We’ve all had nights where no matter what we did, we just couldn’t fall asleep. For some, this happens more often than just a couple of nights. For others, this might even be a nightly occurrence. Nothing to worry about though–you are not alone.
It’s been found that 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep, which is caused by many reasons, with the top reason being insomnia.
Insomnia is a chronic or acute sleeping disorder that causes you to have trouble falling and staying asleep or makes you wake up before your body has had enough rest.
Luckily, there are natural and medical supplements to go about this. Reduce your risk of having insomnia and experience restful and regenerative sleep.
Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by your body, specifically your pineal gland, that lets your body know that it’s time to sleep. Your sleep schedule regulates the production of this hormone so that it naturally adapts to producing more at night and less in the morning.
It’s natural that as we grow older, our pineal gland produces less melatonin. This is why it’s more common to find insomnia in adults, especially older people. Thankfully, it’s possible to find melatonin supplements to provide your body with the right amount of melatonin to increase your overall sleep time and quality of sleep.
Melatonin supplements are also a great option in helping regulate the sleeping patterns of those who work the night shifts or those who recently traveled into a significantly different timezone.
Magnesium
Along with melatonin, a lack of magnesium in the body also causes insomnia. Moreover, magnesium also assists in the production of melatonin. And the pattern of working hand-in-hand with melatonin continues because magnesium has also been found to have a part in regulating your sleep schedule. Magnesium does this by decreasing cortisol, the hormone produced by stress.
Taking magnesium supplements helps you relax and reduce the time it takes for you to fall asleep, and reduce the chances of waking up randomly throughout the night.
Magnesium also supports your muscle and nerve function, so there’s even more reason to start taking magnesium supplements.
Lavender
We’re all familiar with the lovely calming scent of Lavender. It’s long been associated with helping people relax and fall asleep. But it’s not just because of the pleasant aroma. There is also some science behind it.
Lavender is high in compounds that reduce anxiety. Studies show that using lavender oil before bed, whether in the form of a candle or spray, significantly improves sleep duration, overall sleep quality, and the amount of time it takes to fall asleep.
Keeping some lavender on your nightstand will provide more than just aesthetics! Lavender oil or lavender-scented products are also more accessible because of how easy they are to find.
Valerian Root
Valerian has been used throughout the ages to treat anxiety, lower stress, and fix insomnia. It also improves overall happiness because it contains compounds that enhance serotonin production. A study has even shown that valerian works just as well as a prescription drug for insomnia and anxiety.
If supplements aren’t your thing, it’s possible to get your hands on dried valerian root, which can be brewed as a tea. Regular intake of valerian will significantly increase your time in deep sleep, which is the most regenerative part of your sleep cycle.
Lemon Balm
A cousin to everyone’s favorite refreshing herb, mint. Like valerian root, lemon balm has been traditionally used as a home remedy to reduce stress, calm anxiety, improve sleep, and eliminate restlessness.
It’s best to use this alongside valerian root, as it’s been found that combining the two make for a highly restful and regenerative sleep that makes the user wake up feeling refreshed and energized. It also doesn’t cause a ‘sleep hangover,’ which is when you wake up feeling extremely tired despite getting a whole night’s rest.
5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)
Also known as 5-HTP, 5-hydroxytryptophan is an amino acid produced naturally in the body. Apart from assisting in sleep, 5-HTP has also been used to treat depression because it raises serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is commonly referred to as a happy hormone because of its positive effect on the individual.
Suppose your insomnia is caused by anxiety or depression. In that case, this may be your best bet because of its effectiveness at easing anxiety and improving the user’s overall mood. It also has a positive effect on sleep, mood, anxiety, appetite, and pain. It’s previously been used to treat symptoms of fibromyalgia. This condition is often linked to sleep disturbance because of the chronic pain it causes.
Curcumin
Not to be confused for the spice cumin. It is a natural anti-inflammatory spice part of the same family as ginger. But similarly, it is closely related to the spice turmeric. Curcumin has been shown to relieve pain caused by arthritis and other kinds of pain often linked to causing sleep disturbances.
Curcumin may also be used in treating depression and anxiety, both common causing factors for insomnia.
L-theanine
An amino acid commonly found in green tea, with green tea itself synonymous with reducing anxiety and promoting sleep. If you’re suffering from psychiatric or cognitive disorders, then this will be especially helpful for you. Studies have shown that supplements of L-theanine are safe and effective in improving the sleep quality of those diagnosed with ADHD. It’s also still highly effective if used alone as compared to other supplements. Even with just L-theanine alone, for some, it already decreased the amount of time they needed to fall asleep, improved their quality of sleep, and extended the duration of their sleep.
