The 10 Best Natural Sleep Aids in 2024
The quest for a natural solution to sleep better is sometimes a long and painful one. Ask Google for some natural sleep supplements and you’ll get back close to 100 million results, all trying to grab your attention with lots of ‘feel-good’ stories, reviews and opinions and yet not much help in finding the right one for you.
We did the research on the safety and efficacy, and then took in to account of balancing user feedback and experience, these are the 10 best natural sleep aids that help you sleep well.
1. Melatonin: The Sleep Hormone
Melatonin is a hormone produced in darkness by the pineal gland and strikingly predictive of wake time, signaling to the body the need for sleep. Exogenous melatonin is best for jet-lagged and shift workers to reset the internal clock. Several randomized controlled trials (RCT) have concluded that 1-3 milligrams taken a couple of hours before bedtime altered sleep latency and significantly improved overall sleep quality for shorter durations of use. Like diphenhydramine, it’s not recommended during pregnancy or lactation at all due to lack of safety research for these populations.
2. Magnesium: The Relaxation Mineral
The production of more than 300 enzymatic reactions within your body including those for muscle and nervous relaxation means that magnesium can definitely help you fall and stay asleep. If you have a problem with sleep, you probably have a magnesium deficiency. And even if you don’t have a deficiency but would just like to improve the quality of your sleep, you will be glad to know that a magnesium supplement is a viable option for you, too. Supplemental magnesium in forms such as magnesium citrate can help to improve the quality of sleep among older adults and those with restless legs syndrome. Doses of 200-400 milligrams taken a few minutes before bedtime are usually adequate for inducing relaxation and improving the quality of sleep, unless of course you take too much and start developing diarrhea. That would be an upper intake level problem.
4. Lavender: The Scent of Sleep
The relaxing smell reduces blood pressure, heart rate and skin temperature. Just diffusing this oil is very helpful for sleep. You can also have a blast with this oil by placing some of it on your pillowcase or your neck! The scent helps with sleep quality and duration, especially deep sleep. The oil is generally safe to use, though it should be applied externally. Ingesting essential oils should be avoided anyway. Like everything, Lavender Oil is not recommended for children (likely due to the hormone-influencing side effects that affect their rising body temperature). Although generally safe for adults, applying this oil straight to the wrist or behind your ears is advised.
5. CBN (Cannabinol): The Sleep-Inducing Cannabinoid
CBN is one of the lesser-known ‘Phyto-cannabinoids’ (cannabinoids produced in the cannabis plant) that is now attracting much interest due to its claimed sleep-inducing properties. If you are going to buy CB = CBN, please make sure that it is the highest quality and from the best organic hemp produced by companies like Simple Leaf. CBN is more related to the following aspects of the cannabis plant than CBD: CBD has a psychoactive ‘high’ like THC, but unlike THC, CBD doesn’t get you ‘high’ or stoned. THC produces ‘intoxicating’ and ‘couchlock’ effects of ‘stoney’ cannabis that make night-time marijuana such a bedtime cliché. CBN is thought to interact with the endocannabinoid system, causing consumers to feel relaxed and sleepy.
Studies and anecdotal reports suggest CBN helps those who need to fall asleep promptly, due to its mildly sedative effects. Since it is produced when THC breaks down, it can be found relatively more commonly in aged cannabis and therefore in aged bud and its concentrated resin, but an increasing number of sleep-specific supplements and tablets contain extracted CBN.
6. Glycine: The Sleep-Enhancing Amino Acid
Glycine is a non-essential amino acid and a neurotransmitter of the central nervous system. Clinical studies suggest it enhances total sleep time and sleep quality and shortens the time to fall asleep. Core body temperature is another variable required for sleep onset, and glycine lowering body temperature can be an advantage. Taking 3 g of glycine at night might be a component of a healthy sleep strategy. This dose seems non-toxic.
7. Chamomile: The Calming Brew
Perhaps the greatest health bonus of chamomile tea occurs in its ability to enhance sleep. This effect is chiefly due to an antioxidant chemical called apigenin, which binds to receptors in the brain, providing some evidence for chamomile’s role in reducing insomnia and improving sleep quality. If you want to gently ease into sleep, a soothing cup of chamomile tea can help. Since it’s a natural herbal substance, chamomile is safe, although anyone with allergies to daisy family plants such as ragweed should avoid it.
8. Valerian Root: The Herbal Tranquilizer
Valerian root has been used for centuries to aid relaxation and sleep as well as to increase the number of GABA molecules (GABA is a neurotransmitter with a calming effect) in the brain. While research has not clearly demonstrated its efficacy, many users swear by valerian root and claim it enables them to fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep through the night. Valerian root is generally taken 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime and at doses ranging between 300-600 mg. Like many herbal supplements, valerian root can interfere with certain prescription medicines, and it should not be taken with alcohol.
9. Passionflower: The Herbal Sedative
Passionflower is an herbal remedy, used for only a century or so to treat anxiety and insomnia. It’s believed to promote sleep by increasing brain levels of the calming neurotransmitter GABA. Taken as a tea or as a supplement, it helps mildly disturbed sleep. It’s both safe and widely available, to be used for short-term treatment, and not recommended for pregnant women. 6.
10. Tart Cherry Juice: The Melatonin Booster
The phytochemicals there are also quite important for sleep – including natural melatonin – and can enhance that regulating hormone and alter the sleep-wake window. Indeed, in one study of seniors who drank a glass of tart cherry juice a day for two weeks, better sleep quality and more of it was documented. Yum, indeed. Sleep also modulates brain waves and that helps neurotransmitter function in insomniacs There’s evidence that, in insomniacs, something is wrong with a neurotransmitter called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), which shuts down neurotransmission in the brain. But neurotransmitters such as glutamate, adenosine and serotonin also help to regulate the on/off neuronal switch of the sleep-wake window. GABA-enhancing supplements, for instance, have even been used for treating epilepsy. GABA inhibits neuron transmission across synapses, relaxes muscles, dampens nerve-spike activity, and slows down brain-wave electrical activity. But the production of GABA can wane with age.
11. L-Theanine: The Relaxation Amino Acid
L-theanine is an amino acid found in green tea that promotes relaxation and reduces stress without sedation. It can be taken in the evening as a supplement before bed to help you unwind in order to sleep well. But green tea itself has caffeine content so it isn’t recommended if you drink it late at night. Instead, use L-theanine supplements to promote sleep at a dose of 100-200 mg, taken in the evening.
Integrating Natural Sleep Aids into Your Routine
Using as many of these natural aids to sleep wisely each evening offers a more holistic sleep care regimen, though helpful, they are not risk-free. Natural does not equal safe. Medication interactions, allergens and personal health conditions are among other factors in determining the use and safety of any supplement. Taking these risk factors into account, and discussing any potential new regimen with a healthcare provider, are essential to ensure safety and efficacy.
After trying out these 10 natural sleep aids and reading these suggestions, you’ll be that much closer to addressing your sleep discomforts and related health issues using gentle, natural approaches to get a good night’s sleep. With some experimentation to determine which combination works best for you, you can focus on getting the rest your body needs and reap the benefits that nightly restorative slumber holds in store for your life.
