From candles to supplements, we put sleep aids to the test

SLEEP Awareness Week starts today.

It aims to help more people recognise quality shut-eye as a crucial part of their health and wellbeing.

A study by Pukka Herbs has found 42 per of people experience poor-quality kip and tiredness as a result of stress, and 62 per cent feel they don’t sleep well.

Rest is just as important as a healthy diet and exercise, but is often neglected.

Here, Jane Atkinson puts three sleep aids to the test.

Magnesium

I AM obsessed with using magnesium for sleep.

Before finding it, I suffered from restless legs and waking up throughout the night.

Studies show that magnesium supplements may improve the quality and duration of your shut-eye.

BetterYou has a wide range of products targeted to aid your kip but its Magnesium Sleep Lotion is brilliant.

This moisturiser naturally relaxes tired muscles and contains magnesium chloride, combined with relaxing lavender and chamomile.

Just 5ml delivers 120mg of magnesium, which is 34 per cent of your Nutrient Reference Value – the daily intake guidance for vitamins and minerals.

Apply some to your skin before bed, take in the amazing smell and drift off to sleep.

£11.95 for 180ml, betteryou.com.

Shots

PACKED with a punch, B.fresh Sleep Shot is a tiny bottle of juice that you knock down before bed.

It contains the amino acid tryptophan which is the building block for serotonin, that can increase feelings of lethargy and tiredness, reducing the time taken to fall asleep.

It contains tart cherry, kiwi and chamomile which help increase melatonin and promote calmness for restorative sleep.

I’ve used kiwi and chamomile before and found they help with kip – and this did too.

It tastes slightly bitter, which I liked.

I knocked one back for a few nights about 45 minutes before bed and I did have a great night’s sleep.

£2.80 per 70ml shot, b-fresh.co.uk.

Candle

DESIGNED to help you drift off, ishga Hebridean Dream Candle is made from soya wax.

It is hand-poured in two stages with a sprinkle of hand-harvested Hebridean seaweed added between each pour.

Even unscented candles can reduce stress to help you relax before sleep.

But with added essential oils, your brain registers the smells and reacts in ways that bring calming mental and physical effects.

This candle contains lavender, rose geranium, juniper and lemongrass essential oils.

Juniper and geranium are great for stilling the mind ready for bed, while lavender and rose geranium are said to improve the quality of kip.

The flickering flame definitely relaxed me and it smelt beautiful.

I felt calm before trying to sleep which helped me get a decent rest.

The 30cl candle has a burning time of 40 hours.

£35 for 30cl ishga.com.