Insomnia is frustrating and can have serious consequences. Nighttime restlessness may cause daytime drowsiness, which can make you more accident-prone, irritable, and stressed. This article explores some of the best natural supplements for sleep, including vitamins, minerals, and herbs.
Prescription medications don’t work for some and are financially out of reach for others. They may also cause dependency or have unwanted side effects. What natural supplements for sleep can help you get your Zzzs?
Poor slumber has various causes, which is precisely why a holistic approach often works better than allopathic medications. Many herbs work on multiple bodily systems, bringing the imbalance back into balance and improving overall wellness while decreasing symptoms. What should you try? Here are 13 of the most recommended natural supplements for sleep.
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What causes sleeplessness?
Let’s take a closer look at the causes of insomnia to understand better how holistic methods, like natural supplements for sleep, often work best.
Environmental factors
Noise and light are often the biggest culprits here. Shift workers may struggle to sleep during daylight hours, and those with noisy roommates drift off only to awaken to a sudden clatter of pots and pans.
The bad news is that natural supplements work about as well as prescriptions under such circumstances — neither one solves the problem. However, you might consider holistic solutions like:
- Using a .
- Investing in a soft, cloth pair of headphones to wear during sleep (go for a to reduce the radiation and potential health risks from using Bluetooth earphones).
- Hanging around windows and installing a canopy over your bed to create a dark, cozy sleep cave.
Health factors
Folks with chronic pain know how it can interfere with restful sleep. Here’s one area where natural supplements may have an edge over prescriptions, as many address multiple symptoms.
For example, magnesium increases melatonin production while decreasing cortisol, a hormone involved in inflammatory diseases. Taking it internally also promotes muscle relaxation to ease painful spasms, and soaking in a warm bath filled with is a delightful holistic way to inspire restful sleep.
Circadian rhythm misalignments
Research suggests that some people are genetically predisposed to being night owls. If you’re one of them, but your workday starts at 7 a.m., you might have to battle your DNA to get to bed at a reasonable hour.
Furthermore, shift workers often struggle with broken sleep. The worst schedule of all is one that shifts from nights to days.
[Check out these top night shift health tips].
Poor lifestyle choices
Shift workers often struggle because blue light, such as that from the sun and computer screens, interferes with their natural melatonin production. This sleep hormone works best when they expose themselves to sunlight in the morning and dim the lights toward evening, synchronizing their body’s rhythms with the Earth’s. Even if they work a 9-to-5, staying on their phone, computer, or television late in the evening makes sleep more difficult.
Alcohol is another sleep killer, so skip the nightcap for better slumber. Genuinely restful sleep entails going through all four distinct stages of slumber, but alcohol fragments this process, resulting in multiple episodes of wakefulness. As a result, you arise groggier than ever. You might have spent eight hours in bed but got low-quality sleep.
High stress levels can also keep you awake at night. Some people experience constant mind chatter and find it difficult to switch off and relax enough to fall asleep. When they wake during the night, they might have a million thoughts going through their minds, making it difficult to fall back asleep. An unbalanced nervous system can also make sleep difficult.
natural supplements for sleep
As you can see from the above, holistic remedies often work best as they treat the underlying causes of sleep disorders instead of masking symptoms. What if you’ve made lifestyle changes and still struggle? The following 13 natural supplements for sleep may rebalance your body’s system and help you get the deep rest you need.
1. Vitamin D
The term “vitamin D” is a bit misleading, as this substance is actually a hormone that your body produces with sufficient sun exposure. However, you need adequate levels to absorb other nutrients, like magnesium.
The problem is that if you live above 37 degrees latitude, you might not get enough in the winter. Therefore, your sleep could be disrupted, but supplementing may help.
Vitamin D is available in or . According to Keri Gans, M.S., R.D., there is no one right time to take your supplement, but you should take it with food as it is fat-soluble.
2. Passionflower
Many herbs for sleep work best if you take them soon before bedtime. You can sip them as tea, and those wanting a more potent dose can purchase tinctures you place under your tongue. You can also find many herbs in tablet form, which are best taken before sleep.
may help those suffering from sleeplessness related to anxiety. In one recent study, it effectively helped depressed and anxious patients discontinue benzodiazepine use, a class of medications with troubling side effects.
3. Chamomile
Many of the herbs that help you sleep also ease anxiety. Few things are more stressful or produce higher fear levels than landing in the hospital, but a recent study suggests this herb may help under those circumstances.
4. Kava Kava
Kava Kava works on your GABA receptors to reduce anxiety and aid sleep. GABA acts like your brain’s natural valium. It’s an inhibitory neurotransmitter that calms some of the physiological processes that keep you wound up. However, some studies have reported an association with liver damage, especially when herbalists prepare kava with an alcoholic or acetonic extract, so skip the tinctures and stick with a or .
5. Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, meaning it helps your body fight the effects of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals damage your body’s cells, including those in your brain, often spurring disease. For this reason, might be one of the better herbs to try if chronic pain fuels your insomnia.
Unlike many other sleep-supporting herbs, ashwagandha doesn’t make you feel drowsy, so you can take it at any time of the day. Some people report positive results from a dose in the morning and another at night, as it also helps you overcome life’s little daily irritations. Note that it may take several weeks for ashwagandha to have its intended effect.
6. Lavender
Ah, lavender. Simply inhaling its fragrance makes you relax, which is why this herb is a favorite among the spa crowd.
While you can take it as a , , or tablet, many people also find relief through aromatherapy. Add some to a mister you keep next to your bed, spritz your pillow with a genuine , or use a to apply some to your temples to ease slumber.
7. Valerian
is a particularly effective herb for encouraging the deeper stages of sleep when taken regularly. Recent research suggests this herb is especially beneficial for women experiencing menopause — you know how those hot flashes disrupt slumber. Combining it with fennel may work particularly well for this purpose.
8. Blue Lotus
has a reputation as the flower of dreams among Ayurvedic practitioners. Although there is limited research on its effectiveness, it contains a substance called apomorphine that may contribute to restful slumber. Some people combine it with other herbs, such as CBD, to enhance their effects.
9. GABA
Although you naturally produce , some believe supplements can ease sleep issues. One recent study showed that it significantly improved sleep scores. However, you should use caution when taking anything your body naturally produces. According to Kori Ascher, D.O., a pulmonary, sleep, and critical care physician, melatonin may be safer – but that substance is also potentially problematic.
10. L-Theanine
Although it may seem obvious, drinking too much caffeine can adversely affect sleep. However, it’s also natural to get caught in a destructive cycle of sleeping too little at night and using coffee to get through that critical afternoon meeting. Unfortunately, caffeine blocks your adenosine receptors, a chemical your body naturally produces over the day to make you sleepy. When you try to get rest that night, the cycle continues.
Recent research reveals that L-Theanine can reduce caffeine’s effect on sleep. Therefore, trying may help you break the cycle.
11. CBD
CBD is a non-psychoactive terpene or extract derived from the hemp plant. Per federal regulations, it contains less than 0.3% of THC, the terpene in cannabis that produces the signature “high.” It’s available over the counter in many countries, and studies suggest it may help you avoid those middle-of-the-night sleep disturbances.
If medical cannabis is legal where you live, you might also try it as a sleep remedy. There are two primary varieties of cannabis, sativa, and indica — the latter is what you want to induce slumber. You can also create herb blends designed for sleep if you make your own extracts.
12. Glycine
is an amino acid, one of protein’s building blocks. A recent review of several studies showed that it has a calming effect on the nervous system. It may help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep.
13. Magnesium
Many Americans are magnesium deficient, and it shows in high rates of depression, migraines, and insomnia. This mineral performs various crucial functions, including helping you form melatonin, encouraging relaxation, and easing muscle tension.
You can certainly try if you suspect a deficiency. However, you absorb nutrients best through food, so add more and to your daily diet as well.
What about melatonin?
While makes headlines as a natural sleep supplement, some question whether it causes more harm than good. Melatonin is a hormone, and any time you start playing with a substance your body naturally produces, it can get complicated. Furthermore, people often give it to children, thinking it’s safe, leading to a rise in ER visits, including intensive care admittance and death.
Melatonin may be helpful in limited circumstances, such as adjusting to jet lag. However, relying on it as a daily supplement risks creating a rebound effect. Thanks to disrupting your body’s natural supply, you could find it impossible to sleep without it. Keep your use occasional if you choose to use it at all.
Natural supplements to ease you into sleep
Getting a more restful slumber requires more than treating the symptoms. It entails finding the underlying cause, something that holistic care does well. Natural supplements for sleep can sometimes work better than prescriptions by addressing the root of your sleeplessness.
If you struggle with insomnia, try one of the above natural supplements to ease you into sleep. You should also check out this article about how to get better sleep, not only through supplements but lifestyle choices and more. By restoring your body to balance and modifying your habits, you can finally get the rest you deserve.
If you enjoyed this article, you may also want to check out this post about sleep versus exercise. It explains why you shouldn’t work out when you’re lacking z’s.
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