Placing 1 common ingredient under your pillow helps you sleep better

It can be hard getting a good night’s rest, especially around the Christmas holidays. The excitement, the food comas, it’s a lot when you’re constantly overstimulated. 

But now an old wives’ tale can be the answer to your prayers – and all you need is one herb sitting in your kitchen cupboards. 

The humble bay leaf, a staple in many kitchens, is known for its transformative culinary powers. A single leaf can enhance a curry or pasta sauce, but now the herb has found an unexpected new use far from the stove.

A viral trend on social media sees people placing dried bay leaves under their pillows at night, with claims this simple trick significantly improves their sleep quality.

In Indian culture, bay leaves have long been associated with warmth, protection, and wellbeing, often featuring in herbal remedies, rituals, and everyday folklore.

Now more people are adopting the practice of placing dried bay leaves under their pillows at night, believing this ritual aids relaxation, promotes better sleep, and encourages positive dreams.

This trend has gained particular attention in India, where bay leaves carry cultural and symbolic importance beyond their culinary uses.

YouTube influencer Sheetal shared her experience with the hack, claiming it brought ‘clarity’ to her dreams. Although, if your nights are filled with dreams about arriving at work trouserless, clarity might not be the most desirable outcome.

Interestingly, this concept is not a novel one. For millennia, various cultures have utilised fragrant herbs akin to bay leaves to calm the mind before slumber.

In ancient Greece and Rome, bay leaves were symbols of wisdom and protection, believed to foster mental clarity.

While there’s no substantial scientific proof that bay leaves directly enhance sleep or influence dreams, experts suggest that bedtime rituals like this can be beneficial in themselves. The repetition of a simple action can aid both your body and mind in winding down, making it easier to fall asleep.

Who knows, if a single bay leaf can impact even the most flavourful curries and stews, it might just have a similar effect on our subconscious.

Regardless, this sleep hack is unlikely to cause any harm. So, next time you’re having trouble drifting off, why not try slipping a bay leaf under your pillow and see what all the fuss is about?