Better Sleep With Organic Tea, Musical Pillows and Eye Masks?

Do sleep aids like organic tea, eye masks, musical pillows and light projectors guarantee a good night's sleep? Professor Jim Horne, of the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, reviews sleep aids available on the High Street.

The sound asleep pillow: A 15-pound pillow with hidden speakers that can be hooked up to iPods, MP3 players and radios. There's no timer, so you must switch the music off yourself or make a timed playlist.

"If worries or stress are preventing you from falling asleep, - listening to calm music might prove a useful diversion. If you didn't like the music aspect to it you are at least left with a pillow," the Daily Mail quoted Horne as saying.

Pukka night time organic tea: Costing 2.09 pounds for 20 sachets, this tea contains lavender flower and liquorice root, both said to soothe the mind and ease -tension. There's also limeflower to calm the nervous system.

"I'm not sure the ingredients would be present in large enough quantities to make you feel sleepy. However there can be a strong placebo effect with something like this," said Horne.

Sweet dreams sleep mask: It costs 7.95 pounds and claims to block out 100 per cent of light and is contoured so that no pressure is put on to the eyes. It also comes with ear plugs.

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"It's dark most of the time when we're trying to sleep, so this wouldn't help insomniacs. However this might be useful if light comes into your bedroom or if you have to sleep during the day," Horne said.

Source-ANI