If you experience tossing and turning through sleepless nights, you’re not alone. According to the NHS, one in three of us in the UK suffer from insomnia. If poor sleep is significantly affecting your daily life, then it’s best to seek help from your doctor, but for those of us, myself included, that have less frequent bouts of insomnia, sleep sprays (or pillow sprays) are often the first port of call.
“Sleep sprays can be a fantastic addition to your bedtime routine, but they aren’t a substitute for proven treatments for sleeping problems such as insomnia,” explains Dr Linsay Browning, neuroscientist, chartered psychologist and founder of Trouble Sleeping, with a doctorate in insomnia from the University of Oxford.
“Typically, pillow sprays contain relaxing scents such as lavender or chamomile,” Dr Browning explains. “Although there is limited evidence that smelling these oils directly improves sleep, many people report feeling calmer and that they feel they sleep better after smelling these fragrances, particularly lavender.”
I was a little sceptical about pillow sprays, and wondered if they were a bit of a gimmick. But as someone keen to improve my sleep without using over the counter sleep aids, I asked Dr Browning to recommend a sleep spray she loves to use. Her top pick is the Tropic so sleepy pillow mist, so I spent two weeks putting it to the test every night. Here’s how I got on.
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Tropic so sleepy pillow mist
Key ingredients: Lavender, chamomile and frankincense essential oils
Size: 75ml
Why we love it
- Lovely scent
- Helped me feel calmer and drowsy
- Natural ingredients
- Refills avaliable
Take note
- Left pillows a little tacky
- Expensive
The Tropic so sleepy pillow mist is one of Dr Linsay Browning’s favourite sleep sprays. And after testing it for 16 nights, it’s become a central part of my night time routine. Tropic’s formula is centred on essential oils known for improving sleep and has a scent that’s well-rounded, with a punch of lavender that slowly reveals the other main ingredients – rosemary, chamomile, frankincense.
Like most pillow sprays, lavender is used in the formula for its effects on calming the mind and easing the stresses that might keep you up. Tropic blends it with rosemary, which is also known to relax brain activity.
Chamomile essential oil is included for its role in reducing anxiety and initiating sleepiness, while frankincense is an ancient remedy for promoting better sleep. The formula also includes palma rose, which is often found in diffusers to calm mental agitation.
Tropic suggests to spray 2-3 pumps of mist 30cm away from your pillow. I enjoyed spraying the mist both on my pillow but also around my bed, which created a little bubble of heavenly lavender and essential oils.
The scent lingered for around an hour so I liked to spray it as I was getting ready to wind down, leaving whispers of it remaining as I turned off the light. While using the spray, I experienced consistent and decent sleep, which I was really pleased about. The week before I had moments of struggling to switch off, and while I can’t count out other factors like stress and noise, I did feel an improvement in my night time routine and therefore quality of sleep.
It’s the routine it helps to create which is the main takeaway for me. Dr Browning explains, “Using the same scent at bedtime can help your mind associate that specific smell with sleep.” As someone who works, dresses and relaxes in my bedroom, the room’s function as a place to sleep can become lost. When I spritzed the mist, I found it helped to switch my focus towards sleep and allow the room to enter its nighttime function.
On familiarity, Dr Browning explains that “pillow sprays can also be helpful when travelling, as using a consistent and familiar smell can make an unfamiliar bed feel more like home.”
Alongside the scent and effects, I liked that the Tropic’s pillow mist comes in a glass bottle, as it's something you don’t mind being on display and brings a further elegance to night time routine. At £20 for 75ml, it’s on the pricey side but I would say it would last a good few months (depending on how liberally you use it) – which I feel is worth it for blissful nodding off.
I also tried Dr Browning’s other recommendation, the Spritz sleep atmosphere mist pillow spray (£17, Spritzwellness.com). It’s a very natural and lovely blend of four all-natural essential oils, but I found myself choosing the Tropic spray as I prefer the richer scent. As Dr Browning explained: “The reality is, it's all about finding one that you like the smell of.”
If you’re after a budget choice, Dr Browning also recommends the Feather and Down sweet dreams pillow spray (£5.33, Boots.com).
Buy now £20, Tropicskincare.com
Is the Tropic so sleepy pillow mist worth it?
In my opinion, it really is. I found the Tropic so sleepy pillow mist’s scent was very calming and helped to relax as I nodded off. Consistency is key in my experience though, as the scent becomes associated with sleep, helping to switch off your mind and wind down.
How I tested the Tropic so sleepy pillow mist
I used the mist every night for just over two weeks to give it a fair, realistic trial. This length of time helps account for variations in sleep (stress, routine changes, etc.), rather than judging it off a night or two. I also sought expert insight from Dr Linsay Browning, a chartered psychologist and sleep expert to ground the review in science. Here’s what I looked out for:
How to use pillow sprays
“Pillow sprays are best used as part of a consistent pre-bedtime routine, rather than as a treatment for poor sleep by itself,” says Dr Browning. “Spray them on your pillow shortly before bed and use the same scent regularly so it becomes part of your bedtime routine, which can help to signify that sleep is coming soon.” If you have sensitive skin, eczema or allergies, start lightly to prevent irritation.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Alice Reynolds is a writer at IndyBest who has bouts of poor quality sleep, making her ideal to test the effectiveness of the Tropic pillow mist. She also consulted Dr Linsay Browning for expert insight.
Elsewhere, the IndyBest team takes sleep seriously, and has tested everything from the best mattresses and the best storage beds, to the best summer duvets and best weighted blankets.
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