A few Fridays ago, danmick told us about Counting Sheep Coffee, and how it led to the best night's sleep he'd had in years.  Coffee that makes you sleep?  Yes.  This is a decaf coffee you drink before bed which contains valerian root - an organic herbal sedative - and makes you sleepy.

I asked danmick how he felt in the morning, and he said refreshed and alert.  This is unlike what I've heard from people who take sleeping pills... they seem to need a stimulant in the morning to counteract the depressant they take in the evening.  Never wanting to fall victim to that cycle, I was intrigued by this coffee.

It's available at Bed, Bath, and Beyond as grounds or k-cups.  We bought the "Lights Out" variety.  As a coffee, you'd never drink it for flavour.  It's pretty "rustic".  A little while ago I saw a coffee alternative at Vincenzo's that was made with twigs and nuts and this stuff tastes exactly like how I imagined that would.

Does it work?  Yes.  It gives you a foggy sleepy brain, and for me that's great.  My mind often won't shut off when I go to bed, so I lie awake but tired and frustrated at not sleeping.  One cup of this coffee and it's definitely easier to fall asleep, assuming I conk out before the effect wears off.  Not by choice, I found there's a window of opportunity, after which I may as well have not even drunk the coffee.

The Good: A warm beverage that helps you go to sleep, and lets you wake up without any adverse grogginess
The Bad: The flavour tastes like twigs
The Ugly: Unplug your phones, turn off your cell, or you might miss the window of effectiveness.

Counting Sheep web site: http://countingsheepcoffee.com/