Sleep aids, what helps and what doesn't (for me), and things I haven't tried

There's so much noise about what helps with sleep and what doesn't. I've tried like a wide variety of them, some of them are more useful than others. Some didn't work for me but I can see how they could be useful for other people. Here's a non-exhaustive list of products and supplements I've tried, tested and my honest review. I haven't mastered the art of sleeping through the night, but I do give it a good try. Sleep is so vitally important. I spent years working night shift, rotating shifts, and generally being negligent about my sleep cycle and I pay for it. Marie gets up in the middle of the night faithfully because for so long that's when we woke up so I could go to work in the middle of the night. My hunger cues kick on at the oddest times (4:30 AM is a great time to be ready for breakfast). I feel the urge to power down at roughly 1430 on days when I'm home. But. According to my Whoop, my sleep consistency is about 85% most of the time. My sleep efficiency stays around 80% and overall I can tell when I've had a good night's sleep. There's the obvious signs like not waking, or tossing and turning, and the less obvious ones like my yoga practice feels more grounded and I make better decisions when I'm well rested. So, whether you are new to this sleep lifestyle or true to this sleep lifestyle, here is my non-exhaustive list of sleep aids/tricks/tips, etc and my honest opinion.

Things I've tried:

1. Sleep masks: There's like, so, so, so many lights. The neighbor's backyard, your phone, the power light on the TV, the motion lights outside, it's really unending. Studies show that even shining a light on the back of your knee can disrupt melatonin levels and impact sleep. I've tried a variety of sleep masks, but ultimately I never stick with them.

2. Evening journaling: It doesn't have to be a journal. It can be a small pad of paper that you use for a to-do list. It can be a

3. Mouth taping: this is one that I have tried intermittently throughout the years but never really stuck with until recently. I started using the mouth tape from Ugly Sleep Club, and their package includes nasal strips. I didn't realize the issue with the mouth tape wasn't the jaw closure but the impairment in the my nose. I just simply wasn't getting enough air easily to be comfortable. If you've struggled with consistency in mouth taping or just felt like you were suffocating trying to solely breathe through your nose, I recommend a package that includes mouth tape, like this one here. If you want 20% you order use code UGLY-KRYSTAL (hhahahahahaha, no that's really the code that they gave me).

4. Phone in bedtime mode: It definitely helps, rather than answering all of the messages I get after a certain time I have to make the effort to look for them. I'm getting pretty used to putting my phone on the charger and letting it be. I make a concerted effort not to use social media in bed. One of the simplest but biggest changes to my routine was getting a shorter charging cord. It's no longer comfortable for me to lay on my bed and scroll aimlessly. The six foot cord aided and abetted this habit.

5. Dark showers: Yes.

6. Sleep meditations: This is one that I truly enjoy but it ebbs and flows. There's a logistical component to it, what do I want to listen to, how long is it, etc. but once I find something I like I enjoy the ritual and it does seem to help me fall asleep quicker. I'm not sure if it affects the depth of the sleep that I get but it's definitely helpful to me, even as a placebo.

7. Magnesium: I've tried it in all it's forms-

   1. As a spray on my feet and legs: Ehhhh I was underwhelmed, I'm not sure if it was the distributor, my application, my body's reception to it or the form or magnesium. But I didn't notice and appreciable difference (except if I shaved my legs in the shower, FYI Magnesium is a form of salt)

   2. As a lotion: 10/10. I massage it into my feet and legs before bed, slide on compression socks and sleep like a baby.

   3. As a supplement: I'm currently loving Moonbrew's Caramel Chocolate Magnesium and Creatine Blend. I've recently been increasing my movement routines and feeling like I need a little something extra in recovery. It's been a lovely addition. Like many supplement I tend to not necessarily notice when they are working, as opposed to when they are not working, which makes sense. When all systems are working in harmony you don't notice, similar to how you don't tend to review places where the service was good, as much as we tend to leave 1 star reviews for poor service. When I take it consistently, 1-2 hours before bed, I sleep better. When I forget for a few nights or don't put the right address on the autoship, I start not sleeping as well and I definitely notice that.

Things I haven't tried:

1. Melatonin: So I have tried this one, years and years ago, but not something that I have used recently. The important thing to remember is that ultimately melatonin is a hormone and needs to be released consistently and on a schedule before bed, not as you are going to bed. You should be setting an alarm, taking it and going to bed at the same time to feel the effects. This just isn't the life I lead and not the person that I am. Some people have great results from using it but the clinical data is ultimately mixed.

2. Essential oils: I know some people really like them. I occasionally will sprinkle in a few drops during a yoga class but for the most part I try to stay away from them. I think that plants and plant by-products fall into a gray area of being medicinal and I'm just never fully with my knowledge of plants to use them or recommend them to people. There's the MLM people who sell them who I trust less than a used car salesman and there's the true practitioners who have education and schooling and can make real recommendations. I'll just stay in my lane.

3. Epsom salt baths: While I enjoy a good bath, we have one bathroom in our house, using it to soak for that long is slightly impractical. Oh well.

4. Sound machines: Nothing about bringing another device into the bedroom sounds practical or like something that we should be doing long-term. Or short term.