Others Tested
These were effective, but not as consistently so as the above picks. I'd still encourage others to try since bodies react differently to the active ingredients in these over-the-counter sleep aids.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
AGZ Nightly Sleep Support for $99: I tested AGZ's chocolate and mint flavors, which come with a frother, and you can blend the powder with water or milk, either warm or cold (although I think it tastes the best with milk, like a frothy hot cocoa). The drink doesn't taste overly sweet and has a nice, rich chocolate taste. The mix is melatonin-free, instead with adaptogens, herbs, and minerals, including magnesium, vitamin B6, L-theanine, ashwagandha, and calming herbs. Because of the magnesium and L-theanine, my body felt more calm before bed throughout testing, but it didn't consistently push me over to full-on sleepiness.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Rebalance Dream Sleep Mints (Melatonin-Free; 31-Pack) for $46: These melatonin-free mints are designed to slowly dissolve, with natural sleep-inducing ingredients like L-theanine, L-tryptophan, GABA, and slow-release Reishi mushroom. You can take up to three lozenges every night, and it took me three to feel any sort of calming effects. I like the idea of a slow-melting mint alternative, but I'm currently testing the version with melatonin to see how it stacks up against the melatonin-free version.
Natrol Melatonin Gummies for $9: These have 10 milligrams of melatonin, which is about triple the recommended dosage, and they don't have any of the other sleep-boosting ingredients found often in other sleep gummies. The strawberry flavor has sort of a grainy mouthfeel. But, they are cheap and worked effectively within half an hour.
Kona Sea Salt Deep Ocean Magnesium Water Drops for $12: Kona's line of sleep and relaxation products use ocean magnesium from Hawaii to support improved sleep and muscle relaxation. I tried a whole host of Kona Sea Salt's Hawaiian water products, including Calm Mineral Spa Bath ($8) and Deep Ocean Magnesium Mist ($18), but I found the drops to be most effective, although I still regularly spray the magnesium mist before bed. You just need to use one drop per one ounce of drinking water, and it supposedly quickly absorbs into the body, with a host of supposed benefits like regulating the sleep-wake cycle and promoting deeper sleep without a hangover. It doesn't really taste like anything except slightly salty, but it didn't deliver solid, consistent sleepy results like other picks above.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
Osea Vagus Nerve Pillow Mist for $20: This spray aims to create a calming atmosphere to help regulate and prepare the mind and body before bed. The longest cranial nerve in the body, the vagus nerve activates the body's relaxation response to help regulate stress. Each spray of this mist releases a soothing essential oil blend of juniper berry, lavender, lemon tea tree, chamomile, and Moroccan rosemary to help relax the mind and body. The smell is almost hard to describe—it’s light, with slight herbal and citrus notes that made me want to douse all of my pillows and bed linens. It may have been a placebo effect, but this triggered something in me that made me feel like I was in a spa, and I always felt noticeably more relaxed, cozier, and ready for bed.
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