happened
Do Sleep Aids Actually Work?
Before choosing which sleep aids to use for the experiment, I turned to the experts for their take.
“Some sleep products can be helpful, but I think we need to be careful about believing we need them in order to sleep,” Kathryn Pinkham, founder of The Insomnia Clinic and the Sleep Well & Live Better online course, told me.
If, like me, you're already anxious about your sleep patterns, sleep trackers can actually do more harm than good, says Kathryn. “I’ve seen people wake up feeling fine, only to become anxious after their tracker tells them they’ve slept badly.”
This is echoed by Dr Maja Schaedel, Co-Founder and Director of The Good Sleep Clinic, who points out that although trackers can help us understand our bodies, they’re not helpful for anyone who struggles with sleep regularly.
“This is because they increase focus on sleep, which often tends to make sleep anxiety worse.” Not only that, the technology isn't always accurate. “They are less good at being able to interpret what goes on during sleep,” Dr Schaedel adds.
There's even a term for becoming fixated on sleep-tracking data. A 2017 paper in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine coined the term to describe patients who became fixated on their sleep data and achieving the 'perfect sleep.'
So, which sleep aids do the experts recommend? “My absolute favourites are the sunrise alarm clocks,” says Dr Schaedel. “I think these are such a lovely way to wake up and a great way to help our circadian rhythms, as light is the main way our brains understand what daytime is and what is nighttime,” she says.
Dr Schaedel says eye masks and earplugs also have their place, especially where noise and light pollution are likely to disturb sleep.
And supplements? “I’m cautious about supplements such as magnesium,” says Pinkham. “The evidence that they significantly improve sleep is limited, particularly for people with chronic insomnia.”
How Can You Improve Sleep Naturally?
So, while sleep aids can earn a place in your routine, the good news is you don't necessarily need them to improve your sleep.
As Pinkham puts it: “The more products and routines we rely on, the more complicated sleep becomes.”
That was reassuring to hear, and it helped me understand which simple habits I could build into the routine, rather than relying on sleep aids alone.
1. Wake up at the same time every day (including weekends)
I'm sure I'm not the only one who's guilty of this, but when you've had a late night, or haven't slept as well as usual, sticking to the same get-up time goes out the window. But if you're serious about nailing a healthy sleep routine, it's one of the things the experts advocate for.
“I’d recommend getting up at roughly the same time each morning, even after a bad night, to help regulate your body clock,” says Pinkham.
2. Spend less time in bed
It's easy to think that you need to spend more time in bed trying to catch up on Zs. But Pinkham says one of the most effective things you can do, particularly if you’re struggling with insomnia, is the opposite.
“We build up something called sleep drive throughout the day, a bit like hunger,” she says. “The longer we’re awake, the stronger our appetite for sleep becomes. Going to bed too early or spending extra hours in bed trying to catch up can weaken that sleep drive and actually make sleep more difficult.”
3. Don't force sleep
One thing you absolutely shouldn't do is lie awake trying to force yourself back to sleep. Pinkham suggests leaving the bedroom rather than lying there frustrated that you're not asleep. “And avoid checking the time, as this often starts a cycle of worrying about how much sleep you’re losing,” she adds.
4. Build a good wind-down routine
This is where I often get stuck. Once the kids are in bed and I have some time to myself, I don't always prioritise a good wind-down routine, and I'm guilty of staying on my phone or laptop longer than I should.
Dr Schaedel says protecting your evening is key. “I tend to find a good wind-down routine, including keeping active, keeping boundaries around work and relaxation in the evenings and not taking too many naps or lie-ins, can be the most helpful way to maintain sleep quality,” she explains.
5. Write down anything that's bothering you
If you find all those things you didn't tick off your to-do list popping into your head at 3 am, you're not alone.
Pinkham suggests spending 10 minutes writing down what’s worrying you before you go to bed. “If you’re anxious about not sleeping, ask yourself what you’re actually afraid will happen if you’re tired tomorrow. Often, addressing that underlying fear can take some of the pressure off sleep.”
My Month-Long Sleep Experiment
Weeks one to two
By now, I've sussed out which pre-bedtime habits can make my insomnia worse (scrolling on my phone in the hour before bed and drinking caffeine after 4 pm, to name a couple), so I entered the experiment determined to avoid them.
I'll be honest, though, I failed miserably during the first week. I went all-in – introducing a sunrise alarm clock, tracking ring and sleep mask at the same time, alongside a stricter bedtime routine. But focusing so much on whether I'd see any changes only increased my anxiety, and I struggled to even get to sleep.
I don't usually wear my Garmin to bed because I've learnt that seeing the time or checking my sleep data after a bad night doesn't help. I used the Sekonda Smart Ring, which was more subtle than a watch, but knowing it was there kept me focused on my sleep, just as the experts had warned.
At the start of week two, I took the ring off. Knowing I wasn't going to wake up to a sleep score meant I wasn't lying in bed analysing how I'd slept, and I found it easier to judge my night based on how I actually felt.
I already take magnesium before bed, and I kept it up throughout the experiment. But hearing the experts explain that there's limited evidence that it significantly improves sleep (particularly for chronic insomnia) made me question whether it was doing much at all. Still, it's become part of my calming bedtime routine, so I don't think that's a bad thing.
I was keen to add an eye mask to my routine because even the smallest sliver of light will wake me up. While I can't say it improved my sleep, it did the job of blocking out any light, and I liked how it helped me switch off from distractions around me.
The sunrise alarm clock, on the other hand, was an instant hit. During autumn and winter, I struggle to wake up when it's pitch black outside, so the gradually brightening light felt so much gentler than switching on my bedside lamp.
Weeks three to four
During the second half of the experiment, I focused on the habits recommended by the experts. Having a consistent wake-up time was pretty easy to stick to, as my kids usually act as my alarm clock anyway.
The biggest challenge was waking up in the night. I tend to check the time and start worrying about how tired I'll be the next day. Pinkham had told me: “We check the time, calculate how much sleep we’re losing and start worrying about tomorrow. This creates alertness at exactly the time we’re trying to relax.” So, when I was still awake after 20 minutes, I took my Kindle downstairs to read until I felt relaxed and sleepy enough to go back to bed.
What made the biggest difference wasn't any of the sleep aids I'd introduced; it was a question that Pinkham asked, and something I'd never really thought about before. “If you’re anxious about not sleeping, ask yourself what you’re actually afraid will happen if you’re tired tomorrow.”
I realised that, while I may be tired, I'd always coped in the past. That simple shift in perspective helped me worry less about being away, and I started falling back to sleep more easily. I even started wearing my ring again, and as long as I didn't fixate on checking it, I found the data around my sleep interesting rather than stressful.
So, did my energy levels improve? I wasn't exactly bouncing out of bed, but I did feel more rested, even if it took me a little time to come round in the morning (although the sunrise alarm definitely helped). I also made an effort to get my steps in on days when I'd usually run but felt too tired, following Dr Schaedel's advice to try gentler movement, like walking or yoga. Often, it was just what I needed to perk myself up.
My Verdict: Do Sleep Aids Work?
What surprised me most is that I'm not necessarily sleeping for longer. Pinkham told me that progress shouldn't be measured purely by how much sleep we're getting, but by our relationship with sleep. For me, that's exactly what happened. I can honestly say I worry less at night, I've stopped clock-watching, and I know I can cope if I do have a bad night's sleep.
Of the products I've tried, the sunrise alarm clock and eye mask have earned a permanent place in my bedtime routine. I'm still sticking with the magnesium too, but ultimately, it's the free and slightly boring habits (and that one simple question) that have made the biggest difference.
Shop MC UK Approved Sleep Essentials
Both experts place a sunrise alarm clock as one of the few sleep aids that can be useful as a way to help our bodies wake naturally. I used this BlueAir one, which doubles as an air purifier, and you can choose from a range of soothing sounds to wake up to.
I used the Sekonda ring to track my sleep. It's one of the most affordable smart rings on the market, and I was impressed with how much data it can track aside from sleep, including cycles, stress, and fatigue levels.
I didn't expect to be so impressed with an eye mask, but I can see why this is a cult favourite. The silky finish makes it unbelievably comfortable, and it blocks out light completely.
Why do we wake up during the night?
Waking up during the night is normal. “We all wake briefly between sleep cycles, but good sleepers tend not to notice or worry about it,” explains Kathryn Pinkham, founder of The Insomnia Clinic.
Stress, hormonal changes, alcohol and getting older all play a part. But it's our response to being awake that makes it difficult to get back to sleep.
“My advice is not to check the clock, and if you’re lying awake becoming frustrated or anxious, leave the bedroom for a little while and return when you feel sleepy again,” says Pinkham.
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