the science of switching off
Sleep doesn't start when your head hits the pillow. It starts with the cues that tell your brain and body to switch off.
For almost half of UK adults, worry and stress are getting in the way of sleep. 44% say they are a factor in struggling to drift off.*
Work. Screens. Notifications. Artificial light. Tomorrow’s to-do list. Even when the day ends, the stimulation doesn’t always end with it.
Sleep starts before bed. That’s why we use warmth, aroma, touch and light to create the sensory cues that help move you from day to night.
Source: The Sleep Charity x Censuswide, UK adult sleep survey, 2023.
deep sleep pillow spray
*In a panel of 84 participants over a 28-day period.
build your sleep ritual
A sleep ritual is built through consistent cues that tell your brain and body the day is ending. Start with the step that fits naturally into your evening, whether that’s bathing, bodycare, fragrance or your pillow, and repeat it night after night.
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since 2004
studying sleep
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6
independent sleep trials
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900+
study participants
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21,900+
five-star reviews of deep sleep pillow spray*
*Reviews left on thisworks.com and amazon.com for deep sleep pillow spray as of 1/9/26
four signals to switch off
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lightUse light to anchor your body clock.
Light is one of the strongest cues for your body clock. Daylight, particularly in the morning, helps anchor your circadian rhythm and promote daytime alertness. As evening falls, lower light levels reduce the light-driven suppression of melatonin, allowing levels to naturally rise and helping prepare the body for sleep.
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warmthWork with your body temperature.
Warm bathing helps increase blood flow to the skin, supporting the natural drop in core body temperature that prepares the body for sleep. At the same time, warm water helps liberate the Functional Fragrance, releasing the aromatic blend into the air as you bathe.
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touchUse touch to calm the nervous system.
Affective touch, slow, intentional contact with the skin, activates sensory pathways linked to emotional and autonomic regulation. Studies show that slow stroking and rhythmic touch can decrease heart rate and increase parasympathetic activity, helping shift the body towards a calmer, more relaxed state.
Triscoli, C., et al. (2024). Slow stroking and rhythmic touching effects on autonomic responses. Psychoneuroendocrinology -
aromaUse scent to signal the shift.
Smell connects directly with brain networks involved in emotion and memory. In a peer-reviewed fMRI study, This Works Deep Sleep Functional Fragrance activated brain areas associated with emotions, pleasure and calmness, indicating its potential to encourage a predisposition towards sleep.
Badre, G., Olausson, H., Ackerley, R., & Croy, I. (2018). Brain functional MRI (fMRI) study of fragrance inhalation. Any impact on sleep/wake/ reward related brain areas? Journal of Sleep Research, 27, 164
your switch-off starts before bed
Sleep begins long before your head hits the pillow. From early evening onwards, small, repeated cues can help move the brain and body from daytime alertness towards rest.
begin the shift
Spritz Own Time onto pulse points as you clock off. Its terpene-rich Functional Fragrance is designed to help move you from daytime alertness towards evening calm, beginning your switch-off before bedtime.
lower the light
Signal that daytime is ending. Switch off bright overhead lighting and move to softer candlelight. Light is a key cue for the circadian system, and reducing evening light supports the body's natural preparation for sleep.
warmth
Step into a warm bath or shower. Warm water liberates the Functional Fragrance while bathing supports the natural change in body temperature associated with preparing for sleep. Choose deep sleep beauty soak or deep sleep bath oil.
mindful touch
Continue the ritual through slow, deliberate touch. Massage deep sleep body whip or deep sleep beauty oil into the skin, using affective touch to bring attention back to the body and support the shift towards a calmer state.
final sleep cue
Train your brain for sleep. Consistent sleep cues can help your brain recognise when it’s time to switch off. Choose deep sleep pillow spray to help you fall asleep faster, or sleep plus pillow spray to help sustain the sleep signal beyond lights out.
begin the shift
Spritz Own Time onto pulse points as you clock off. Its terpene-rich Functional Fragrance is designed to help move you from daytime alertness towards evening calm, beginning your switch-off before bedtime.
lower the light
Signal that daytime is ending. Switch off bright overhead lighting and move to softer candlelight. Light is a key cue for the circadian system, and reducing evening light supports the body's natural preparation for sleep.
warmth
Step into a warm bath or shower. Warm water liberates the Functional Fragrance while bathing supports the natural change in body temperature associated with preparing for sleep. Choose deep sleep beauty soak or deep sleep bath oil.
mindful touch
Continue the ritual through slow, deliberate touch. Massage deep sleep body whip or deep sleep beauty oil into the skin, using affective touch to bring attention back to the body and support the shift towards a calmer state.
final sleep cue
Train your brain for sleep. Consistent sleep cues can help your brain recognise when it’s time to switch off. Choose deep sleep pillow spray to help you fall asleep faster, or sleep plus pillow spray to help sustain the sleep signal beyond lights out.
and own time?Wear it throughout the evening and, if you want, reapply before lights out.
switch-off
For anyone who gets to bedtime tired, but still carrying the day with them. Our Signature Sleep Ritual is designed to create a clear transition between being “on” and being ready for sleep, using sensory cues the brain and body can begin to recognise night after night. Softer deep sleep heavenly candle light signals the day is winding down, a warm deep sleep beauty soak helps ease muscular tension while liberating our iconic Deep Sleep Functional Fragrance, and deep sleep body whip brings in slow, comforting touch. At bed, clinically proven deep sleep pillow spray helps you fall asleep faster and, used consistently, makes its familiar scent a recognisable cue for sleep. An easy, comforting ritual for better nights, whatever your age or stage of life.
sleep+
For when restless nights have stopped feeling occasional and your usual wind down no longer feels like enough. Our Sleep+ Ritual is designed to level up the sensory sleep signal, beginning earlier in the evening with Own Time to start shifting from daytime alertness towards rest, then layering more concentrated Functional Fragrance through deep sleep bath oil and the restorative touch of deep sleep beauty oil. At bed, sleep plus pillow spray combines free fragrance with encapsulated, slow release fragrance that refreshes as you move, helping sustain the sleep signal beyond lights out. A more intensive, immersive ritual for those ready to give their sleep more support.
Deep Sleep is our original bedtime ritual: a powerful Functional Fragrance cue designed to signal that it’s time to switch off. Used night after night, the familiar fragrance becomes part of your bedtime routine, helping train your brain to recognise scent as a signal for sleep.
Sleep Plus is your level-up. A higher fragrance concentration combines free fragrance for an immediate bedtime signal with encapsulated, slow-release fragrance that refreshes as you move through the night, helping sustain the sleep signal beyond lights out.
why aroma is more than something that smells good
Scent doesn't just register as a smell. It creates a response in the brain. Our sense of smell is closely connected to areas of the brain involved in emotion, memory, pleasure and arousal. That is why our Functional Fragrances are designed to do more than simply scent your skin, bath or pillow. We combine carefully selected, terpene-rich essential oils to create a recognisable sensory signal for the mind and body.
And we don't just assume our fragrance works because it smells relaxing. We study what happens in the brain.
In an independent fMRI brain-imaging study led by sleep expert Professor Gaby Badre, our Deep Sleep Functional Fragrance activated the areas of the brain associated with emotions, pleasure and calmness. The research concluded that Deep Sleep had the potential to encourage a predisposition towards sleep.
Badre, G., Olausson, H., Ackerley, R. & Croy, I. (2018). Brain functional MRI (fMRI) study of fragrance inhalation: any impact on sleep/wake/reward related brain areas? Journal of Sleep Research, 27, 164.
powered by terpenes, proven by neuroscience
Functional Fragrance starts with the molecules. We select terpenes and sesquiterpenes for more than how they smell, using neuroscience to understand how fragrance interacts with the brain and nervous system.
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terpenesNaturally occurring aromatic molecules found in essential oils. Selected terpenes interact with the olfactory system and neural pathways involved in emotion, arousal and autonomic regulation, helping create a fragrance with a function beyond scent.
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odourless sesquiterpeneOwn Time contains a next-generation sesquiterpene derived from Provençal lavandin. It has no fragrance of its own, but when misted onto the skin is designed to work with the body's natural rhythm, helping support melatonin production as you move towards sleep.
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neuroscience-led formulationFor more than seven years, we have worked with neuroscientist and sleep expert Professor Gaby Badre to understand how fragrance interacts with the brain. fMRI, EEG and HRV research helps inform and refine Functional Fragrance profiles designed to influence patterns of arousal and support the shift towards rest.
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Dr Anna PersaudBiochemist, CEO & Product Innovator
With a PhD in Biochemistry, Anna leads This Works’ science-first approach to product development and testing. Her work brings together an understanding of circadian biology, the nervous system and behaviour to turn complex science into practical products and rituals that work with the body, rather than against it.
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Professor Gaby BadreSleep Medicine & Clinical Neurophysiology Specialist
Our Scientific Advisor and a specialist in sleep medicine, clinical neurophysiology and chronobiological disorders. Since 2017, Professor Badre and his team have worked with This Works to investigate how aroma, touch and topical products interact with the brain and nervous system, using techniques including fMRI, EEG and clinical sleep measurement.
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Fraser FergieCosmetic Scientist & NPD Director
Fraser specialises in essential oils and terpenes, translating published science into Functional Fragrance and product formulation. For Own Time, his research included reviewing 100+ scientific journals and studies to identify terpenes associated with relaxation and nervous-system regulation, before developing and refining more than 25 fragrance directions with the wider scientific team.
Since 2004, we’ve been helping people sleep better, pioneering the sleep category with formulas developed from the latest in sleep science. More than two decades later, our award-winning sleep solutions continue to earn recognition from some of the world’s leading beauty and lifestyle press.
deep sleep body whip has been featured by HELLO! in a writer’s evening sleep routine. Read the full HELLO! feature here.
deep sleep bath oil has been mentioned by Beauty Bible in its conversation with Val Garland on beauty and wellbeing. Read the full Beauty Bible feature here.
deep sleep pillow spray has been featured in The Times’ September beauty edit. Read the full The Times feature here.
baby sleep pillow spray has been featured in The Guardian’s edit of baby toiletries used by adults. Read the full The Guardian feature here.
deep sleep pillow spray has been featured by Good Housekeeping in its roundup of the best pillow sprays, proving popular with its testing panel for helping to create a calming, relaxing atmosphere before bed. Read the full Good Housekeeping feature here.
deep sleep pillow spray has been recognised in the 2026 Woman & Home Reader Approved Awards, where it was named “Best bedtime spray”. Read the full Woman & Home feature here.
deep sleep pillow spray has been featured by Good Housekeeping in its best sleep deals (Good Buys Weekend). Read the full Good Housekeeping feature here.
deep sleep pillow spray has been featured by The Independent in its spring-clean tips feature. Read the full The Independent feature here.
deep sleep pillow spray has been featured by Good Housekeeping in its editors' best sleep products. Read the full Good Housekeeping feature here.
deep sleep pillow spray has been featured by The Guardian in its readers' guide to sleeping better (The Filter). Read the full The Guardian feature here.
deep sleep pillow spray has been featured by Good Housekeeping in its feature on breathwork for sleep. Read the full Good Housekeeping feature here.
sleep plus pillow spray has been featured by The Standard in its beauty editor's travel packing tips. Read the full The Standard feature here.
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