Do you sometimes struggle to fall asleep in the evening? You’d be lying in bed, but your mind would be running 1,000 miles per hour, jumping from one thought to the next.
Or maybe you fall asleep just fine but wake up throughout the night and struggle to fall back asleep, wasting valuable time staring at your ceiling?
Let’s look at the five best natural supplements for sleep.
1. CBD
CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is an active compound found in the marijuana plant. But unlike THC, CBD doesn’t have psychoactive effects, which means it doesn’t alter your mood, change how you perceive your surroundings or impair body movements.
Instead, the compound brings about relaxation and can help you feel more at ease and less likely to stress out about things. Together, these effects can make it easier to fall asleep at night and avoid patterns of overthinking.
You can pick from various supplement forms, such as gummies for sleep.
There's a lot of anecdotal information out there about organic CBD for better sleep. However, you may still be skeptical about taking CBD for the first time because you're not sure what the research says.
In recent years, researchers have been diving into the link between CBD and better sleep like never before. According to a large case series from 2019 that looked at cannabidiol usage related to anxiety and sleep, sleep scores improved within the first month of taking CBD for 67% of patients.
A 2023 paper on the safety and relative effectiveness of non-psychoactive cannabinoid formulations for the improvement of sleep shares that insomnia patients who received 160 milligrams of CBD reported sleeping longer than those who received placebo. Researchers are even beginning to look at ways that CBD products may be useful for treating certain sleep disorders.
Using CBN as a Sleep Companion
Also known as cannabinol, CBN is one of more than 100 types of natural chemical compounds called cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. Like CBD, CBN shows promise for promoting better sleep.
Researchers haven't spent as much time researching CBN's benefits for sleep compared to CBD's benefits. When researchers looked at the safety and effects of CBN with and without CBD on sleep quality, they found that people who took 20 milligrams of CBN demonstrated reduced nighttime awakenings and fewer sleep disturbances compared to placebo.
2. Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland in the brain. The hormone’s production is closely linked to your body’s circadian rhythm (internal clock), with levels close to baseline during the day and production increasing at night.
The hormone’s functions revolve around the circadian rhythm, as it helps coordinate different bodily processes. Research finds that sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) increases when melatonin doesn’t increase at the right time or amount.
So, a melatonin supplement can help all these processes, making it one of the best sleep aids if you struggle to fall asleep at night.
3. Magnesium
Magnesium is among the best sleep aids for adults. The mineral occurs naturally in many foods and is essential for good health, as it is involved in hundreds of bodily processes.
In sleep, magnesium can help reduce cortisol levels and bring about calmness, making it easier to drift off.
Like melatonin, it’s best to take it in the evening, around 30-60 minutes before bedtime.
4. Apigenin
Apigenin is not as well known as the other supplements we reviewed above, but it’s certainly a contender for the title of best sleep supplement.
Found in many plants (including chamomile), apigenin is a natural compound that belongs to the flavone class. These organic compounds are classified based on their structure and effects on the body.
Some research suggests that people following a diet rich in apigenin-containing foods and beverages experience better sleep than control groups. Data also suggests that chamomile tea improves subjective sleep quality.
5. Theanine
Theanine or l-theanine is an amino acid with solid scientific backing for its positive impact on mood, concentration, and sleep.
Various studies show that it can positively impact sleep quality and length in different populations, including children with ADHD, young adults, middle-aged adults, and the elderly.
What’s interesting about theanine is that it’s not the traditional ‘sleep supplement’ you would take before going to bed. Instead, this is a product you can supplement with even during the day, especially with caffeine.
It works by increasing alpha wave levels in the brain, which is associated with calmness without causing drowsiness. This means it helps you sleep better, not by making you sleepy but by promoting relaxation and helping reduce repetitive thoughts.
Conclusion
Melatonin continues to be among the most popular supplements if you struggle to fall (or stay) asleep.
That said, it’s also a hormone your body produces naturally. So, if you’re uncomfortable taking it, sleep supplements without melatonin include magnesium, CBD, apigenin, and l-theanine.
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