I Tried A Sleep Powder – And I’m A Convert
By
4 weeks ago
Tried and tested: Ainslie & Ainslie’s Night Powder
According to a survey from Mental Health UK, one in five adults aren’t getting enough sleep. Yet in recent years, a spate of products have hit the market promising to transform our shuteye – from sleep powder to magnesium supplements to sprays and oils. In her column for the November/December issue, Alice B-B tries one of the top-rated, Ainslie & Ainslie’s Night Powder.
Renowned for its snooze-inducing effects, it’s the brainchild of British sailor Ben Ainslie and his wife, TV presenter Georgie – and a number of sportspeople swear by it for optimum recovery, such as Hannah Mills OBE. It’s designed to recalibrate your circadian rhythms, featuring all the good stuff, from cherry extract to manganese. But does it really work?
Do Sleep Powders Really Work?
That moment… when you realise sleep is no longer a given. It’s like the Father-Christmas-isn’t-real moment, there’s a loss of innocence, knowing that never again will you curl up on any old floor with a shoe for a pillow and get a solid eight hours. Suddenly, sleep has to be worked at.
So I’ve thrown myself into the job with gusto. There’s all the regular (frankly dull) stuff: cutting back the cocktails, early supper, a hot magnesium-filled bath, same bedtime every night. And then the alternative panaceas: self-hypnosis, synthesised sound-waves and a daily dose of NSDR (non sleep deep rest). But I’m always searching for the magic pill… Could Ainslie & Ainslie’s Night Powder be it?
When TV presenter Georgie Ainslie had her ‘Santa’s-a-lie’ moment, she turned to her husband – superstar sailor Sir Ben – and his team of performance optimising sports scientists. Two years later, Night Powder was born, with ingredients said to work on relaxation, immune system, reduce fatigue and protect cells from oxidative stress.
I’ve trialled it for the last five nights (nicely timed, just as Sir Ben’s Ineos Britannia team cruised into the America’s cup final. I’ll have what he’s having!). Half an hour after knocking it back, my peepers are lead-weighted. Glorious sleep. The next day I feel pretty damn perky and productive. Screw Santa!