Insomnia Tips That Worked for Me: 7 Sleep Tools I Swear By

1. Weighted Blanket for Deep-Pressure Calm

   I have to admit, I was pretty skeptical of the weighted blanket trend until I tried one. There is no denying that the gentle, hug-like pressure is extremely soothing and comforting on a deep somatic level. Draping myself in a heavy blanket makes me feel safe and grounded, without being restrictive. I particularly like the Silk & Snow knitted weighted blanket because it’s soft and aesthetically pleasing. It’s available in a number of colors, as well as different weights ranging from eight pounds to 25 pounds. For me, the physical weight signals my nervous system to settle, which is one of the most effective insomnia tips I have personally discovered.

2. White Noise Machine for Sleep

   After I moved away from New York City, I discovered that dead silence can make it surprisingly hard for me to fall asleep. Steady, low-level background noise somehow softens the atmosphere and helps my brain relax. It also helps drown out stray ambient sounds that could wake me up in the middle of the night. I personally prefer a physical machine over a white noise app, because it helps me stay less tied to my phone at bedtime. (That said, I lean on an app when I’m traveling.) The SNOOZ white noise machine is my go-to. I find the sound it produces to be especially natural and peaceful, probably because it comes from a real internal fan instead of a digital track.

3. Sleep Meditation and Sleep Stories

   I like doing evening mindfulness meditations to help quiet my thoughts and relax my body, like those available on the Calm app. Sometimes, if I am feeling like I might have more trouble falling asleep that night due to stress, I turn on a sleep story, which is basically a bedtime story for adults. I like sleep stories because they are just engaging enough to follow but not stimulating enough to keep me awake. I rarely make it to the end, and that is the entire point. If you struggle with how to fall asleep faster, a guided meditation or a sleep story may gently redirect your mind away from whatever is keeping you up.

4. Magnesium for Sleep

   There are a whole bunch of sleep supplements out there, and I have tried most of them. I have personally found that I respond best to magnesium glycinate, which helps reduce any lingering physical tension in my body. (I like the Thorne brand, which is third-party lab-tested.) A 2025 randomized, placebo-controlled trial published in Nature and Science of Sleep found that magnesium bisglycinate supplementation modestly improved insomnia severity in adults reporting poor sleep quality. But of course, everyone is different. And keep in mind that supplementation should always be discussed with and guided by a healthcare professional, so talk to your doctor first.

5. Sleep Eye Mask Benefits

   Any time I am traveling, or want to sleep past the first morning light, or am having a hard time falling asleep and need a little extra help, I use the MZOO Luxury Sleep Eye Mask to instantly create total darkness. It effectively blocks out all light. Plus, it’s cushiony, comfortable, and adjustable, so I’m not fidgeting with it all night. For me, eliminating visual stimulation is one of the simplest and most underrated insomnia tips. Total darkness cues my body that it’s time to sleep, and I notice a real difference on the nights I use it.

6. Lavender Essential Oil for Sleep

   I keep a tube of Gya Labs Lavender Essential Oil Roll-On on my bedside table and use it almost as a ritualistic cue to my body that it’s time to wind down. I find the scent itself to be very calming. A 2022 systematic review published in Holistic Nursing Practice found that lavender essential oil was associated with improved sleep quality across multiple randomized controlled trials. Plus, the nightly habit has come to mark the transition from day to night for me. Over time, that association has become surprisingly powerful. Linen sprays can work well too.

7. Journaling Before Bed

   A notebook is the least high-tech tool on this list, but it is actually one of the most important for me. I always keep a journal on my bedside table so I can brain dump any random worries, creative ideas, to-dos for tomorrow, or things I don't want to forget. Getting these thoughts out of my head and onto the page clears the mental space I need to drift off. If you find that your brain will not turn off at night, this might be the most accessible natural sleep aid.

There is no single answer to how to sleep better, because every person's mind and body are different. What has worked for me is building a personalized collection of tools and rituals rather than relying on any one product or trick. Some nights, the weighted blanket alone does the job. Other nights, I need the full lineup: white noise, lavender, a brain dump in my journal, and a sleep story playing softly in the background. The key is giving yourself permission to experiment and finding the combination that helps your brain finally quiet down.

If sleep struggles are significantly affecting your daily life, try implementing some of the aforementioned tools. Also, talking to a mental health professional can be helpful to identify what might be going on beneath the surface and work with you to improve the quality of your sleep.

This article is for general informational purposes and reflects personal experience, not medical advice or a substitute for professional care. Products mentioned are third-party and are not affiliated with or endorsed by LifeStance Health.