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Jenny Block · Nutritionist and Sleep Expert

Sleep · Updated October 2026

We compared the 5 most common ways Brits try to fall asleep. Only one left us feeling better the next morning.

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Sleeping tablets, imported melatonin, a nightcap, herbal tea and a new evening drink: what each one does to your night, what you're actually swallowing, and how you feel at 7am.

See our top pick ↓

What a good night looks like

Illustrative hypnogram · 23:00–07:00

AwakeREMLightDeep23:0001:0003:0005:0007:00
Deep sleep: physical recovery, mostly early in the night REM: memory and mood, longer towards morning

Why this matters

Getting to sleep is only half the job

Most of us judge a sleep aid by one thing: how fast it knocks us out. But the chart above is what a restful night looks like, and it's the deep and REM stages, not the first ten minutes, that decide how you feel at breakfast.

That's where the popular options differ. Some help you drift off but flatten the stages that matter later in the night. Some leave you groggy. Some, it turns out, don't even contain what the label says.

  • POM: Melatonin is a prescription-only medicine in the UK. You can't legally buy it over the counter here.1
  • 22 / 25 US melatonin gummies tested in a 2023 JAMA study had doses that didn't match the label, ranging from 74% to 347% of the stated amount.2
  • 2.1 units of alcohol in a single medium (175ml) glass of 12% wine.3

Method

How we compared them

We scored each option out of 10 across five things that matter to someone who wants to sleep well every night, not just tonight. Scores are our editorial opinion based on published research, product labels and patient information leaflets.

Morning after

Do you wake clear-headed, or groggy and dry-mouthed?

Sleep quality

Does it support deep and REM sleep, or just sedate?

Transparency

Can you trust what's in it, and how much?

Every-night friendly

Is it designed for regular use as part of a routine?

Ritual & value

Is it something you'd look forward to, at a fair price?

At a glance

Spacegoods Sleep+ Chamomile / herbal tea Pharmacy sleeping tablets Imported melatonin Glass of wine
Score 9.4Best 6.8 5.2 3.9 2.6
Groggy next day? No No Can be Varies Often
Label you can trust? Yes, full label Yes Yes, licensed Often not N/A
For regular use? Yes, caffeine-free Yes Short-term only Prescription-only in UK No
Calories 14 kcal ~0 0 Varies 130+
Approx. cost / night €1,37Subscription · Every Month ~£0.10 ~£0.30–0.50 Varies ~£1.50–3

Spacegoods prices use the selected subscription and current store price. Competitor prices are indicative UK prices and vary by retailer.

The rankings

Our full verdicts

Best overall #1

Sleep+ Night-Time Chocolate Drink

9.4 / 10

A caffeine-free hot chocolate built around PeptiSleep, a clinically studied plant peptide, with three forms of magnesium, Reishi and Maitake, glycine, tryptophan, chamomile, Montmorency cherry and lemon balm.

Try Spacegoods Sleep+ →
Morning after 9.6
Sleep quality 9.4
Transparency 9.5
Every-night friendly 9.6
Ritual & value 9.0

What we liked

  • PeptiSleep was linked to more deep and REM sleep in a 2024 controlled study 4
  • Magnesium contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue
  • No melatonin, no antihistamine, no alcohol: nothing that should leave you foggy
  • Full ingredient list on pack, made for UK shoppers
  • Tastes like a treat, so it's easy to stick with

Worth knowing

  • Costs more per night than a teabag
  • Works best as a nightly routine rather than a one-off rescue
  • Single-serve sachets not out until late November
Read our take ↓ Collapse ↑

Our take

Sleep+ was the only option we looked at that's built for the whole night rather than the first half hour. The headline ingredient, PeptiSleep, is a peptide from brown rice, and in the published study participants taking it every day saw more deep sleep, more REM and around 38 extra minutes of sleep a night. It doesn't sedate you, so there's no trade-off at breakfast. It also replaces the habit many of us actually have (something warm and comforting before bed) with one that's working for you.

Gentlest option #2

Chamomile & herbal sleep teas

6.8 / 10 Supermarket staple

A cup of chamomile, valerian or "night-time" blend. Cheap, caffeine-free and a lovely wind-down signal.

Morning after 9.2
Sleep quality 4.5
Transparency 8.0
Every-night friendly 8.5
Ritual & value 7.5

What we liked

  • Very low cost
  • No next-day grogginess
  • A good bedtime cue

Worth knowing

  • Evidence for a meaningful effect on sleep stages is limited
  • Doses of active compounds vary widely between brands
  • A large mug late at night can mean a 3am bathroom trip
Read our take ↓ Collapse ↑

Our take

Hard to fault as a habit, and a big step up from a nightcap. But it's mostly a ritual. If you like the routine and want something that does more for the quality of your sleep, Sleep+ gives you the same warm-mug moment with ingredients that have actually been studied for sleep.

Compare with our #1 pick
Short-term use #3

Pharmacy sleeping tablets

5.2 / 10 Over the counter

Most UK over-the-counter "sleeping tablets" are sedating antihistamines such as diphenhydramine or promethazine. They're licensed medicines for occasional, temporary sleeplessness.

Morning after 3.5
Sleep quality 4.5
Transparency 9.0
Every-night friendly 2.0
Ritual & value 6.0

What we liked

  • Licensed, with a clear dose and leaflet
  • Can help you fall asleep on a one-off bad night
  • Pharmacist advice at the point of sale

Worth knowing

  • Leaflets warn of drowsiness the next day; don't drive if affected 5
  • Intended for short-term use, not every night
  • Common side effects include dry mouth and dizziness
  • Sedation isn't the same as restorative sleep
Read our take ↓ Collapse ↑

Our take

The right tool for an occasional rough patch, with a pharmacist's guidance. The wrong tool for a nightly routine. If you're reaching for the blister pack most nights, speak to your GP, and look at building an evening ritual that doesn't come with a next-morning fog.

See a non-drowsy alternative
Not sold OTC in the UK #4

Melatonin gummies & tablets

3.9 / 10 Imported from the US

Sold freely in US supermarkets, so many Brits order it online. In the UK it's a prescription-only medicine, which means anything bought over the counter here has come from outside the UK's medicines rules.

Morning after 5.5
Sleep quality 5.0
Transparency 1.0
Every-night friendly 3.0
Ritual & value 5.0

What we liked

  • Can help shift your body clock, e.g. jet lag (under medical advice)
  • Widely discussed and easy to find online

Worth knowing

  • Prescription-only in the UK 1
  • In one US study, 22 of 25 gummy products didn't match their label; one contained no melatonin at all 2
  • Some products tested also contained CBD not listed in the dose you'd expect
  • No UK oversight of what you're actually getting
Read our take ↓ Collapse ↑

Our take

The problem isn't melatonin as a hormone, it's buying a medicine from an unregulated overseas seller with no way of knowing the dose. If you think you need it, ask your GP. If you want a nightly product with a label you can read and trust, there are better routes.

See a fully labelled alternative
Least restful #5

A glass of wine (or two)

2.6 / 10 The nightcap

The UK's most popular unofficial sleep aid. It feels like it works because alcohol is a sedative, and you may drop off faster.

Morning after 1.5
Sleep quality 1.5
Transparency 5.0
Every-night friendly 1.0
Ritual & value 4.0

What we liked

  • Enjoyable, and a familiar end-of-day ritual
  • May help you fall asleep faster

Worth knowing

  • Disrupts sleep later in the night, especially REM 6
  • More night-time wake-ups and bathroom trips
  • A medium glass adds 2.1 units and well over 100 kcal 3
  • Nightly drinking adds up quickly against the 14-units-a-week guideline
Read our take ↓ Collapse ↑

Our take

A nightcap trades a faster drop-off for a worse second half of the night, which is exactly when your longest REM periods happen. If the glass is really about switching off, swap it for something warm that helps rather than hinders.

See our nightcap swap

A closer look at our top pick

Why Sleep+ came out on top

Every other option we looked at either does very little or asks you to trade tomorrow morning for tonight. Sleep+ is the only one designed to support the full night, every night, with a label you can read in full.

The PeptiSleep study

  • +17% deep sleep
  • +13% REM sleep
  • +38 minutes total sleep a night
  • +32% heart rate variability
  • 2024 controlled study of healthy adults with mild-to-moderate sleep impairment taking 250mg PeptiSleep daily for 4–8 weeks, measured with the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire and Oura Ring. Results relate to the ingredient, not the finished product.4

What's in every serving

Per 8g serving, as listed in the Sleep+ product information. Extract equivalents are shown where stated on the pack.

  • PeptiSleep – brown rice peptide · 250 mg
  • Magnesium – citrate · taurinate · bisglycinate · 200 mg
  • Reishi – 1,000 mg equivalent from 66.7 mg of 15:1 mushroom extract
  • Maitake – 1,000 mg equivalent from 125 mg of 8:1 mushroom extract
  • L-glycine – amino acid · 2,250 mg
  • L-tryptophan – amino acid · 250 mg
  • Chamomile – botanical
  • Montmorency cherry – botanical · 150 mg
  • Lemon balm – 150 mg equivalent from 37.5 mg of 4:1 extract
  • Cacao – caffeine-free chocolate base

The ritual

  1. Make it. Stir a scoop into warm milk or water about an hour before bed.

  2. Slow down. Screens off, lights low. Drink it while you wind down.

  3. Keep it up. Make it nightly. In the study, results were measured after 4–8 weeks.

Our verdict

Swap the nightcap for Sleep+

If you want to sleep better without the morning fog, Sleep+ is the one we'd reach for.

  • Clinically studied PeptiSleep
  • No melatonin, no antihistamines
  • Caffeine-free chocolate
  • Full UK ingredient label
Try Spacegoods Sleep+ →

FAQ

Common questions

Does Sleep+ contain melatonin?

No. Melatonin is prescription-only in the UK. Sleep+ uses PeptiSleep, magnesium, amino acids, mushrooms and botanicals instead.

Will it make me drowsy the next day?

Sleep+ contains no sedating antihistamines, alcohol or melatonin, and it's caffeine-free. It's designed as a nightly wind-down drink rather than a knock-out.

How quickly will I notice a difference?

Many people enjoy the ritual from night one. In the PeptiSleep study, results were measured after 4–8 weeks of daily use, so we'd suggest giving it at least a month.

Can I take it alongside medication?

If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or under medical supervision, check with your GP or pharmacist first.

Where can I buy it?

At spacegoods.com now, with Amazon to follow, Holland & Barrett from January 2027 and Tesco from February 2027.

Is there a guarantee?

You can request a return within 60 days of receiving your order, subject to the returns policy. Check eligibility and return instructions before buying.

Read the returns policy

Sources

  1. MHRA / NHS: melatonin is a prescription-only medicine in the UK.
  2. Cohen PA et al. "Quantity of Melatonin and CBD in Melatonin Gummies Sold in the US." JAMA, 2023.
  3. Drinkaware / NHS unit guidance: 175ml glass of 12% wine = 2.1 units; UK CMO low-risk guideline of 14 units per week.
  4. PeptiSleep (Nuritas) 2024 controlled study, 250mg/day for 4–8 weeks; as reported by Spacegoods and Nuritas, October 2026.
  5. Patient information leaflets for UK OTC diphenhydramine and promethazine sleep aids.
  6. NHS / Sleep Foundation guidance on alcohol and sleep architecture.
  7. Spacegoods consumer research, 2026 (not clinical data).

This advertisement is created and published by Spacegoods to promote its own products. Rankings and comparisons reflect Spacegoods' views. Individual results may vary.

Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. This content is for information only and isn't medical advice. If you have persistent trouble sleeping, speak to your GP or pharmacist.

Draft for review. Reviewer attribution, final imagery and links need approval before publication.