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Wellness finds to live better, not perfectly

A few years ago, I bought some over-the-counter melatonin pills at the CVS by my apartment. I was experiencing a stretch of terrible sleep, and a lot of my friends asked if I’d tried the supplement. After just a few nights, that bottle stayed put on my nightstand, collecting dust until I eventually tossed it, because it gave me THEE wildest dreams. (Or so I thought.)

To confirm, I searched for ‘melatonin’ in my text history and found this:

Ever since then, I’ve internalized that synthetic melatonin (i.e. the pills you can buy at the drugstore as a sleep aid, not the naturally secreted hormone that regulates the circadian rhythms in our bodies) is nightmare fuel. I blamed my truly messed up dreams on the pill because, well, that’s when they happened.

So I was genuinely surprised to learn that melatonin alone actually doesn’t affect dreams. But it can indirectly increase your REM sleep, which may increase dreams, which may make you feel like you’re dreaming more. And stress and anxiety lead to more vivid dreams. And so, to recap, if you’re taking melatonin supplements because you can’t sleep because your psychological state isn’t excellent right now, you might have graphic dreams, and more of ‘em.

There’s a lot of factors. But to me, it sounds like the right recipe of Zzzquil + feeling the weight of the world can lead to some unsettling dreamscapes.

It’s not necessarily a reason to write off melatonin, and we’ve got some guidance if you do want to shop for the best products and take them correctly.

In the meantime, if you’ve had any midsommar-ass dreams, I’d love to hear about them.

Melanie, editor at The Nessie

First Sightings 👀

👀 Be one of our scouts! 👀 Did you spot a cool new (to the world or just to you!) wellness product? SEND US YOUR TIP! Just hit reply.

I appreciate that Fig.1 offers retinoids in varying strengths (0.15%, 0.3%, and 0.6%) to allow your skin to adjust, aka minimize “retinol uglies” (a rude name IMO)

Acid League’s Freeze Pops (available for pre-order) are like grown-up Otter Pops

Function of Beauty’s customizable haircare collection is coming soon (you can join the waitlist now)

In case you missed it, Nike sued Adidas for allegedly challenging its Flyknit patent, but the brands have reached a private settlement

This little desktop lettuce and herb grower is having a back-to-school sale

You can save 15% on Koala Eco’s plant-based cleaning collection

Wirecutter tested the best over-the-counter hearing aids, which includes the $1,295 Lively 2 Plus and the $350 Tweak Enhance hearing amplifier

Canopy’s Dorm Room Diffusion Bundle is 50% off right now

Kola Goodies just launched its Oat Mylk Tea Latte for those interested in a plant-based Sri Lankan milk tea

Girlfriend Collective is having a 30% off back to school sale

In the wild 🌾

If a heat wave is making you feel shitty, you’re far from alone

A skinfluencer says that “in the last year, there has been more anti-sunscreen social content than ever”

A nice little guide on how to put your vax card on your phone

Equating clear skin with beauty is exclusionary, at odds with the beauty acceptance movement and, frankly, dumb

The founder of sustainable period brand August in an interview with The Cut, in which she’s rocking a pad in her profile shot

If you’re thinking of going off hormonal birth control, consult your doctor, not a TikTok influencer with a promo code for Natural Cycles

How to advocate for your health in the workplace when you suffer from migraines

Schizophrenic influencers on TikTok are destigmatizing the disorder, but don’t feel like the social media platform is doing enough to protect them from bullying

The FDA has characterized nicotine gummies as a public health crisis among young people

If you want to capitalize on your flight delay with a little workout, I love that for you, just please keep your shoes on

OB-GYNs are debunking a viral TikTok claiming that a certain tampon ingredient causes cancer

We love “It” sneaker Hoka

And why you can’t compete in a pair of Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite sneakers at the Olympics

A deal! 💸

I could definitely stand to nurture my neck and shoulders more. I’m not one to splurge for a massage (it’s usually a splurge!), and so having a dedicated product to ease shoulder stress sounds… quite nice. Ostrichpillow is having a sale on its back to soothe bundle: An eye mask and heated neck wrap. It’s 15% off at this link. (If the name Ostrichpillow sounds familiar, you’ve probably seen their napping pillow that legit cocoons your entire head.)

Want to partner with The Nessie on some cool, special content? Send a note to editor Melanie Ehrenkranz at melanie@nesswell.com 💌

We write for people looking for approachable health and wellness finds and insights. All products and services are independently selected to provide recommendations you can trust. We may receive commission on purchases made from some of our links, but that’s not why we’re here. We just want to help you find good stuff.