Want to sleep like a baby? Then read this.

It’s almost winter break. Homework is done, college applications completed, no more stress about intramurals drama. Time to get some sleep, right?

Is it possible to get the best night of sleep ever by drinking a shot of water that costs $3.75?

Recently, with the support of family and friends, I tested Dream Water to see if the hype around it is real.  

I had no idea what I was going to feel like after my first time using it. Would it work? Was I going to pass out on the floor the second I tried it? That’s not exactly what happened.

[perfectpullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””] After drinking Dream Water 30 minutes before bed, I felt my head and body get heavy.  I started to cuddle up in my blankets and rest my head. Before I knew it, I was knocked out cold and experiencing something I’ve never felt before. [/perfectpullquote]

Usually I struggle falling asleep, but after using Dream Water, sleep has never been better.

I don’t remember ever waking up in the night.  The morning after, I felt so great and refreshed after my sleep.

I continued to use it each night that week before bed, and found similar results to my first night.  

My mom tried Dream Water as well, and she loved it. “It is amazing how quick it relaxes you,” she said. “It allows you to fall asleep and the ability to wake refreshed.” However, she said she would not allow me to take it on a regular basis to prevent the risk of becoming dependent on it to fall asleep.

Although drinking from these bottles that are readily available online and over the counter at retail stores might have provided me with the easiest night of sleep ever, experts suggest the drink may be unsafe to use due to some ingredients and lack of FDA testing.  

Dream Water uses a proprietary blend of sleep ingredients—melatonin, GABA and 5-HTP—to promote effective sleep. By definition, a proprietary blend is a combination of materials used exclusively by one supplement manufacturer. The Food and Drug Administration does not require manufacturers of proprietary blends to list the specific measurements of these ingredients, so there is no way to know exactly how much you are consuming.

According to Dream Water’s website, melatonin helps govern the body’s internal clock that regulates your natural cycle of sleeping and waking. GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, helps you relax and reduce anxiety by blocking the transmission of impulses from one cell to another in the central nervous system. Lastly, 5-HTP, or 5-hydroxytryptophan, helps promote sleep and relaxation and improve the quality of sleep by stimulating the production of melatonin.

Athletic Trainer Mr. William Mills is familiar with Dream Water, but is unsure about the ingredients used. He recommends caution about the use of Dream Water because you could become reliant on it.  

“We can not recommend supplements, we can only talk about them,” Mills said. “Any kind of supplement you take, you should really have your family physician involved or our team doctor.”

Mills emphasized being intentional about your schedule and setting a time where you go to bed every night. He suggested that natural sleep aids can work if used properly.

School Nurse Mrs. Kit McGettigan is hesitant about Dream Water because the ingredient 5-HTP have not been tested or approved by the FDA. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that 5-HTP helps to raise the level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate mood and behavior. University of Maryland’s website lists a variety of precautions and possibly dangerous drug interactions for 5-HTP.

How does McGettigan recommend a good night’s sleep? “No visual stimulation an hour before bed,” she suggested as a natural sleep aid.  “Also, no caffeinated drinks and other drinks that might keep you from falling asleep.”

Although there are possible health issues that could occur when taking Dream Water, that isn’t going to stop me from taking it. The product has really helped the quality of my sleep.

What might stop me from taking it is the $26.99 price tag for a 12-pack on Amazon.  I’m a high school student. I don’t have that kind of money.