Shut-Eye Helpers Put To Test

Many products on the market promise a better night's sleep, but do they live up to the claims?

According to a National Sleep Foundation survey, 65 percent of Americans say they're losing sleep due to stress, and 32 percent reported losing sleep at least one night per week.

Boston television station WCVB let some sleep experts weigh in on products that claim to help you, your baby and your pets get a better night's sleep.

"If you're tossing and turning, if you're not sleeping well, you don't go into that REM sleep," said Dr. Curtis Langer of Langer Chiropractic.

The makers of a J-shaped pillow claim it can put you in the right position for a good night's sleep. The Sleep Posture Pillow was created by a Memphis chiropractor. The station took one to Langer for his opinion.

"The principle here is to support the body in the back and in the front, so that it prevents people from rolling from side to side," he said, which can keep you from waking up in the middle of the night.

Langer questioned whether the pillow's width would work for everyone, and noted that people with shoulder problems should not sleep on their sides.

"If this position helps you sleep, it's going to have health benefits," Langer said.

A pacifier can help soothe your baby to sleep, but when it falls out the baby wakes up. A Connecticut mother solved the problem by sewing a small stuffed animal onto the end of her child's binky, and the Wubbanub was born.

The pacifiers are latex-free and have no dangerous strings, cords or clips. The weight of the stuffed animals holds the pacifier in place and may even help develop the child's hand-eye coordination, the station reported.

Even pets can have trouble sleeping, especially if they snore. SnoreStop for Pets claims it can silence that noisy sleeper. The homeopathic spray is made of all natural ingredients that won't sedate or stimulate your pet. Porter Square Veterinary's Dr. Jardayna Werlin said if your pet's a loud snorer, it's worth a try.

"It's certainly safe to use these things. The question is whether they're going to be effective for your pet," Werlin said.

Doctors said the real solution to your pet's snoring might be losing weight. So try more walks and fewer treats before you go for the SnoreStop.