Natural sleep aids work by calming the mind, reducing stress, and preparing the body for rest. When used correctly, these remedies can help improve your sleep cycle, allowing you to wake up feeling refreshed and energized. Whether it is herbal teas, essential oils, or lifestyle changes, there are many ways to support better sleep naturally. By understanding how these methods work, you can choose the best option that fits your needs.

Why Is Sleep So Important?

Sleep is essential for the body and mind. It helps the brain process information, repair cells, and regulate emotions. When you get enough sleep, you feel more alert, make better decisions, and improve your overall wellbeing. However, if you constantly struggle with sleep, it can lead to serious health issues, such as heart disease, obesity, and weakened immunity.

Poor sleep can also affect your mood, making you feel anxious or depressed. Many people try different solutions, but not all of them work. Instead of depending on sleeping pills, which may cause dependency, choosing natural methods can provide long-term benefits without unwanted side effects. By making small changes to your routine and using natural remedies, you can create a sleep-friendly environment that promotes deep and restful sleep.

Herbal Teas That Promote Sleep

Drinking herbal tea before bed is a simple way to relax your body and mind. Certain herbs have natural calming effects that help reduce stress and improve sleep quality. One of the most popular options is chamomile tea, known for its soothing properties. Chamomile contains antioxidants that relax the nervous system, making it easier to drift off to sleep.

Another effective herbal tea is valerian root tea, which has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for insomnia. Valerian root helps increase the levels of a neurotransmitter called GABA, which promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety. Other herbal teas that can help with sleep include lavender, lemon balm, and passionflower. These teas not only taste good but also create a comforting bedtime ritual that signals your body it is time to rest.

Essential Oils for a Relaxing Sleep Environment

Aromatherapy is a powerful way to improve sleep naturally. Essential oils, extracted from plants, have calming effects that reduce stress and prepare the body for rest. Lavender oil is one of the most popular essential oils for sleep. Its soothing scent helps lower heart rate and blood pressure, allowing the body to enter a state of relaxation.

Another beneficial essential oil is cedarwood oil, which has a warm and grounding aroma. It helps stimulate the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep. Bergamot oil is also a great choice, as it reduces anxiety and promotes feelings of calmness. Using essential oils in a diffuser or adding a few drops to your pillow can create a peaceful sleep environment that helps you unwind after a long day.

Related » The Right Way to Use Essential Oils to Boost Your Health and Beauty

The Power of Magnesium for Sleep

Magnesium is a vital mineral that plays a key role in promoting relaxation and restful sleep. It helps regulate the nervous system and supports the production of melatonin. Many people have low magnesium levels due to poor diet or stress, which can lead to difficulty falling asleep.

One way to increase magnesium intake is by eating magnesium-rich foods such as nuts, seeds, and leafy greens. Another option is taking a natural sleep aid supplement containing magnesium, which can help improve sleep quality. Additionally, magnesium can be absorbed through the skin by taking a warm bath with Epsom salts before bedtime. This simple routine helps relax the muscles and prepares the body for deep sleep.

Lifestyle Changes That Improve Sleep Naturally

Your daily habits have a huge impact on the quality of your sleep. Making small adjustments to your routine can create an environment that supports better rest. One important factor is reducing screen time before bed. The blue light from phones, tablets, and computers can interfere with melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep. Switching off electronic devices at least an hour before bed can help your body prepare for rest.

Another effective habit is maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps regulate your internal clock. This routine makes it easier for your body to know when it is time to sleep, reducing the chances of waking up in the middle of the night. Regular physical activity during the day can also improve sleep, as it helps reduce stress and increases the production of sleep-promoting hormones.

The Role of Diet in Sleep Quality

What you eat during the day affects how well you sleep at night. Certain foods contain nutrients that help the body relax and promote restful sleep. Bananas, for example, are rich in magnesium and potassium, which help relax muscles and nerves. Almonds contain healthy fats and melatonin, making them a great bedtime snack.

On the other hand, consuming too much caffeine, sugar, or heavy meals before bed can disrupt sleep. Instead of reaching for coffee or sugary treats, choosing a natural sleep aid such as a warm glass of milk or a handful of nuts can help you fall asleep faster. Drinking enough water throughout the day is also important, but reducing fluid intake before bed can prevent waking up frequently to use the bathroom.

Meditation and Breathing Techniques for Deep Sleep

Relaxing the mind is just as important as relaxing the body when it comes to sleep. Stress and anxiety can keep your mind active, making it difficult to fall asleep. Practicing meditation before bed can help quiet the mind and create a sense of calmness. Focusing on deep breathing allows you to slow down your thoughts and enter a peaceful state.

One effective breathing technique is the 4-7-8 method, where you inhale for four seconds, hold the breath for seven seconds, and exhale for eight seconds. This technique helps reduce stress and prepares the body for sleep. Incorporating meditation and breathing exercises into your bedtime routine can significantly improve sleep quality over more weeks of practice.

Conclusion

Struggling with sleep can be frustrating, but you do not have to rely on medication to get the rest you need. Many natural remedies can help relax your body and mind, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. From drinking herbal teas and using essential oils to making simple lifestyle changes, there are many ways to improve sleep naturally.

By choosing natural sleep aids that work for you, creating a bedtime routine, and making healthier lifestyle choices, you can enjoy deep, restful sleep every night. Over more weeks, you will notice improvements in your energy levels, mood, and overall wellbeing. A good night’s sleep is essential for a healthy life, and with the right approach, you can achieve it naturally.

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But aren’t bedtime stories meant for kids?

Yes, but the reasons why they helped us fall asleep as kids hold true even in adulthood. The only difference is that as kids, our parents or grandparents would narrate them to us, while as adults we have to seek technology-enabled solutions to lull us to sleep.

There are multiple online resources and apps that offer bedtime stories for grown-ups. Tuning into these stories —often narrated by celebrities — is a great way to end a tiring day on a restful note.

Vivid story-scapes, narrated in deep soothing vocals and set to relaxing music can be a much-needed antidote to slow down our minds and help us drift into sleep.

Hearing too much of our own voice and thoughts at bedtime, which is pretty common, leads us, down the slippery slope of brain cacophony, to poor sleep. On the other hand, listening to someone else’s voice is an effective means of muting all those bothersome thoughts and voices in your head.

Listening to music and bedtime stories helps us sleep better

Getting ready for bed doesn’t only mean removing makeup, brushing your teeth and slipping into your pyjamas. Switching off physically and mentally is a complex biochemical process that requires lowering the heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure and reducing the levels of stress hormones. Listening to both music and stories has been shown to help us achieve these states.

But what kind of stories trigger our sleep hormones? While there isn’t any scientific data on this, market data indicates that sleep stories that enjoy a large listenership are wide in their genre, scope, and region of origin — from folk stories to fairy tales to stories about friendship and life experiences. However, their execution—how they are narrated—matters a lot. The cadence, tone, and energy of the narrator can make or break a story. A soothing musical track accompanying it can make it dance.

Scoring music for stories, like films, makes them more effective

If you observe people around you, many of them listen to TV and movie scores before falling asleep. What if meditative music for sleep was scored in three-act structures, like music for a film? And while we are at it, why not insert spoken word into that score?

Narration and music are great in and of themselves but put together, it’s a whole different experience. Just like when peanut butter first “met” chocolate. The combination of story, soothing vocal execution, and a delicate score to reinforce each section of the story is a new concept; but there are plenty of reasons why it would work.

Scoring bedtime stories to music in three-act structures helps enhance their soporific benefits. Humans dream in three-act structures. These structures oftentimes are not obvious in their demarcation and segments. Adding music aids the concept of a beginning, middle, and end. Music changes the way a story is signaled into the audience’s brain. It heightens the emotion, and it can be used to emphasise the three-act structure even when it is not blatantly structured into a story. Imagine listening to a three-act structured story, only to dream in three acts. It’s perfect sleep hygiene.

To summarise…

A good night’s sleep is essential for our holistic wellbeing. It deeply nourishes and heals our bodies and minds. But poor sleep is much more common than we realise. Now that you know how music and bedtime stories might affect your brain, how about try switching on a bedtime story on your device the next time you find yourself struggling to fall asleep? You might just start slowly drifting into restful sleep, lulled by soothing music and words. And wake up fully recharged the next morning to meet the challenges of the day head on.

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Poor sleep contributes to poorer performance in every other facet of your life. If you feel fatigued throughout the day, as if you didn’t get proper sleep when you wake up, or otherwise suspect that you’re not getting the quality of sleep you need, tension and stress might be the driving force behind this struggle. There are a few ways you can address tension with minimal effort. Let’s look at them.

10 Techniques to Help You Relax Before Going to Bed

1. Stop looking at screens and avoid entertainment

Not only does looking at screens stress your eyes, there’s a good chance the content you’re consuming is also creating tension. For example, if you’re indulging in content that increases your heart rate or builds tension, it will make falling asleep difficult. It might be a suspense television show, the news (which is almost always bad), or even browsing social media. Avoiding screens entirely at least two hours before bedtime is the recommended strategy for a great night’s sleep. You’ll also want to avoid any type of entertainment that can worry you or otherwise increase your heart rate—like reading that horror novel (see #7 below).

2. Put your legs up the wall

Legs-up-the-wall pose, also known as the Viparita Karani asana, is a deeply relaxing and restorative yoga pose. We are rarely in an inverted state where the heart is above the head. More aggressive inversions aren’t suitable for getting sleepy, but this ultra gentle version is just perfect to help you prepare for sleep. Doing this pose right before bedtime can induce a good night’s sleep by subtly reversing the blood flow. If your feet and legs get tingly, that’s normal. Make it part of your bedtime routine and soon your body will take it as a cue that it’s time for bed. You could even try the Chandra Namaskar — it helps you unwind after a long, tiring day.

3. Keep your phone/devices away from the bed

A bedroom with zero electronic devices is ideal but if you must have your phone around, keep it away and out of reach. Having your phone or electronic devices within reach will tempt you to sneak a peek before bed. Invest in an old-fashioned alarm clock, or put your phone on silent in another room where you can still hear an alarm. This can be an effective way of forcing yourself to get out of bed to go turn off the alarm in the other room. Also, the blue light that screens emit interferes with your sleep cycles.

4. Avoid excessive drinking, especially before bedtime

Have you noticed that on nights of heavy drinking you don’t sleep well? That’s because alcohol actually affects the body’s natural sleep cycle. Alcohol is a depressant that may make you feel sleepy initially, but wreaks havoc on the quality of your sleep. If you suspect that you’re struggling with alcohol use or abuse, find a treatment resource near you.

5. Exercise at a time that’s right for you

There’s no perfect time to exercise. Some people feel energised after a workout while others feel exhausted. If exercising makes you sleepy, it makes sense to get in that workout before bedtime. Just make sure you allow your body sufficient time to cool down and stretch, before hitting the sack. As a bonus, for many people the evening is the only time they really get to go to the gym.

6. Take a hot bath with aromatherapy

For many people, showers are energising while baths are relaxing. A bath can be part of a healthy sleep hygiene routine, especially if you infuse it with essential oils. Lavender is a well-known sleep aid and can be used as an essential oil in the bath and/or sprayed on your pillow. There are studies that have established that lavender improved sleep quality among participants, including those suffering from insomnia.

7. Read a nice book

Books have a unique quality in that they transport you into a different world, helping you disconnect with your troubles. Reading a good book is one of the time-tested ways to relax before going to bed. Just one caveat: you must avoid books that will provoke your senses or disturb you emotionally. Also, avoid reading on screens (see #1 above); old-fashioned books are the best. Devices such as the Kindle are OK too — they don’t hurt the eyes and are mostly distraction-free.

8. Avoid caffeinated drinks after 4pm

Coffee and tea are consumed by billions around the world for its various benefits on the mind and body. However, because of its stimulating effects, caffeine tends to interfere with your sleep quality. According to one study, those who drank caffeinated beverages up to six hours before sleep had markedly poor sleep quality. So post 4pm, it’s best to avoid anything that contains caffeine.

9. Eat your last meal at least three hours before sleep

Eating too close to bedtime can cause you heartburn and acid reflux, ruining your sleep quality in the process. Besides, the process of digestion itself can interfere with your sleep. Ideally you should stop eating at least three hours before going to bed.

10. Meditate for a few minutes

Meditation is among the most effective ways to reduce stress and relax before going to bed. It activates your parasympathetic nervous system which helps lower your heart rate and slows down your breathing and, in turn, improves the prospect of high quality sleep.

Follow these simple but powerful techniques and you’ll start sleeping like a baby.

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The quality of your sleep directly affects your physical, mental and emotional health. If you fall short on it, there are high chances that your energy, productivity levels, emotional balance and your mood may be seriously impacted. Therefore, if you want to stay in good health at all times, it is crucial that you get the rest you deserve every night.

The question is: how does one achieve this?

Keep reading for effective health tips which have the power to optimise your health and improve your overall sleep quality.

5 tips to improve your sleep quality and wellbeing

1. Create a restful environment

If you live in a place that’s noisy then you should make your bedroom a peaceful and quiet environment so you can get the rest you need after those long workdays and loud noises. Everything from the bed you sleep on to the lights in the room can play a major role in enhancing your sleep quality.

Start by getting a good mattress as it supports your whole body and boosts your mental health. Since finding a high-quality mattress is imperative to your sleep quality, you should always look for the best one you can afford. So, let’s say that you live in O.C, then you should look for the best mattress store Orange County has to offer. You’ll be surprised by the many health benefits you will experience just by finding yourself a comfortable and supportive mattress.

2. Develop a suitable sleep schedule

Another important factor for good sleep quality is to develop a sleeping schedule. For most healthy adults, this refers to getting around eight hours of sleep to give your body and mind the rest they deserve. One way of creating an appropriate sleep schedule is to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This will help set your body’s internal clock which will certainly lead to improved sleep quality in the future. Choose a bedtime that suits you best and try to wake up naturally without an alarm.

3. Reduce daytime naps

A common mistake that can affect your sleep at night is taking naps during the day. Sleeping in the daytime can confuse your internal clock and cause you to struggle more to fall asleep quicker at night. However, if you feel really tired during the day and want to lay down a bit, then try to limit yourself to a half-an-hour nap in early afternoon, so you avoid interfering with your nighttime sleep. If that doesn’t help, then stop napping altogether.

4. Practise relaxation techniques

If stress is the major cause of your lack of sleep, then you should consider practising relaxation techniques to wind down before you go to bed. Not only will this help improve your overall sleep quality, but they are also a great way to reduce stress symptoms.

For example, taking a long, hot bath before bed is an excellent relaxation technique you should do every once in a while. Soaking in warm water can relax your muscles and mind and help you fall asleep more quickly. If you want to enhance your experience, light up a few candles and play some calming music in the background.

5. Include physical activity in your daily routine

People who exercise on a regular basis sleep better at night and feel less sleepy during the day. This is because frequent physical activity improves the symptoms of insomnia and increases the amount of time you spend in the deep stages of sleep. But care must be taken not to exercise too close to bedtime. Try to finish your workout sessions at least three hours before going to bed.

If you are looking for a physical activity that can promote sleep, then consider yoga or gentle stretching in the evening.

Final thoughts on sleep quality

The importance of sleep quality should never be overlooked. The truth is that sleeping affects every aspect of your wellbeing, including your immune system, mood and general health. So, if you feel like you aren’t getting the rest you deserve at night, it is high time that you employ a few effective strategies to improve your overall sleep quality.

From creating a restful environment to practising relaxation techniques, follow the tips above and your sleep quality will improve in no time.

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So how exactly do stress and anxiety interfere with your sleep? Stress and anxiety might be causing you to get less sleep, more restful sleep, or make it hard to fall asleep at all. Plus, not only does stress and anxiety make getting a good night’s sleep hard, but they can also worsen existing sleep conditions. Here are some of the ways stress interferes with your sleep, and what to do about it.

Your mind never stops racing

If you’re stressed about something in your day, these thoughts will undoubtedly bombard you right as your head hits the pillow. You can’t help but run through tomorrow’s to-do list, think about what you could have done differently in that meeting at work, or think about that impending due date that is hanging over your head.

You wake up a lot during the night

Stress may make it harder to fall asleep in the first place, and it also makes it harder to get a restful night’s sleep. According to the Anxiety and Depression Foundation of America, seven out of ten adults with persistent stress or excessive anxiety say they have trouble sleeping. In addition, the average American only gets 6.6 hours of sleep a night, which is down from the average in 2005 and less than the recommended 7 – 8 hours of sleep.

So what can you do if stress and anxiety are plaguing your sleep? Here are a few helpful tips to hopefully get you snoozing.

How to ease your stress and anxiety to sleep better

Set aside the time

Too often, we’re busy living our lives, getting dinner cooked, doing a little work, or taking care of the kids and the clock quickly reaches 11 pm or midnight. We know we have to get up early the next day, so our sleep quickly diminished. To avoid this problem, set aside time at night to start getting ready for bed and winding down. You can set a reminder on your phone an hour or so before you want to be in bed to remind yourself. Stay accountable with your schedule and set aside the time for a solid night of sleep.

Turn off the screens

Experts agree that using your phone or computer or watching TV right before bed is one of the worst things you can do for your sleep. These screens emit blue light, which disrupts the part of our brain that’s responsible for winding us down for sleep. Make a promise to yourself that you’ll turn off all screens an hour before bedtime. You can read, draw, or listen to music instead! [Also read Computer vision syndrome: Strained sight]

Try meditation

Especially for people who suffer from stress and anxiety, meditation is a great tool to help you sleep better. Your meditation practice doesn’t have to be an extensive, involved, process, but it could be as simple as spending 10 or 20 minutes before bed doing breathing exercises and relaxing. Meditation lowers your heart rate, helps clear your mind, and tells your body that it’s time for bed. Being mindful and in the moment is a skill that translates outside of sleep, as well!

Start exercising

According to the Sleep Foundation, “regular exercisers fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. In fact, even a single moderate-intensity workout, like a brisk walk, can improve sleep among people with chronic insomnia.” This is likely because exercise triggers an increase in body temperature, decreases symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improves our circadian rhythms (or internal clock). Plus, your body will be much more tired after a long workout, and you can’t help but hit the hay!

Stress and anxiety may interfere with your sleep, but there are many things you can do to counteract these symptoms. If you think you have a more serious sleeping condition, talk to your doctor.

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Proper sleep raises our body’s immunity against viral infection and protects against higher risks of cardiovascular disease [heart attacks and strokes], type II diabetes, obesity, cancer, early onset of Alzheimer’s disease, depression, irritability, stress and anxiety.

Restful sleep also enhances cognitive performance, including memory, creativity, reaction-time, critical thinking and even athletic performance. That is a pretty good bargain for a pleasurable healthy experience with little effort on our behalf!

One way to ensure good sleep is to try sleeping with your best friend—your pet dog, cat or  any other four legged being. How many of us enjoy sharing our bed with a 4-legged family member? A good way to ensure good sleep is to sleep with your best friend, whether it is your dog, cat, or any other four-legged creature. Please do not forget to provide our furry companions with the loving care they deserve, and secure pet insurance for when necessary.

Benefits of Sleeping With Your Dog or Cat

Statistics show around 41 percent of surveyed pet owners who allowed their pet to sleep in the bedroom or on the bed said that they did not find their pet disruptive, and they even reported sleeping better. Here is why:

• A big advantage of sleeping with your 4-legged family member is they help with your emotional wellbeing. A pet offers you a feeling of companionship leading to decrease in feelings of loneliness.
• Pets lower your stress level, and ease depression. Studies suggest that the presence of pets increases the flow of oxytocin, the love chemical.
• Sleeping with your dog gives you an increased sense of security, especially for women.
• Pets promote coziness and warmth, and not just for humans. Our pets love to be next to their human companions and it reduces their anxiety that might be triggered by seeing animals on your TV screen [scores of TV commercials show pets], hearing environmental noise and having reactions to thunder and lightning. Win-win for both you and your faithful animal companions.

A Few Disadvantages

One disadvantage of sleeping with your fur baby is that it could negatively affect your love life, so you will probably want to have an alternative plan in place for them to sleep where they feel safe and you aren’t distracted. Thank god most animals can’t talk [beware the smart observant parrot!]

If you have allergies, co-sleeping with your pet might trigger or aggravate your condition.

While some people sleep better with a dog or cat because they feel calmer and more secure, others might have their sleep interrupted by pets moving around or snoring. So If you are a light sleeper, you might not enjoy your pet sleeping on your bed next to you.

Some pets—a large dog, for instance—may cause disruptions to your rest just by simply taking up a large space in your bed or trying to sleep on top of you.

Ideal Setting for Sleeping With Your dog or Cat

The ideal bedroom temperature for you and your pet is between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Also your sleeping quarters should be quiet and dark. A white noise generator can be peaceful and mask a noisy environment, but make sure the gadget is one that generates white noise rather than just playing a tape recording [which can interrupt sleep].

Keeping an air purifier in the bedroom will cut down on dust, dander and dog hair. Spraying lavender on pillows and sheets will aid your sleep and mask pet odors.

While there some sleep disturbances to humans, dogs and cats are just as much at risk when it comes to co-sleeping with their owners. People readjust and move around in their sleep without fully waking, so it could be dangerous to your 4-legged friends if you were to roll over on them or smother them with your blankets and comforters.

On the other hand, if your dog has some jerky leg movements, eye movements and maybe even some whimpering or barking, and cats show whisker twitching, rest assured they might be in REM sleep, the stage in which dreams most often occur in humans and animals.

Sleep well and sweet dreams!

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More sleep means less chances of getting the flu

In 2015 researchers at Carnegie Mellon University conducted a study involving 153 participants who documented their sleep patterns and voluntarily subjected themselves to rhinovirus infused nasal drops. The results were overwhelming, showing that individuals who sleep an average of six hours or less each night are over four times more likely to catch the common cold than those who sleep seven hours or more. Participants who averaged five hours showed even greater susceptibility to infection. In other words, the more sleep you get in the weeks leading up to viral exposure, the less likely you are to catch a bug.

Quality is as important as quantity

But it wasn’t simply the duration of sleep that proved significant in flu prevention. Sleep efficiency, a measure that accounts for overall sleep quality by discounting disturbances and middle-of-the-night awakenings, was the primary predictor of infection. More so than age, BMI, race, sex, season of exposure, psychological factors such as stress, or health practices such as smoking and physical activity, the quality of your sleep is the most predictive measure of your viral susceptibility. So, the deeper you sleep, the less likely you are to come down with a cold or a flu.

Sleep also helps to heal an infection sooner

Sleep not only promotes your ability to avoid infection, but it’s a major factor in the ability to recover once you’ve contracted a virus. Extended periods of deep sleep allow for the production of immune bodies such as T cells. T Cells exist in two varieties, Killer T Cells, which scan the body and destroy infected and cancerous cells and Helper T Cells, which coordinate immune responses through the release of messenger molecules called cytokines. Cytokines travel throughout the body regulating and activating appropriate pathways within your body’s adaptive response to pathogens. Sleep deprivation prevents proliferation of these essential immune bodies, depleting your arsenal and leaving you with weakened defense.

Interestingly, in the Carnegie Mellon study I cited earlier, the sensation of feeling “well rested” was not a sure indicator of good health in study participants. It was the objective measure of sleep quality and duration rather than perceived energy level that carried weight. There is no shortchanging the physiological processes that repair our bodies and brains and bolster our immune responses while we sleep. It’s not always easy to get the 7 – 9.5 hours of sleep necessary to optimise your physical and cognitive health, but if you prioritise your commitments and exercise good sleep hygiene, you’ll be well on your way to kicking the common cold and keeping the flu at bay.

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Melatonin is a hormone which plays an integral role in circadian cycles and the regulation of sleep onset. Studies have proven judicious melatonin dosage is effective in easing jet lag and shift work sleep disruptions, maintaining sleep patterns in children with neuro-developmental disabilities and in older adults with natural melatonin deficiencies.

In addition to sleep regulation, melatonin functions as an antioxidant, preventing cell damage and inflammation through elimination of free radicals. Recent studies have shown that melatonin, by virtue of these free-radical scavenging properties, could even be responsible for reducing neuronal damage in cases of stroke, chemical toxicity, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

With all of this evidence stacked up in its favor, why not head for the pharmacy to stock up on the supplement? Wait!

Possible Side Effects of Using Melatonin Supplements for Sleep

First, it’s important to recognize that your body produces its own melatonin. This endogenous supply is produced primarily by a small gland just above the center of your brain, the pineal gland. Retinal [eyes], epithelial [skin], and intestinal cells also produce melatonin, but not in the form that regulates circadian rhythms. While external melatonin, whether from natural food sources or a supplement, interacts with your brain in the same way as the bodily form, the influx of the hormone can flood your system and offset your natural melatonin production.

When you purchase melatonin as a supplement in the pharmacy, you typically get a dose between 1 and 10mg. This is a dramatically large range which reflects the lack of regulation on production and sales. Melatonin is the only hormone in the United States available for purchase without a prescription. And the United States is one of the only western nations that allows non-prescriptive sales of the hormone. Because melatonin can be obtained through natural food sources, it is designated as a dietary supplement alongside vitamins and minerals. This designation absolves melatonin sales from FDA regulation, meaning that the factory-produced, synthetic hormone makes it to the shelf in doses that are much too large and with incredible variance in purity between brands.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, a melatonin dosage of 1mg to 3mg can increase its blood levels to up to 20 times their normal value. This is problematic because in excess, this hormone can cause grogginess and sleep inertia the following day. Sleep inertia is the physiological condition that persists between sleep and wakefulness, characterized by impaired cognitive, sensory motor acuity and persistent drowsiness. Melatonin production by the pineal gland is a single element in an eloquent symphony of hormonal regulation; cranking up the volume on any one contributor will throw off the balance of the entire ensemble and offset your body’s natural cadence. In most cases of insomnia and delayed sleep onset in adults, there is not enough evidence, particularly for long term intervention, to support supplementation.  It is far safer and more effective to promote the body’s natural ability to produce the hormone on its own.

So How Do You Make Your Body Produce the Right Amount of Melatonin?

In order to synthesize melatonin, your body needs access to all the right ingredients, the main one being tryptophan, an amino acid. You may remember hearing this funny word around Thanksgiving, when turkey is held responsible for the drowsiness after the Thanksgiving meal. And there’s something to this. Turkey, like chicken, eggs, cheese, meat, is rich in tryptophan. In a series of reactions, tryptophan is converted to serotonin, which is then converted to melatonin. But tryptophan isn’t the only ingredient needed to synthesize melatonin. Other key players include vitamin B6 and co-enzyme A, a derivative of biotin and amino acid L-lysine.

Both tryptophan and lysine are essential amino acids, meaning they cannot be synthesized by the body and therefore must be obtained in the diet.  Foods such as nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, poultry, and eggs all contain high levels of tryptophan, lysine, and vitamin B6. You can also use supplements to obtain a balanced mix of these crucial ingredients. Adhering to a healthy diet rich in melatonin precursors will optimize your body’s ability to synthesize melatonin and naturally regulate consistent sleep-wake cycles.

More Reasons to Break the Bad Habits

For as much emphasis as you place on putting healthy fuels into your body, equal care should be given to keeping unhealthy substances out. Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol suppress melatonin production and will result in disrupted sleep patterns. Additionally, surges in blood sugar cause cortisol levels to spike and melatonin levels to plummet. So if you’re trying to kick a sweet-tooth induced habit, this is one more reason to do so. And if you’re accustomed to grabbing a late-night snack, avoid the sweets and make sure it’s low in carbohydrates. Human physiology is dynamic and resilient. Give your body its best shot at wellness and self-regulation by breaking these habits.

Exercise During the Day, Cut the Lights at Night

In general, exercise will improve the quality of your sleep, but exercising at night can decrease melatonin production and delay or prevent sleep onset. If possible, exercise during the morning [not at the expense of your sleep quantity] or in the afternoon. Adopting a consistent schedule will assist your body in regulating hormonal balance and maintaining circadian rhythms.

The most important way to promote your circadian rhythm and your body’s melatonin producing abilities is through regulation of light exposure. Light, registered as an electrical impulse, passes along a bundle of nerves from the eye to the brain, signaling and synchronizing circadian processes throughout the body. This electrical impulse deactivates the pineal gland, inhibiting melatonin.  However in the absence of light, the pineal gland is able to operate in high gear producing melatonin and promoting sleep onset and maintenance. It is important to establish a regular schedule that involves exposing yourself to bright light every morning and avoiding daylight spectrum and blue light within an hour of bedtime.  This means no TVs, tablets, phones, computers, or bright households lights.  Dim the lights and put away the electronics to set the stage for a sound night’s sleep.

Related » Daytime strategies to help you sleep better

Conclusion

While it is a key element in sleep physiology, it is essential to consider supplemental melatonin dosage with proper discernment.  If you regularly travel internationally, work night shifts, or if you’re over the age of 60 and have difficulty sleeping, with the consultation of your doctor, a melatonin supplement could be an effective alternative to prescription sleep aids. However, before visiting the pharmacy, give your body a chance to produce and regulate an endogenous supply of melatonin by adopting a healthy diet, maintaining a regular schedule, and regulating your exposure to light.

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1. Establish a regular sleep-wake schedule

The single most effective strategy for improved sleep is establishing a consistent schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Pre-deadline days, weekends, birthdays, and holidays are no exception; your circadian rhythm does not, unfortunately, accommodate your social life or your professional obligations. It is vital to maintain consistency despite the occasion.

Inconsistent sleep schedules correlate with poor sleep quality, increased sleep latency [time it takes to fall asleep], and shortened sleep duration. To establish consistency in your sleep routine, start by determining your sleep need. The majority of the adult population requires 7.5 to 9 hours each night for optimal performance and alertness the following day. However, this need fluctuates with age and activity level, and is largely specific to the individual.

Studies show that most people overestimate their actual sleep and underestimate their sleep need [you would have thought it’s the other way!], so choose a realistic schedule that fulfills your true sleep need and stick to it. Adding one to two more hours can dramatically change your health, your mood, and your daytime performance.

2. Ditch the snooze button

If you’re getting enough sleep and keeping a regular schedule, you should have no use for an alarm, much less the snooze button. It’s not an issue of mind over matter, it’s a physiological necessity. If you’re not getting enough sleep or if you’re waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle, you’re going to feel drowsy, but pressing the snooze button won’t help.

Pressing it affords you only a few minutes of fragmented rest, which leaves you feeling more groggy than you would otherwise. Either set your alarm later to maximise quality sleep or bite the bullet and wake up on the first alarm and plan for a power nap or an earlier bedtime.

3. Expose yourself to bright light every morning

Your body’s physiological [circadian] rhythm is a symphony of physiological and behavioral patterns conducted by the suprachiasmatic nuclei [SCN], a 20,000 neuron area in the brain’s hypothalamus. Through electrical impulse, the SCN controls the crescendos and decrescendos of body temperature, hormone production and release, neural activity, and resultant patterns of drowsiness and alertness. These cycles maintain a pattern that is nearly 24 hours in length, but they depend on external stimuli, namely light, to keep the cycle in sync with the 24 hour progression of the external world.

Start your day by exposing yourself to bright [ideally natural] light for at least 15 minutes first thing in the morning to “sync” your circadian rhythm and activate the systems that keep you awake and active.

4. Avoid light exposure within one hour of sleep

Melatonin is a hormone chiefly responsible for coordinating your circadian rhythm. Its release is dependent on the absence of light. The absence of light triggers melatonin release, which initiates the onset of sleep and is integral to every stage of sleep thereafter.

Electronic devices like TV and iPads emit daylight spectrum light. As long as you’re in front of a screen or under bright household lights, you’re inhibiting melatonin release and sleep onset. It’s important to avoid light exposure for an hour before going to sleep or wear blue light blocking glasses to prevent retinal stimulation. This cues your body to release melatonin and ready itself for sleep.

5. Cut caffeine from late afternoon to bedtime

It takes at least six hours to metabolise caffeine, so it’s a good idea to stop drinking energy drinks, sodas, coffee, and tea from late in the afternoon until bedtime. Also avoid other caffeine sources, including chocolate or java flavoured desserts and protein bars, and more surprising sources including some weight-loss pills and pain relievers.

The final caffeine caveat is to mind your decaffeinated beverages. The FDA designates decaffeinated coffee as containing 2-5mg of caffeine per 5oz cup. This concentration alone can disrupt sleep and considering that most retailed decaf coffee contains levels far exceeding this limit, it’s wise to completely cut coffee consumption from mid afternoon.

6. Avoid alcohol consumption within three hours of bedtime

If you’re one to partake, you know that alcohol, being a depressant, can make you drowsy. But don’t let this sensation fool you into believing that alcohol consumption aids sleep. Alcohol, in fact, does just the opposite. It disrupts your circadian rhythm, causing mid-night awakenings and preventing restorative REM sleep.

Aside from disturbing your physiological sleep rhythm, alcohol can increase snoring and sleep apnea by decreasing muscle tone and it will likely cause disruptive trips to the restroom [not the kind of rest you want or need].

Avoiding alcohol consumption within three hours of bedtime ensures a restful and uninterrupted snooze.

7. Exercise regularly

Regular exercise reduces the incidence of insomnia, decreases snoring and sleep apnea through weight loss, and improves overall restfulness through improved respiration and circulation.

Body temperature is an important component of circadian rhythm. Core body temperature spikes during exercise, then plummets approximately five hours later. Coordinating this with the natural rise in body temperature in the morning or the natural drop in body temperature preceding sleep optimises the onset, quality, and duration of sleep.

Morning and afternoon exercise are therefore optimal, while evening and late night workouts are likely to delay the onset of sleep. However, if you opt for a morning workout, be sure not to compromise your nocturnal sleep requirement.

8. Eat a balanced, anti-inflammatory diet

When it comes to diet, the major aim is stabilising blood sugar, obtaining necessary micronutrients, and balancing consumption of protein, fibre, and healthy fat. Doing so will promote healthy hormone production and release, avoid inflammation, equip your body with adequate fuel, and ultimately contribute to optimal sleep latency, quality, and duration.

Stabilise blood sugar by eating meal low in glycemic index every five hours. Avoid processed foods and added sugar. This will help regulate cortisol levels, preventing disruption of REM sleep.

Build your meals up from a base of vitamin and mineral rich veggies, clean proteins, and healthy fats. This will provide the necessary precursors for sleep inducing hormones, while minimising inflammation and spikes in blood glucose.

Begin curbing difficult-to-digest foods three hours before bedtime. This includes spicy, fried, and high protein foods. Instead, opt for fruits such as cherries, kiwis, and bananas, which are readily digestible and packed with potassium and magnesium for muscle relaxation.

9. Quit smoking

Cigarette smoke is a multifaceted sleep thief. Nicotine, a stimulant, inhibits the onset of sleep and causes insomnia and increased awakenings. Individuals who smoke cigarettes are also 2.5 times more likely to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea due to inflamed tissues in the nose and throat.

Smoking alters the expression of genes that facilitate circadian rhythms and may permanently hamper the quality of your sleep. Quitting relieves symptomatic sleep problems and avoiding cigarettes altogether places you among the soundest sleeping demographic.

10. Practice mindfulness

Maintaining a prayer life or cultivating a meditation or yoga practice has been linked to healthier sleep habits and sounder sleep. These practices maintain stress hormone levels during the day that otherwise accumulate to disrupt the onset and depth of sleep come nighttime.

Meditation enhances neural plasticity and network synchronisation, which allows for seamless transitions into and out of deep sleep.

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