Sleep is essential for human beings. When you lose sleep, you risk developing mental health issues, and cognitive abilities. You also need sleep to boost your immune system, strengthen your heart, and to improve your physical health. Adults need 7 hours of sleep per day, on average. In the US, over 35% of adults are sleep-deprived. That’s over 100 million people who are at risk for mental and physical health problems that can be attributed to a lack of sleep.
There are prescription drugs that can help, but they sometimes come with side effects and addiction problems. Fortunately, there are naturally occuring sleep aids that you can try, which may help you to get a full night’s rest.
CBD
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People use cannabidiol, or CBD for a variety of reasons. Users report a reduction in seizures, anxiety and pain. In addition, it can help with sleep. One study found that 160mg of CBD increased sleep duration compared to a placebo.
Another study found that CBD improved disorders related to REM sleep. Whatever might be getting in the way of your having a good night’s rest, it might be worth trying a CBD product before bedtime. You could even try CBD oil that’s infused with another sleep aid, like melatonin.
Melatonin
Your body produces melatonin naturally, to signal to your brain that it’s time to go to bed. In most people, melatonin levels rise in the evening and drop in the morning.
However, some people’s sleep cycles are off, and melatonin may help. It’s a popular remedy for jet lag and other temporary problems, too. Furthermore, if you work the night shift and want to sleep during the day, melatonin may help.
Valerian Root
You can find Valerian Root growing in Asia and Europe. Locals often credit this herb as a treatment for the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and menopause.
In addition, studies have shown it to reduce insomnia in test subjects, when compared to a placebo. Though there were reported problems in these studies, it may still prove promising as a sleep aid. There are many great herbal remedies that come out of Asia, and Valerian Root is one of them. Another one is kratom powder.
Red Indo Kratom
A relatively small number of companies sell kratom powder when compared to some of the other items on this list. They make it by drying, and then pulverizing the leaves of the mitragyna speciosa tree into a fine powder.
Though it is not approved by the FDA for human consumption, people will often pack it into capsules. Kratom also comes in crushed leaf form, where people will brew it into tea. Whatever the case, there are many strains of this Southeast Asian plant product.
Red Indo is one of the varieties that people have reported to be good for sleep. The name comes from the red vein color, and its country of origin, Indonesia.
Keep in mind that this plant is in the coffee family. Its active compounds include Mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. Generally, people will report stimulating effects from low doses. Higher doses will produce the described sedative effect.
Magnesium
Many people take magnesium as a natural sleep aid, but it works differently than one might expect from a sedative. Your body uses this mineral to regulate natural processes. These include heart rhythm and blood pressure. Though rare, a magnesium deficiency can lead to anxiety and stress, which can prevent you from having a full night’s sleep.
A double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 46 older subjects who suffered from insomnia. It found that magnesium supplementation did help with insomnia, the time it took for people to fall asleep, sleep time, and other measurable factors in elderly people.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender is often used in aromatherapy, where people breath in the scents produced from essential oils.
The idea is that your nose has a direct path to the brain, where it senses aromas instantaneously, compared to the slow process of digestion. Different scents can trigger different memories and emotions.
These scents have also been shown to help people with various health problems. In the case of lavender essential oils, one study found that significantly increased the quality of sleep and reduced anxiety levels in patients who had coronary artery disease.
Tryptophan
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, one of the building blocks of protein. This one is special, and is often used as a sleep aid. It has been shown that a gram of tryptophan taken 45 minutes before bedtime will help you to fall asleep faster if you suffer from mild insomnia.
This small dosage is also shown to have no impact on alertness the following day, where other sedatives might.
