I’ve spent two years testing products that claim to help you fall asleep fast — here are the ones that work so well for me, they have a permanent spot on my nightstand

A nightstand featuring sleep products. In the foreground, there are clouds with annotations that describe how each product promotes sleep

(Image credit: Future)

Jump to:

1. Feather & Down Pillow spray
2. Loop Quiet 2 Ear Plugs
3. Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM
4. Burt's Bees Lavender & Honey Hand Cream
5. LectroFan Evo White Noise Machine
6. SMUG Satin Sleep Mask
7. RelaxCoo Lavender Eye Pillow

I've tested an array of sleep products over the past two years. Most I donate after trying, but a precious few are so good at helping me to fall asleep quickly, I've given them a permanent spot on my nightstand. Chief among them are the Loop Quiet 2 Sleep Ear Plugs, down to $19.95 at Amazon.

I can't sleep if there's any noise in my room, and these sleep buds block it all out. They also feel super-comfy nestled in my ears when I'm sleeping on my side.

1. Feather & Down Pillow spray

A bottle of Feather &amp; Down Pillow Spray on a bedspread. — Any time I smell this pillow spray, I start to yawn! (Image credit: Future)

Pillow spray adds a little bit of luxury to any bedroom, and my go-to is the Feather & Down Sweet Dreams Pillow Spray.

Just one or two spritzes of this soothing lavender-scented spray and I have myself an olfactory sleep trick. (I kind of use it in the same Pavlovian way as the French Woman sleep hack.)

Plus, it's backed by science, as the smell of lavender has been proven to promote sleep. These types of products are also great for creating sleep associations in your brain – whenever I smell this spray, I start to yawn!

2. Loop Quiet 2 Ear Plugs

A pair of green Loop Quiet 2 earplugs next to a a boxed pair of violet Loop Quiet 2 earplugs. — I'm not giving my Loop ear plugs back. Nope. Never (Image credit: Future)

I consider myself a light sleeper and need a quiet environment to drift off in. I tried disposable foam ear plugs in the past but found them wasteful and environmentally unfriendly. I also hated how bulky they felt when crammed into my ear.

Then along came the Loop Quiet 2 Earplugs. These reusable earplugs fit comfortably in my ears (they come with four tip sizes), and feel nice and snug when I'm side sleeping.

They also come with a travel-friendly case, which makes my nightstand look less cluttered. (Hey, this is important, as science tells us that a cluttered bedroom can lead to poor sleep).

3. Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM

Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM sunrise alarm clock lighting a dark room with its warm glow. — This beauty helps me relax for sleep each night, and wake up full of energy in the mornings (Image credit: Future)

I started testing the Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM last Fall when the nights were getting darker.

While my Bodyclock Luxe 700FM review was published just before the holidays, it still remains on my nightstand, waking me up with its cheery fauxe sunrise on these dark winter mornings.

I love its soothing sunset mode too (ideal for helping me to relax for sleep), and the wide selection of alarm sounds.

My colleague Nicola is a fan of a good sunrise alarm clock too – she even wrote about how a sunrise alarm clock stopped her from doomscrolling.

4. Burt's Bees Lavender & Honey Hand Cream

Burt's Bees Lavender&amp; Honey Hand Cream on a nightstand. — Soothing for my sleep and my skin. A real win-win (Image credit: Future)

You may think that hand cream is more of a cosmetic purchase than a sleep product. However, the the Burt's Bess Lavender & Honey Hand Cream is a bit of both...

With its lavender scent and soothing feel, it's the perfect buy for those of you who want a lotion that can provide a sleep-inducing scent and a way to comfort dry winter skin.

I love putting a dab on my hands, massaging it in, and inhaling the calming scent, as part of my relaxing nighttime routine.

My colleague Claire, a sleep science coach, uses hand cream before bed too: "I can't fall asleep if my hands are dry; it's a weird sensory thing for me."

5. LectroFan Evo White Noise Machine

A white LectroFan EVO White Noise Machine perched on a grey couch with decorative cushions. — This teeny machine packs in 22 sounds, including fan and ocean waves. Amber noise is my fave for falling asleep fast (Image credit: Future)

I first started testing the LectroFan Evo White Noise Machine last summer, and it was good timing as I needed something to drown out the street noise coming through my open window at night.

I like the compact, low-tech design and how it's screen free, yet still has plenty of sound options. Yep, in addition to white noise it has (wait for it) tan noise, cinnamon, cream, and plenty of other 'that sounds utterly made up' noises too.

My favorite for sleeping? The smooth tones of amber noise.

While I prefer using the Loop earplugs to create a quiet, distraction-free sleeping environment, I do use this travel-friendly white noise machine from time to time.

6. SMUG Satin Sleep Mask

A collection of SMUG Satin Sleep Masks in a range of patterns and colours spread out on striped bedding. — Yes I own four of them. No I'm not obsessed. (Ok, maybe I am) (Image credit: Future)

One of the first high-tech sleep gadgets I ever tested was the Aura Smart Sleep Mask.

It was nice to wake up to bright sunrise light and the chirping sound of birds in the morning, and it did an excellent job of blocking out light.

But I ended up giving it away. Why? Because it wasn't the most side-sleeper friendly design, and I instead returned to the low-tech luxury of SMUG's satin sleep masks.

Silky smooth and comfortable no matter what position you sleep in, I recommend these beauties to anyone who struggles to sleep even with the smallest amount of light pollution in their room.

7. RelaxCoo Lavender Eye Pillow

Two eye pillows posed together on a bedspread. — (Image credit: Future)

Eye pillows are the year-round sleep saviours I never knew I needed until my sleep suffered during an excruciating heatwave.

I popped my lavender eye pillow in the freezer during the day, and by night I had a soothing icy compress for my forehead. I swear, they also helped me feel cool enough to drop off too.

Now it's winter, I warm my lavender eye pillows in the microwave to soothe my eyes and help me feel cozy when getting ready to fall asleep. Sleep comfort at its best.

Frances Daniels is a PPA-accredited journalist and Sleep Staff Writer at Tom's Guide with an MA in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University. Her role includes covering mattress and sleep news and writing sleep product reviews and buyer's guides, including our Best Hybrid Mattress 2025 guide. She is interested in the relationship between sleep and health, interviewing an array of experts to create in-depth articles about topics such as nutrition, sleep disorders, sleep hygiene, and mattress care. She is also our specialist on mattress toppers — producing bed topper reviews and taking care of our Best Mattress Toppers 2025 guide — and leads content relating to fiberglass-free beds for a non-toxic sleep. Outside of Tom's Guide, she has written for Ideal Home and Marie Claire.

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