Poor sleep impacts all aspects of our lives and health. You’ve probably noticed that even one night of sleep deprivation impacts the mood of your body, its energy level, and appetite the next day. If sleep deprivation becomes a regular thing and the days become difficult, it’s difficult to endure.

Sleep is crucial to memory, learning metabolism, balanced hormones, healthy aging and overall well-being. If you’re asleep it might not appear like you’re doing anything however, it’s the time the time when your body cleanses and rebuilds itself, as well as repairs. It’s also a crucial moment for hormones like growth hormone and melatonin to fulfill their function.

If your sleep is at its best and you’re able to easily sleep, then fall again asleep, awake at early morning, and then wake up feeling refreshed, rested and functioning efficiently throughout the daytime. Averaging seven to nine hours of sleep each night is the perfect time for sleep-time.

The downside is that 35 percent of American adults do not have at minimum seven hours of rest each night. The use of technology, the demands of work and stress are just some of the reasons why it’s difficult to make a decision about sleep.

If we don’t get enough rest We are at a higher risk of:

Insulin resistance
A higher appetite and increased calorie intake
Cognitive decline
An increased risk of developing cardiometabolic disease

It’s no wonder so people are searching for ways to enhance our sleep. If you’re interested in knowing how to improve your sleep continue reading to find out more about the top supplements for sleep.

How do you sleep Better? Control Your Hormones

If you’re seeking ways to improve your sleep quality or achieve better quality sleep the hormones in your body could be worth a look. The hormones involved in menstrual cycles as well as healthy pregnancy, as well as an appropriate stress response could impact your sleep quality.
Progesterone for Better Sleep

Progesterone increases after ovulation and continues to rise until the final phase of the luteal. However, when levels of progesterone fail to rise to their optimal levels, sleep problems may be noticed. Indeed, difficulties sleeping and staying asleep could be an indication of low levels of progesterone. The reason is that progesterone metabolites help the brain’s usage of GABA, a neurotransmitter which assists us in getting the most restful sleep. Continue reading as I’m about discuss sleep support supplements.

Although we’d like to understand the reason for low progesterone during our cycle it is not a secret that there is a decrease in progesterone that occurs during menopausal and perimenopausal phases. It’s likely to be necessary to take progesterone supplements in this stage of your life (of course, consult with your doctor). The supplements below could also assist you in getting better sleep, by helping to boost the body’s GABA levels.
Cortisol Sleep Problems

The way it’s supposed to function is that cortisol levels decrease in the evening while melatonin is elevated. In some instances stress hormones that come produced by the adrenal glands stay up while melatonin decreases during the night. This is why having dark bedrooms avoid screens and a relaxing time in the evening is essential.

Supplements that support your body’s natural cortisol decrease can aid in promoting restful and relaxing sleep. We’ll be discussing these supplements in the near future.

Let’s take a look at the natural sleep aids to increase your sleep. Take a look at these suggestions while adding other sleep-related support measures in place, such as setting a routine for bedtime and getting up earlier, and avoiding the use of screens and stress prior to going to bed.

Sleep supplements are an alternative to more powerful sleep aids, which could result in side effects and dependence.

Make sure you consult your healthcare provider to determine which choices best suit you.

The top 10 supplements for sleep (that don’t contain melatonin) are:

Ashwagandha
Magnesium
Taurine
Lemon balm
Valerian
L-theanine
Passionflower
Phosphatidylserine
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12

Let’s look at every natural sleep aid that is listed.

Ashwagandha for Sleep

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is an adaptogenic plant frequently used to aid in the support of thyroid and adrenal glands. The herb has an extensive track record of usage in Ayurvedic treatment and has numerous advantages that include the ability to decrease anxiety, stress as well as symptoms of depression.

Ashwagandha is part of the nightshade familyof plants, which includes peppers and tomatoes. However, the root is used to treat ailments due to its medicinal properties. Ashwagandha is available in capsules or can include the powdered roots in beverages or teas. The term “ashwagandha” is a reference to “smell of horses,” so it may be simpler to swallow an ashwagandha capsule rather than to drink tea.

As an adaptogen one of the primary advantages of ashwagandha is its ability to aid us in adapting and improve our resistance to stressful situations. Stress is a major of sleep problems.

However, can ashwagandha aid in sleeping? The answer is yes!

Numerous studies have examined the benefits of ashwagandha in sleepand have found that supplementing Ashwagandha can improve the quality of sleep and decreases the amount of time needed to get to sleep. A study found that the quality of sleep increased by 72% in just six weeks.

A meta-analysis of 5 trials indicates that, aside from improvement in sleep all over the world and particularly for insomnia sufferers, ashwagandha also improved mental alertness in the mornings, and eased anxiety.

If you’re exhausted and wired, or just can’t start your day Ashwagandha may be a great choice. It’s not recommended intended for use during pregnant women or for those suffering from some autoimmune diseases such as Lupus.

The recommended dosage of ashwagandha for sleeping is 100-200 mg of extract that is standardized and contains five percent withanolides.

Ashwagandha is included in the Adrenal Calm formula, which is designed to be consumed in the evening to help promote relaxation and restorative sleep.

Magnesium to sleep

Magnesium is a vital mineral that can have a relaxing influence in the human body. Magnesium benefits are muscle relaxation and relaxation of your nervous system.

The majority of us don’t get enough magnesium from your diets in order to fulfill our day-to-day requirements. In fact, 52 percent of Americans don’t eat enough magnesium. People who consume enough nutritious sources of magnesium, such as legumes, leafy greens, and avocados, could have less magnesium than they think because of the depletion of soil due to modern agriculture methods.

More than 50% of people over 50 suffer from insomnia. Could one of the reasons be the absence of magnesium? As we age and become more susceptible to consume less of the essential nutrients and an increased difficulty in absorbing these nutrients.

We are aware that a low magnesium levels can contribute to sleep problems, and research studies confirm that replenishing magnesium through magnesium supplements can help improve sleep.

When selecting an magnesium supplement to help sleep, I recommend magnesium glycinate to ensure greater absorption and bioavailability. Begin with 100-200mg, then increment until you get the desired effects.

If you notice that you’re making more frequent trips to the bathroom, read the label on the supplement you are taking. It is a common adverse consequence of magnesium citrate that’s why I like the form of glycinate.

Taurine for Sleep

The amino acid taurine can be that can be found in foods that are protein-rich. One of the benefits I love about taurine is that it in certain situations acts as a relaxing neurotransmitter. However, its receptor is still been identified.

Taurine has a structure similar to Glycine and GABA in that GABA being the body’s main inhibitory or neurotransmitter that is calming. Taurine could work with GABA receptors to block the neuronal excitement and produce a calming effect. Taurine also has a role to play in the metabolism of melatonin. These processes could help to clarify the reason why taurine is a powerful sleep aid for certain people.

Taurine supplements start at 300 mg and can go up to 3 grams.

Lemon Balm to help you sleep

The lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is an herb with a pleasant aroma belonging to the mint family. It is considered to be a nervine as it soothes and reenergizes the nerve system. Lemon balm is commonly being used for herbal blends and in supplements.

The benefits of lemon balm include aiding digestion, relieving anxiety, and encouraging sleep. As a sleep aid the lemon balm (and its main constituent, rosmarinic acid) is a stimulant to the GABA system within the body, thereby improving the quality of sleep.

Lemon balm can be a pleasant alternative. Consider lemon balm as a herbal tea to drink before bed or as an supplement. Find lemon balm that contains the standard 3% extract of the acid rosmarinic. The minimum dose is 100mg.

Valerian Root to help sleep

Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis) is a different nervine plant however it’s stronger than lemon balm, and more of an serotonin. It is the plant’s root used in the production of medicine.

Valerian is most famous for its sleep-related benefits and is used extensively across the world. It works through GABA receptors. GABA receptor, just like most of the supplements listed in this listing, and helps ease the nervous system’s response. Valerian has been found to speed up the time to fall asleep and increase the quality of sleep.

When selecting valerian root to treat insomnia, selecting the right product that is standardized is essential. Certain active components in valerian can be unstable and their quality could differ between herbal remedies. The recommended dose is 100 mg standardised to contain 0.8 percent valerenic acid.

L-Theanine to help sleep

L-theanine is an amino acids present in large amounts within green tea. It’s believed to have an anti-stress effect, and also counteracts the stimulant effects of caffeine found in green tea. That’s why people often prefer it over coffee.

The benefits of L-theanine include lessening anxiety, stress and enhancing mental focus. It is also used as a supplement to help support sleep. L-theanine by itself or in conjunction with other sleep-related supplements like GABA could improve sleep quality.

A study found that an L-theanine GABA combination reduced the amount of time required to get to sleep, extended the length of sleep and improved the quality of both REM or non-REM sleeping. Another study found that the supplementation of l-theanine helped improve sleep as well as stress-related symptoms as well as cognitive performance. The most effective dosages are around 100-200 mg.

Passionflower for Sleep

The Passionflower (Passiflora in incarnata) is a different nervine plant that can help you the sleep cycle by acting upon GABA receptors and calming our nervous system. Passionflower has been found to shorten the time required to fall asleep, and to increase the duration of sleep.

A study found that tea made from passionflower was consumed prior to bedtime and showed subjective benefits to sleep in accordance with journals of sleep.

Other benefits of passionflowers include the ability to ease anxiety that can make sleeping more difficult. As opposed to a medication for anxiety it helped to manage the symptoms without affecting work performance.

Many women choose to use passionflower to aid in sleep during pregnancy because it is usually considered to be safe for use throughout the journey of fertility during pregnancy, postpartum, and even after. In this instance tea or tinctures are typically employed.

The dosage of passionflower for sleep supplementation is 100mg , standardized to have 3.5 percentage flavonoids.

Phosphatidylserine for sleep

We’ve covered amino acids, herbs as well as the mineral magnesium. Phosphatidylserine is one of the phospholipids that is one of many molecules that are found in cell membranes that are crucial in cellular wellbeing and for communication.

It could be that phosphatidylserine can help improve sleep too, especially for those who suffer from sleep problems caused by stress and increased cortisol levels during the night. In the ideal scenario, we would like cortisol levels to be lower in the night, to facilitate sleep. Taking phosphatidylserine supplements can help in reducing the cortisol reaction.

If you suffer from PMS and have trouble sleep before menstrual cycles, taking phosphatidylserine as a sleeping support could be worth trying. The women who took phosphatidylserine over three cycles experienced a decrease in PMS symptoms when compared with placebo.

Vitamin B6 to help sleep

Let’s look at some of the sleep-related vitamins. Vitamin B6 and its active form, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) is involved in the metabolism of proteins as well as the reactions that produce neurotransmitters. PLP is essential to create serotonin which transforms into the hormone melatonin. It is also involved in supporting sleep.

Vitamin B6 can also impact the balance of hormones mood, brain health and immune system.

In one study , where participants consumed vitamin B6 to sleep, they experienced an increase in recall and dreams.

It is recommended that the daily allowance (RDA) to adults amounts to 1.3mg of Vitamin B6 per day but much higher amounts are available in supplement form. The vitamin B6 dose for sleeping starts at around 5mg, and increases to the level of 240 mg.. Since it is water-soluble, excess levels is excreted through the urine, however in certain individuals, it can cause toxicity. To prevent this from happening avoid this, don’t take supplements with greater than 100mg vitamin B6 per day. Talk with your doctor.

Vitamin B12 to help sleep

Another important vitamin that is essential to sleeping is Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is vital to help with fertility, pregnancy and energy levels and brain health, and many more. Deficiency is common among those who are vegetarians and elderly.

Vitamin B12 and sleeping are in a close relationship, since the vitamin influences neurotransmitters and the circadian cycle. A study revealed that students with a better B12 levels were more successful on a scale that measured sleep quality as well as were more likely utilize sleep aids.

Another study conducted recently discovered no connection in the relationship between Vitamin B12 and sleep for two weeks. The study however employed the cyanocobalmin type of B12 rather than the active (and most commonly used) one, methylcobalamin.

Its RDA of vitamin B12 amounts to 2.4 micrograms for adults similar to others B vitamin, it is common to notice higher doses in supplements. For instance, Adrenal Calm contains 2000 milligrams.