Innocent until proven guilty, sure, we’ll agree to that. But sometimes we hear about things that seem too good to be true. In the most intriguing of these situations, an investigation is warranted. Hence, “Skeptical Investigations.” Today’s entry: Nectar Essences Sleep Spray.

THE CLAIM
So we heard about this elixir. This spray. A mist called a “nectar essence therapy aid” meant to help you get to sleep faster and get a better night’s rest. Something about using plants to stimulate the limbic system (that part of your brain that makes you relax). Okay. Since we did just lose an hour of sleep yesterday, a little plant essence can’t hurt either way...

THE INVESTIGATION
We were told that right before getting into bed, the idea was to spray two to five pumps (there’s about 200 pumps per bottle) in front of us, then walk into the mist, inhaling deeply. We added a few spritzes onto our pillow for extra insurance.

THE VERDICT
The spray, while not as satisfying as tossing back a tot of whiskey, was equally as effective in terms of putting us to sleep. The morning was when it all turned around for us. We got up feeling rested. Fresh. Mentally, it was as if we’d just spent 10 days vacationing in a glass-bottom cottage in Tahiti. So until someone puts that into spray form...