3. The First Night: Unexpected Sensations

On the first night of her experiment, Sarah curled up in bed and smelt strongly of freshly cut onions. On her nightstand, she had set a plate with three thick slices of white onion close enough to detect their aroma but not quite so near as to be overpowering. The first feeling was more strong than she had expected even with her precautions.
Her eyes started to moist slightly at the instant strong, sulphurous smell of the onions. Sarah started to doubt if she had carried out this experiment correctly. Still driven to see it through, though, she concentrated on her breathing and attempted to unwind. She was surprised to find, after roughly fifteen minutes, she started to become used to the smell. The first sharpness gave way to a gentler, almost pleasant scent that she found somewhat comforting.
Sarah felt an odd tingle in her throat and nasal passageways while she slept. Though it wasn’t bad, it was definitely not like her usual evening experience. She questioned whether this was the sulphur compounds found in onions at action, supposedly clearing her airways as some advocates of the treatment claimed.
Though Sarah first worried the scent might disrupt her sleep, she discovered she was nodding off faster than normal. For her, her sleep that evening was deep and uninterrupted—a rarity. She felt shockingly awakened and alert the next morning. She found it less disruptive than she had anticipated; the room smelt strongly of onions, but it was not overwhelming.
When Sarah thought back on her first night, she was warily hopeful. One good night’s sleep could be a coincidence, but the quality of her rest and the unexpected simplicity of her falling asleep caught her attention. She carefully noted in her sleep diary not only the length and quality of her sleep but also the odd sensations she had gone through.
Sarah observed she felt more lively than normal as she went about her day. She couldn’t be sure whether the onions directly caused this or whether just a good night’s sleep had an impact. Still, it was sufficient to inspire her to carry on the experiment with fresh zeal.