AD | This post features products that have been gifted to me in exchange for a review. All opinions are honest and my own.
Do you often struggle to get sleepy before bedtime? Modern life can be so busy and hectic, and unfortunately, this can have an effect on our sleep. Many people, myself included, sometimes find it difficult to wind down from the day and get into a relaxed state ready for bed. This can lead to tossing and turning and the inability to fall asleep, as well as reduced sleep duration and quality.
I’m hoping this post can help with this conundrum! I am going to share my advice on how to make yourself sleepy before bedtime, and hopefully get a better night’s sleep. One way is to take sleep supplements such as lemon balm, which leads straight on to my featured products for this blog post: the WellBeSleep Shot and Bar.
What are the WellBeSleep Shot and Bar?
WellBeSleep products were developed by WellBeMed, a Swedish company dedicated to helping people wind down and fall asleep with ease. They created three different flavours of shot and one chocolate bar, all of which contain lemon balm and hops extract which studies have shown can help you relax and become sleepy. WellBeSleep products are already popular in Sweden and are now launching in the UK which is very exciting!
The products are made from healthy, natural ingredients, and all of the shots are organic and vegan. They are designed to be taken around 30 minutes before going to bed, as part of your evening routine to help you sleep.
My experience trying the WellBeSleep Shots
I was kindly gifted one of each flavour of shot. The shot flavours are:
- Apple and blueberry
- Apple, beetroot and ginger
- Apple, turmeric and elderflower
First, I tried the apple and blueberry shot. It was similar to a smoothie but had a thin texture, more like a juice. I could taste the apple and blueberry but it had another, strong and slightly sour taste behind it which I guess is the lemon balm and hops (I’m not sure what those things taste like!). Overall, the taste was pleasant.
I didn’t feel immediately sleepy after taking the shot, but that night I fell asleep easily and slept well. I woke up earlier than usual in the morning but that may have been a coincidence because it didn’t happen again when I took the other shots.
The next night, I tried the apple, beetroot and ginger shot. The predominant tastes were beetroot and apple, and at first, I couldn’t taste the ginger but the spiciness kicked in after a while. It had a similar background taste to the apple and blueberry shot.
I was already feeling sleepy before taking this shot so it’s hard to tell if it helped, but I slept pretty well and I didn’t wake up early this time.
The night after that, I tried the apple, turmeric and elderflower shot. I couldn’t really taste the turmeric, but it tasted similar to the other two shots. The elderflower gave it a slightly sweet aftertaste which was nice. Again, I slept easily after taking this shot.
Overall, the three shots tasted fairly similar and I didn’t have a strong preference between them. If I had to choose, the apple, turmeric and elderflower one might be my favourite.
My experience trying the WellBeSleep Bar
A few nights after trying the shots, I tried the bar. This is a dark chocolate and oat bar and it contains lemon balm and hops extract, just like the shots.
I was expecting the bar to have a solid texture like a typical chocolate bar, but it was actually soft and fudgy. This actually makes sense as the bar has oats in it. I’d still say it was more like a chocolate bar than a cereal bar, though.
It tasted very chocolatey but not too sweet, which I think is a good thing, especially for eating just before bed. I couldn’t taste the lemon balm or hops, and there was no weird background taste or aftertaste. It just tasted like a soft, oaty chocolate bar and I enjoyed it.
After eating the bar, I didn’t notice much of a difference in my ability to sleep – it actually took me a while to fall asleep that night. However, I did have a lot on my mind and I also had screen time before going to bed, which may have counteracted the effects. Once I got to sleep though, I did sleep well.
The only disadvantage of the bar is that it contains milk protein so it is not suitable for vegans. I feel this could easily be replaced with a vegan form of protein to make this bar accessible to vegans and those who have a dairy intolerance.
I like that the bar exists as an alternative option to the shots, as many people may prefer to eat a chocolate bar rather than drink a juice shot before bed. However, I would opt for the shots over the bar purely because I prefer to choose vegan products. If they made the bar vegan, I would definitely buy it again!
Would I take WellBeSleep products again?
In general, I find it quite easy to fall asleep on most nights, so I wouldn’t feel the need to take WellBeSleep products on a regular basis. However, I would definitely consider getting some in for the rare occasions when I can’t get to sleep. It would be worth a try in these situations to see if they help, and they might at least provide a placebo effect.
For people who really struggle to get sleepy and fall asleep, I think these products could be really helpful and are definitely worth a try. If nothing else, they are a delicious evening snack!
Other ways to make yourself sleepy before bedtime
In addition to using sleep products like WellBeSleep, here are some other ways to make yourself sleepy before you go to bed:
Dim the lights
Low light or darkness stimulates our brain to produce melatonin, a hormone that makes us drowsy in preparation for sleep. Therefore by dimming the lights, you will naturally start to feel more sleepy. If you don’t have a dimmer switch, try turning the main light off and just using a lamp to give the room a soft glow.
Listen to quiet, calming music
Gentle, calm music can relax your mind and help you to switch off from the busyness of the day. Try playing some classical or ambient music on low volume as you get ready for bed. If you’re not a fan of music, you could also try playing some nature sounds such as rainfall, waves or whale song to help you become sleepy.
Turn off your electronics
It can be tempting to watch videos, message friends or play on your phone before bed, but this can actually keep you awake and prevent you from getting sleepy. This is because our devices emit blue light which suppresses the production of that ‘sleepy hormone’, melatonin. Therefore if you want to get sleepy before going to bed, it’s a good idea to turn off your phone and other electronic devices as early as possible.
Drink a herbal tea
Some herbal teas can be really effective for making you sleepy. Good examples are lavender, chamomile or valerian, all of which have calming, sleep-inducing properties. Try drinking one of these herbal teas a little while before going to bed, but I recommend only having a small cup or you might wake up needing the toilet in the night!
Use a pillow spray
Pillow sprays can be a really effective way to make yourself sleepy before bed. You can get ready made sprays that are designed for helping you to fall asleep faster. They usually contain calming ingredients such as chamomile or lavender – try a few different ones and see which works best for you. Alternatively, you can make your own by adding a few drops of lavender oil to some water in a spray bottle.
Do some stretching
Another way to make yourself sleepy before bedtime is to do some gentle stretching. This relieves muscle tension and increases circulation, helping your entire body to relax. It also has the psychological effect of relieving stress and calming down your mind, which will also help you to get to sleep more easily.
If you’re not sure where to start, try using an app to guide you through some stretches. I use an app called ‘Lose Belly Fat’, which, despite its name, also includes some simple but effective stretching routines to relax your muscles.
How do you make yourself sleepy before bedtime?
Do you fall asleep easily or do you have trouble getting sleepy? Whether you struggle frequently or only occasionally with sleeplessness, I hope the advice in this post will help you to set up your bedtime routine for the best possible chance of getting to sleep easily.
Have you ever tried taking sleep products such as WellBeSleep? I would definitely recommend trying them out if you need some extra help in winding down and falling asleep.
Finally, I would love to know if you have any sleep advice or tips that I haven’t mentioned in this post. Do let me know in the comments below!
