Natural Sleep Supplements: Are They the Answer?

Natural Sleep Supplements: Are They The Answer?

Great sleep

How many times have you laid awake in bed, hoping for sleep to come, only to have it avoid you for hours and hours before your big day at work tomorrow? Tossing and turning only seems to make it worse, you count sheep, but to no avail: sleep isn’t coming. Here’s the good (and bad) news: you aren’t alone. In between stress, jobs, and run of the mill insomnia Americans have never slept worse. That comes at a time when we’re learning the absolute benefits of having a healthy sleep routine. People who sleep more tend to have better sex lives, quicker cognitive responses, and are less likely to develop neurological diseases. Compile that with our phones, tablets, and other streaming devices and it seems like instead of us getting easier great sleep with technology, it seems like it’s just harder and harder.

Enter sleep aids: these little pills call to us with their siren song of relief. Maybe if we take some pills, it will allow us to sleep easier. While this can be true, most pills can really mess with your sleep cycle, leaving you groggy and slow in the morning. Even worse, our bodies can become addicted to using these pills, so that we remain chained to them even when altering other parts of our lifestyles. So are there any good supplements out there? As always, your best routine is usually to go the natural route. We found a couple natural remedies that should relax you, without the habit forming nature of many other pills. As always, it’s best to avoid them all together and figure out the underlying reason you actually can’t sleep, but if you’re up late reading this post, try one of these and see if it helps.

Magnesium

Magnesium is important to over 300 different biochemical reactions in the body. It improves muscle function, regulates blood pressure, and is an important factor in retaining strong bone density. Not only that, it’s also an important factor in your body’s production of cortisol, a natural stress reducer that works as a natural combatant to insomnia. An added benefit is that it works as a natural muscle relaxer, aiding your quest for an easier sleep by reducing tension in muscles.

The best part? You don’t have to take a pill to enjoy it. Magnesium is found in all kinds of foods. Spinach, dark chocolate, and almonds all have high levels of magnesium, so feel free to snack (responsibly) before you hop into bed. That little extra kick of cortisol could be just the thing your body needs to slide it into a great sleep.

Vitamin B

Vitamin B is also vital in tons of different body processes. B3, B5, B6, and B9 specifically are great for helping with sleep regulation. It comes from their role in producing tryptophan in your brain, the chemical (made famous by Seinfeld) for inducing sleep. While it may not work fast as the fiction of Seinfeld made it seem, it is a proven natural sleep aid. Vitamin B does come in most supplements, but it’s also found in poultry, dairy, and chickpeas. A little light snacking a few hours before bed could give you the results you’re looking for. The best part? No sleep hangover in the morning.

As always, it’s best if you can go the natural route — so try these simple answers before heading to the drug store. Your best rest always comes from within. Good luck, and have a great sleep.