Do you suffer from insomnia or poor sleep at night? Perhaps anxiety or pain ar to blame, resulting, in your not being at your best. Sometimes, natural sleep strategies do not work and instead, these supplements for sleep can improve the time and quality of your sleep.
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Prioritising and understanding how important your sleep is can improve your health incredibly.
Why is Sleep important?
Sleep is a typically underrated part of health and wellness. While you sleep, your body is working to maintain healthy brain function and support your physical wellbeing.
Sleep deprivation can negatively impact your mental, emotional and physical health significantly.
Studies have shown that sleep deprivation contributes to lower brain function. Leading to trouble problem solving, managing emotions and coping with change. Also being linked to depression, mood swings and risky behaviours.
Additionally, sleep deprivation also has an impact on your physical health. Potentially decreasing your immune system function by up to 70%. As well as contributing to higher risks of heart disease, high blood pressure. diabetes and strokes.
This is because the body balances and releases the right hormones your body needs during your sleep. Including the release of insulin to control blood sugars, hormones that help repair cells and for building muscles.
It is clear that sleep is very important for your health. Therefore, obtaining enough sleep and good quality sleep is going to improve your health and wellness significantly.
Not only this, but better sleep will contribute to your motivation, brain function and productivity. Resulting in benefits seen in all areas of life.
4 Supplements for Sleep: To improve sleep quality, duration and REM sleep
Disclaimer: this is not medical advice but presenting research and potential solutions. We encourage you to seek a doctors advice if your sleep continues to deteriorate.
With the importance of sleep so clear and obvious, we want to share supplements for better sleep.
Sometimes natural solutions may not make a difference for people. Each one of us is different and therefore, have different sleep cycles. Meaning some solutions can work for some and not for others.
These are suggestions to try and have been proven to improve sleep.
1. Melatonin
Melatonin is probably one of the most popular and well known supplements for sleep.
What is Melatonin? Melatonin is a natural hormone produced when the body is exposed to darkness. It regulates the bodies internal clock and contributes to sleep.
This hormone doesn’t make you sleep. Melatonin begins to be produced around 2 hours before bedtime and puts you into a state that induces sleep.
How can Melatonin Supplements help sleep? Studies have shown that melatonin can contribute to increased sleep time. As well as promoting sleep onset, sleep maintenance, and the phased shifting of circadian rhythms (internal body clock).
Therefore, supplementing melatonin can improve sleep quality. Melatonin is often used to recover from jet lap because of the shifting of circadian rhythms. This is also beneficial for everyday life too.
To help sleep, it is often recommended to turn off devices around 2 hours before bed. This is because natural melatonin production is triggered by darkness and the day/night cycles.
Therefore, the use of our devices can be disrupting this natural production. Supplementing melatonin will help with sleep as the natural hormone may not be produced at all.
How to take Melatonin Supplements for sleep These supplements are usually readily available online in most countries or over the counter.
Dosing ranges from 1-5mg, starting with a low dose and increasing if you see no improvement. This is taken around 1hour to 30 minutes before you go to bed.
However, in the UK you can only obtain melatonin on prescription.
An alternative available is 5-HTP. This supplement produces serotonin which is converted to melatonin. Studies have shown that combining 5-HTP and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) decreased the amount of time it took to fall asleep. Also increasing the duration and quality of sleep.
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2. Magnesium
You may have noticed that Utmost me Neuro rest combines both 5-HTP and magnesium for sleep. Heres why:
What is Magnesium? Magnesium is a mineral that is naturally found in many foods and often fortified in some foods. This mineral is required for energy production, contributes to healthy bones. As well as aiding the transport of calcium and potassium around the body.
You can become deficient in magnesium if you do not consume enough. The symptoms of magnesium deficiency include vomiting, fatigue, and in severe cases, seizures.
How can Magnesium help sleep? Magnesium has shown to be a muscle relaxer and inducer of deeper sleep.
Studies have shown to improve sleep efficiency, sleep time and sleep onset. As well as the regulation of circadian rhythms which can improve sleep cycles and routine. These are similar to the effects seen in melatonin.
Deficiency in magnesium can also lead to insomnia and depression. Revealing how important this mineral is for sleep and treating insomnia.
How to take magnesium supplements for sleep There are lots of types of magnesium you can find in supplements. Including, magnesium glycinate or bisglacinate, citrate and orotate which are best for sleep.
Recommended dosage of magnesium is 400mg – 420mg per day for adult men and 310mg – 320mg for adult women. However, if you think you may have deficiency, this dose may need to be raised initially to replenish levels. Reducing the dosage a few weeks later.
Unlike melatonin, you do not need to take magnesium before bed. Instead, it is recommended to take with food and you will still obtain the benefits. Some people report feeling more awake when they take magnesium in the morning.
Why not try different times of day and find what works best for you?
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3. CBD Oil
CBD oil has become more and more available in recent years and offers many benefits. One of those is improving your sleep.
What is CBD Oil? CBD stands for Cannabidiol, a type of cannabinoid compound found in cannabis. This type does not alter consciousness or trigger a “high”, unlike other types.
As it has grown in popularity, more and more research is studying the effect of CBD. Studies have shown to reduce the symptoms of PTSD and anxiety.
Further studies has shown that CBD can reduce pain symptoms. Generally, the research is promising that CBD can assist with many physical and mental conditions. However, they are still in early stages and more research needs to be done to know the full extent of CBD on health.
How can CBD oil help sleep? One study focused on the effect of CBD on anxiety and sleep. In 72 participants, 79% reported decreased anxiety scores which remained reduced during the study. As well as 67% reporting improved sleep and more intense REM sleep.
Although it is not clear how CBD works to improve sleep. The research supports the reduction of pain and anxiety which can interfer with sleep. Therefore, treating other symptoms can improve sleep.
How to take CBD oil for sleep Luckily, CBD is available in many forms. Including in vape, oils, edibles and capsules.
The study conducted on sleep and anxiety used capsule form. Whereas, the study reducing physical pain saw more effective and faster results from inhaling CBD.
Typically dosing ranges from 25mg to 1500 mg. We suggest you start with a low dose before increasing if you feel no effect. Due to it’s relaxing properties, CBD would be best taken before bed similar to Melatonin.
Just like with other supplements, you may need to try different types. This is to discover which type you benefit from the most. Why not try these?
4. Vitamin D
If you’ve never heard of vitamin D, then you really don’t know how important it is!
What is Vitamin D? Vitamin D is a vitamin that is naturally produced by our skin when exposed to the sun. It is also not found in many food sources which makes vitamin D a common D deficiency.
Vitamin D is very important for many of the bodies functions. This includes supporting your immune system function. By reducing inflammatory T cells and Cytokines that make up your immune system.
How can Vitamin D help sleep? Studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency is related to a higher risk of sleep disorders. As well as, associated with poor sleep quality, reducing sleep duration and suffering from sleepiness.
Therefore, particuarly if you are deficient in Vitmain D, you may find great benefits from supplementing your diet.
Unfortunatley, there is still so much research to be done to fully understand how Vitamin D can improve sleep. However, the current studies suggest that low levels are detrimental to sleep. Therefore, improving these levels can possibly impact sleep.
How to take Vitamin D supplements for sleep Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. Meaning that is is better absorbed by the body when taken with high fat foods.
Therefore, taking vitamin D supplements will be more effective when taken with food. Although, not enough information is there to understand if the time of day is best.
We suggest testing out vitamin D supplements in your morning routine or evening routine. This is to evaluate if you feel a difference in your sleep quality according to the time.
You can buy either Vitamin D3 (from animal products) or vitamin D2 (from plant products). Both have been shown to be effective at maintaining and improving vitamin D levels.
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Time for the Best Sleep of Your Life
With these 4 supplements for sleep, you can level up your sleep and your health and wellbeing.
Begin being the best version of yourself every day by achieving quality rest for your mind and body. Give your brain the best chance at functioning and expanding after a deep sleep. Use these supplements to your advantage and improve your life, one step at a time.
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