You hear about it all of the time — “I can’t sleep!” People have been having sleeping issues since sleep has been around. Eons have passed, and the issues still persist. If you have insomnia, sleep apnea, or any other kind of sleeping issue, this article is for you. Even if you don’t necessarily have a problem sleeping, any of these supplements can certainly help you get to bed. These aren’t any wannabe cures of hypnotic pseudoscience, because they’re real sleep aids. “Would be cures” or not, sleep aids do help those with sleep issues, especially serious ones. These are some of the best supplements to help you with sleep.
Sleeping can be tough, but getting out of your dream alive is impossible.
Please consult with your doctor before consuming any of these supplements. Below I’ve listed 17 amazing supplements to help you with sleep: These are the best supplements to help you with sleep.
The best supplements to help you with sleep…
Melatonin
This hormone tells your body when to sleep and wake. Some research suggests that melatonin supplements can ease sleep issues like jet lag and trouble falling or staying asleep. For the most part, melatonin is safe for healthy adults if taken for only a few weeks or months. Side effects include headache, dizziness, and nausea. Try taking 1-3 milligrams 2 hours before bed.
Melatonin is similar to and often confused with Melanin. The two are completely different.
Melatonin is a hormone that your body produces naturally, and it signals to your brain that it’s time to sleep. This hormone’s cycle of production and release is influenced by time of day — melatonin levels naturally rise in the evening and fall in the morning. For this reason, melatonin supplements have become a popular sleeping aid, particularly in instances where the melatonin cycle is disrupted, such as jet lag.
We all obviously need at least 6-8 hours of sleep a night, regardless of what you think you need.
What’s more, several studies report that melatonin improves daytime sleep quality and duration. This is particularly beneficial for individuals whose schedules require them to sleep during the daytime, such as shift workers. Moreover, melatonin may improve overall sleep quality in individuals with sleep disorders. Specifically, melatonin appears to reduce the time people need to fall asleep (known as sleep latency) and increase the total amount of sleep time.
The more you consume melatonin, the less of an effect it has, especially in the long run. If you consume 30 mg in one evening, not only will it do little more than the often recommended 3 mg, it’ll only make it harder for your body to produce more melatonin on it’s own.
While there are also studies that didn’t observe melatonin had a positive effect on sleep, they were generally few in number. Those that did observe beneficial effects generally provided participants 3–10 milligrams (mg) of melatonin before bedtime.Melatonin supplements appear to be safe for adults when used for short or long periods of time.
Valerian Root
This perennial plant has been used as a sleep aid for hundreds of years. Studies suggest that valerian helps you get more sound ZZZs. But the evidence is mixed. It may raise the levels of GABA, which boosts relaxation. Valerian is thought to be safe in the short term, but it sometimes may give you headaches and stomachaches. Take 300-600 milligrams up to 2 hours before bed. Or brew 2-3 grams of the dried root in a cup of water.
GABA, GABA, who can I turn to?
Valerian is an herb native to Asia and Europe. Its root is commonly used as a natural treatment for symptoms of anxiety, depression, and menopause. Valerian root is also one of the most commonly used sleep-promoting herbal supplements in the United States and Europe. However, study results remain inconsistent. Menopausal and postmenopausal women have seen their sleep quality and sleep disorder symptoms improve after taking valerian, according to randomized controlled trials. Two older literature reviews also reported that 300–900 mg of valerian, taken right before bedtime, may improve self-rated sleep quality.
No matter where you are, Valerian will be there for you.
Nevertheless, all the observed improvements in these trials and studies were subjective. They relied on participants’ perception of sleep quality rather than on objective measurements taken during sleep, such as brain waves or heart rate. Other studies have concluded that valerian’s positive effects are negligible at best. For instance, it may lead to a small improvement in sleep latency. Regardless, short-term intake of valerian root appears to be safe for adults, with minor, infrequent side effects. Despite the lack of objective measurements behind valerian, adults may consider testing it out for themselves. However, safety remains uncertain for use long-term and in special populations such as pregnant or lactating women.
Magnesium
Low levels of this mineral may make it harder for you to fall or stay asleep. Studies show that magnesium supplements may improve slumber in older people and those with restless legs syndrome. Get enough with foods like nuts and leafy greens. Women need 310-320 milligrams per day, while men need 400-420 milligrams. Ask your doctor if you should take a supplement: Too much magnesium can lead to cramps and nausea.
It ain’t manganese, it’s magnesium!
Magnesium is a mineral involved in hundreds of processes in the human body, and it’s important for brain function and heart health. In addition, magnesium may help quiet the mind and body, making it easier to fall asleep. Studies show that magnesium’s relaxing effect may be partly due to its ability to regulate the production of melatonin. Magnesium is known to relax muscles and induces sleep. One study found that a combination of magnesium, melatonin, and vitamin B was effective in treating insomnia regardless of the cause. Magnesium also appears to increase levels of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), a brain messenger with calming effects.
Your gut is the source of your happiness, and be sure to stock up on magnesium foods or supplements. Your body has no long term storing mechanism to maintain magnesium.
Studies report that insufficient levels of magnesium in your body may be linked to troubled sleep and insomnia. On the other hand, increasing your magnesium intake by taking supplements may help you optimize the quality and quantity of your sleep. One study gave 46 participants 500 mg of magnesium or a placebo daily for 8 weeks. Those in the magnesium group benefited from overall better sleep quality. This group also had higher blood levels of melatonin and renin, both hormones that regulate sleep.
Dreams in one sense are solutions playing out in your head to subconscious maladaptive thought processes.
In another small study, participants given a supplement containing 225 mg of magnesium slept better than those given a placebo. However, the supplement also contained 5 mg of melatonin and 11.25 mg of zinc, making it difficult to attribute the effect to magnesium alone. It’s worth noting that both studies were performed on older adults, who may have had lower blood magnesium levels to start with. It’s uncertain whether these effects would be as strong in individuals with a good dietary magnesium intake.
Lavender
Try sniffing this purple flower before your bedtime. Its scent slows your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure and skin temperature. This can set the stage for slumber. A study found that people who snoozed in a lavender-infused room had more restful deep sleep than those who didn’t. Want to try it? Run an essential oil diffuser in your bedroom, or add a few drops to your pillowcase.
That deep color purple… .
The lavender can be found on almost all continents. It produces purple flowers that, when dried, have a variety of household uses. Moreover, lavender’s soothing fragrance is believed to enhance sleep. In fact, several studies show that simply smelling lavender oil shortly before sleep may be enough to improve sleep quality. This effect appears particularly strong in those with mild insomnia, especially females and young individuals.
Lavender soap seems to always have the best scent.
A small study in older people with dementia also reports that lavender aromatherapy is effective at improving sleep disturbance symptoms. Total sleep time increased. Fewer people also woke up very early (at 3 a.m.) and found themselves unable to get back to sleep. Another study gave 221 people with anxiety disorder 80 mg of a lavender oil supplement or a placebo per day. By the end of the 10-week study, both groups had experienced improvements in the quality and duration of sleep. However, the lavender group experienced 14–24% greater effects without any reported unpleasant side effects.
Never burn incense that makes you want to stick your face in it.
Though lavender aromatherapy is considered safe, the oral intake of lavender has been linked to nausea and stomach pain in some cases. Essential oils are intended for aromatherapy and not oral ingestion. It’s also worth noting that only a limited amount of studies could be found on the effects of lavender supplements on sleep. Thus, more research is needed before strong conclusions can be made.
Passionflower
It’s a type of climbing vine. Native Americans have long used passionflower for its calming properties. The plant contains GABA, the brain chemical that affects your mood and sleep. One study found that people reported getting a better night’s rest when they sipped a mug of passionflower tea beforehand. Experts say that passionflower seems safe to take in the short term.
Passion and flowers… you couldn’t ask for a more metal name to a band.
Passionflower, also known as Passiflora incarnata or maypop, is a popular herbal remedy for insomnia. The species of passionflower linked to sleep improvements are native to North America. They’re also currently cultivated in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Passionflower’s sleep-promoting effects have been demonstrated in animal studies. However, its effects in humans appear to depend on the form consumed. One study in humans compared the effects of a passionflower tea with those of a placebo tea made from parsley leaves .
It’s an all in one remedy…
Participants drank each tea about 1 hour before bed for a period of 1 week, taking a 1-week break between the two teas. Each tea bag was allowed to steep for 10 minutes, and researchers took objective measurements of sleep quality. At the end of the 3-week study, the objective measurements indicated the participants hadn’t experienced improvements in sleep. However, when they were asked to rate their sleep quality subjectively, they rated it around 5% higher following the passionflower tea week compared with the parsley tea week. In a recent study of people with insomnia, those who took passionflower extract over a 2-week-period saw significant improvements in certain sleep parameters when compared with a placebo group.
Those parameters were:
- total sleep time
- sleep efficiency, or the percentage of time spent sleeping as opposed to lying awake in bed
- wake time after sleep onset
On the other hand, a 1998 study compared the effects of a 1.2-gram passionflower supplement, conventional sleeping pills, and a placebo. The researchers found no difference between the passionflower supplements and the placebo. More studies are needed, but it’s worth noting that passionflower intake is generally safe in adults. For now, it seems that passionflower may provide more benefits when consumed as a tea or extract as opposed to a supplement.
Glycine (The Best Supplements to Help You With Sleep)
This tiny amino acid can have a big impact on your sleep. It may raise the amount of serotonin, a brain chemical that affects slumber. It also helps your blood flow and drops your body temperature, both of which encourage you to nod off. Glycine supplements are viewed as safe. Try taking 3 grams about an hour before bedtime.
Don’t let the days go by… Glycine…?
Glycine is an amino acid that plays an important role in the nervous system. Studies show it may also help improve sleep. Exactly how this works is unknown, but glycine is thought to act in part by lowering body temperature at bedtime, signaling that it’s time to sleep. In one 2006 study, participants experiencing poor sleep consumed 3 grams of glycine or a placebo immediately before bedtime.
All these mean amino bambinos, where are all the nice anicos?
Those in the glycine group reported feeling less fatigued the next morning. They also said their liveliness, peppiness, and clear-headedness were higher the next morning. A 2007 study also investigated the effects of glycine in participants experiencing poor sleep. Researchers took measurements of their brain waves, heart rate, and breathing while they slept. Participants who took 3 grams of glycine before bedtime showed improved objective measures of sleep quality compared with the placebo group. Glycine supplements also helped participants fall asleep faster.
Make sure to put that group of rats through another guantlet.
Glycine also improves daytime performance in individuals who are temporarily sleep-deprived, according to one small study. Participants had their sleep restricted for 3 consecutive nights. Each night, before bedtime, they took either 3 grams of glycine or 3 grams of placebo. The glycine group reported greater reductions in fatigue and daytime sleepiness. You can buy glycine in pill form or as a powder that can be diluted in water. Taking up to 0.8 grams/kg of body weight per day appears to be safe, but more studies are needed. Many sleep study participants only took 3 grams a day.
You can also increase your glycine intake by eating foods rich in the nutrient, including:
- animal products such as bone broth, meat, eggs, poultry, and fish
- beans
- spinach
- kale
- cabbage
- fruits like bananas and kiwis
Tryptophan (The Best Supplements to Help You With Sleep)
One study reports that doses as low as 1 gram per day of this essential amino acid, Tryptophan, may help improve sleep quality.
Do you like tripping? Well, magic mushrooms are a tryptophan… psilocybin mushroom.
This dosage may also help you fall asleep faster.
Ginkgo Biloba
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You remember this pretty from our last blog… Gingko Biloba. According to older studies, consuming around 240 mg of this natural herb 30–60 minutes before bed may help reduce stress, enhance relaxation, and promote sleep.
Doesn’t it just seem like, out of mere possibility, most drugs lack studies on humans, and studies are always merely on animals.
Animal studies are also promising.
L-Theanine (The Best Supplements to Help You With Sleep)
Consuming a daily supplement containing up to 400 mg of this amino acid, L-Theanine, may help improve sleep and relaxation.
Learn some chemistry, it’ll allow you to see the small world on a bigger scale.
Animal studies suggest it may be more effective when combined with GABA.
GABA
It short for gamma-aminobutyric acid. It’s a chemical in the brain that boosts relaxation and sleep. Some sleeping pills work by helping GABA work better.
Your brain needs chemicals, so make sure to maintain sustenance.
However, there’s no proof that taking GABA itself as a supplement works. Scientists aren’t sure that GABA can even pass from your bloodstream into your brain.
CBD Oil
Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a compound in marijuana and hemp plants. It doesn’t get you high, but it can help you nod off. CBD oil may work by taking the edge off. One study found that people who took it felt less anxious and slept better within a month.
I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this kind of oil for cooking.
CBD may make some people tired or want to throw up. Experts are still looking at how much is needed, but research suggests a dose of 25-175 milligrams a day.
Kava (The Best Supplements to Help You With Sleep)
This South Pacific native plant is taken for anxiety. Research suggests kava is also useful for sleep. It may ease insomnia caused by stress. But kava supplements have been linked to a risk of serious liver damage. Talk to your doctor if you’re thinking about taking kava. It’s thought that supplements made from only the root, not the stem or leaves, may be safer.
Why not role up some of this kind of green instead?
Kava is another plant that’s been linked to sleep-promoting effects in some studies. It originates from the South Pacific islands, and its root is traditionally prepared as a tea. It can also be consumed in supplement form.However, kava use has also been linked to severe liver damage, potentially due to low-quality production or adulteration. Some countries, like Canada and parts of Europe, have even banned its use.Proceed with extra caution before using kava. Only buy supplements that have been certified by a reputable third-party organization
California Poppy
It’s related to the opium poppy but is a different flower species. California poppy has been used in traditional medicine as a sedative.
I’m gonna pop a Cali in your mouth, out your ass…
Scientists have found that it helps raise the levels of GABA, the relaxation-boosting chemical, but there’s little research on whether California poppy extracts work. You could try 600 milligrams before bedtime. It’s likely safe to use for short periods. Possible side effects include stomach problems.
Chamomile (The Best Supplements to Help You With Sleep)
Many people enjoy it as a soothing herbal tea, and for good reason. This daisy-like plant has a calming effect thanks to an antioxidant called apigenin. It works on certain brain cell receptors that help you relax and fall asleep.
Make sure to have your Chamo so that we can hide in the brush.
Chamomile is safe, but it can interact with certain medicines. Sip a mug of tea before bed. Or take 200-270 milligrams of extract, twice a day.
5-HTP
It’s short for 5-hydroxytryptophan, a compound that your body makes from foods. Your body uses 5-HTP to make melatonin, an important hormone for sleep. Some studies suggest, but don’t prove, that 5-HTP supplements made from plant seeds may help you log more sleep.
5-HTP is great for serotonin production. Most of the serotonin receptors are largely in your gut (GI tract).
Experts recommend 100-300 milligrams of 5-HTP before bedtime. Side effects include nausea and headaches. Also, 5-HTP is a naturally occurring amino acid and chemical precursor as well as a metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin.
Tart Cherry Juice (The Best Supplements to Help You With Sleep)
Tart cherries are a natural source of melatonin, a key sleep hormone. Early research shows that drinking tart cherry juice raises the amount of melatonin in your body. It also helped people sleep more soundly and for longer.
Bing! Bing! You’re out!
The more common Bing and other sweet cherries don’t have the same effect, so look for the tart variety. Sip a cup of tart cherry juice about an hour of two before bedtime.
Magnolia Bark
Chinese medicine uses this to treat anxiety and depression. Experts are studying whether magnolia bark might work on sleep, too. It has a compound called honokiol, which may improve your slumber.
Don’t ever try to chip the bark off a magnolia tree!
Magnolia bark also may keep your body from releasing the stress hormone adrenaline. It appears safe for short-term use, but it sometimes can give you heartburn.
Others…
Other sleep aids that you can find over the counter are diphenhydramine and doxylamine succinate. They’re both antihistamines. Diphenhydramine is the active ingredient in popular allergy remedies such as Benadryl. Diphenhydramine’s primary use isn’t as a sleep drug, but it does cause drowsiness and has been used to promote sleep. Diphenhydramine is also found in ZzzQuil, Unisom SleepGels, and Unisom SleepMelts. Doxylamine succinate is the active ingredient in the sleep aid Unisom SleepTabs. The evidence in favor of their use as sleep aids is weak. Many experts recommend against diphenhydramine and doxylamine succinate, with some saying that they reduce sleep quality. Other side effects may include dizziness, confusion, and dry mouth.
Never take these over-the-counter drugs unless you have to, and please avoid cough syrups with acetaminophen and other pain killers.
Long-term use of OTC sleep aids can lead to drug tolerance. Over time, the use of anticholinergics, such as antihistamines, can increase your risk of dementia as well. If you’re interested in trying these sleep aids, you should stick to occasional use. They should never be used for more than 2 weeks at a time. However, people with respiratory conditions, high blood pressure, or heart disease should avoid both of these drugs altogether. They may induce a nervous system reaction that leads to tachycardia, or an elevated heart rate. Older adults, especially those with liver or kidney issues, shouldn’t use diphenhydramine. They’re at an increased risk of its negative side effects.
The Best Supplements to Help You With Sleep…
There you have it. If you’re ever having a problem with sleep again, don’t say that you didn’t try. It makes all the difference in the world and you saw it here. You’re never going to be short on options, and it doesn’t even begin to stop there. Get some rest, and come back to read again if you were tired the first time around.
For the Love of Sleep: hopkinsmedicine.org
- Melatonin
- Valerian Root
- Magnesium
- Lavender
- Passionflower
- Glycine
- Tryptophan
- Gingko Biloba
- L-Theanine
- GABA
- CBD Oil
- Kava
- California Poppy
- Chamomile
- 5-HTP
- Tart Cherry Juice
- Magnolia Bark
Blog Page: creatorconquer.com
Godspeed!
