Schiff Knock Out Sleep Aid: Review

Struggling with insomnia is a difficult experience to verbalize. The dreaded feeling of watching the clock count down every minute of every hour while the rest of the world is asleep. Knowing that you have to wake up and go to work or school or take care of the kids in a few short hours. The feeling of fogginess and the inability to fully concentrate the next day is enough to make anyone suffering from insomnia consider a medical treatment option. But with all the side effects and the possibility of becoming dependent, many people resort to the more comfortable option offered by a natural sleep aid. Schiff's Knock Out Sleep Aid caught my attention, and I decided to give it a try. Did it help me sleep? Did it have any unpleasant side effects? Here is my review...

What Knock Out is Advertised to Do and How it Works:

Knock Out is formulated with a blend of natural ingredients known for their ability to induce relaxation and promote a healthy sleep cycle. It combines Melatonin, Valerian and Theanine. Melatonin is supposed to promote a healthy sleep pattern by re-setting your biological clock and initiating sleep. Valerian has been a well recognized natural sleep aid, as well as imparting a calming effect on the body. Theanine has been known to induce a natural state of relaxation as well, by prompting a person's Alpha brain waves. Dosage instructions are to take one tablet at bedtime.

The Good Things About Knock Out:

The first night that I tried Knock Out, I was asleep within 20 minutes of taking the tablet. I woke up the following morning for work feeling refreshed with none of the grogginess that is typically associated with over-the-counter sleep aids. Unfortunately, the next time that I took the product, the effects were not as instantaneous. I did feel relaxed enough to turn off the lights and attempt to go to sleep at a normal time, and eventually I did fall asleep.

For me, this product has been more helpful in getting me back into a normal sleep pattern. It does not necessarily make me sleep, it just relaxes me enough where I fall asleep on my own. I do like the fact that it is cheaper than a prescription sleep aid (Knock Out has an MSRP of $22.00 for a bottle of 50 tablets). I also like that it is non-narcotic.

The Not-So-Good Things About Knock Out:

First of all it should be noted that these pills are much bigger than any prescribed sleep aid. As someone who has difficulty swallowing pills, this was an initial problem for me. Once I overcame the pill size, I had to get past the smell. Because these are formulated from natural ingredients, they have a distinct odor. It is best to try to take them as fast as possible to bypass the unpleasant odor.

The Bottom Line:

As far as it's ability to "knock" me out, I have to say that it didn't. However, the product's ability to induce a state of calm and relaxation was enough to get me sleeping on my own again, which in the long run is what I was hoping the product would do. I would highly recommend this product to someone having trouble sleeping at night who is hesitant to try a prescription sleep aid. This might be a good product to try first.