In today's non-stop “24-hour” world, the public’s interest in sleep has skyrocketed. Affecting millions worldwide, stress, irregular sleep patterns, and lifestyle factors contribute to conditions like insomnia and sleep apnea, disrupting the natural sleep-wake cycle. Not only does poor sleep deeply affect our day-to-day, it can sometimes be life or death. Studies expect 230,000 - 345,000 people worldwide will have died from fatigue-related motor vehicle crashes in the coming years. When the enemy of a restful night’s sleep feels increasingly artificial (a society of notifications and blue light screens) it’s no surprise people are searching for alternative natural sleep remedies.
Let’s get some background on disordered sleeping, and then dive into the best herbal supplements for sleep.
Understanding Sleep Disorders
Sleep disorders encompass a range of conditions that interfere with normal sleep patterns. Here are a few of the most common:
- Struggle falling asleep
- Walking up often during the night
- Waking up very early and unable to go back to sleep
- Feeling tired and irritable during the day
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sleep disrupted by stop-and-start breathing
- Waking up gasping for air
- Waking in the morning with a dry mouth, sore throat, or headache
- High blood pressure
- Mood swings
- Difficulty concentrating
- Extreme daytime sleepiness, often referred to as “sleep attacks”
- Sudden muscle weakness (cataplexy) - only found in type 2 narcolepsy
- Sleep-related hallucinations
- Sleep paralysis
Insomnia is by far the most common sleep disorder and the condition most corrigible with natural sleep supplements. Though it can be a chronic condition consistently affecting people over the course of months or years, it can also be transient. Bouts of insomnia for weeks, or seemingly randomly affecting you several nights out of the month. If this is you, keep reading!
Why Am I Sleeping Badly?
Sleep disruptions can be caused by stress, anxiety, and lifestyle choices like irregular work schedules or too much screen time before bed. Beyond just making you feel drowsy, sleep disturbances can also weaken your immune system, impair your cognitive function, and heighten your chance of developing chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease.
Trends in Herbal Sleep Aids
Chamomile, Lemon Balm & L-Theanine
Chamomile is a gentle herb well-known for its soothing effect, even referred to as a “mild tranquilizer” in this scientific study. It contains apigenin, an antioxidant that binds to specific receptors in the brain, promoting sleepiness and reducing insomnia symptoms. Chamomile works synergistically (meaning, working in cooperation to strengthen each other’s effects) with Lemon Balm.
Lemon Balm, or Melissa officinalis, is known to relieve stress and reduce sleep disturbance and has been long traditionally used as a sleep aid.
L-theanine directly stimulates the creation of alpha waves in the brain, inducing calm and relaxation. It is often used to improve non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.
New Nordic’s Melissa Dream™ is an herbal sleep supplement combining the powers of Chamomile, Lemon Balm, and L-theanine with B vitamins and magnesium for truly restful sleep. This completely non-addictive natural sedative relieves stress and anxiety, reduces sleeplessness, and promotes a deep night's sleep by harnessing the power of well-known and scientifically studied herbs and vitamins.
Ashwagandha
Due to its ability to improve one’s resistance to stress, this adaptogenic herb has become extremely popular. It supports relaxation and improved sleep quality by assisting in the regulation of cortisol levels, the stress hormone. Not only can it assist in better sleep at night, but it also increases energy during the day. The best of both words!
New Nordic’s Ashwagandha™ Gummies are an easy (and delicious) way to get a daily dose of stress relief. Containing 300mg of 10:1 natural Ashwagandha root extract, these gummies are free of simple sugars, vegan, and non-GMO.
Check out our blog on The Benefits and Uses of Ashwagandha: A Rejuvenating Herb.
Advantages of Plant-Based Sleep Aids
Natural and Non-Habit Forming: Herbal supplements are generally regarded as safe and non-habit forming, in contrast to pharmaceutical sleeping pills that are often incredibly addictive.
Minimal Side Effects: When compared to conventional drugs, most herbal supplements have fewer side effects, making them a better choice for long-term use.
Holistic Approach: While pharmaceutical sleep medications tackle only the symptoms (sleeplessness, etc) after they’ve set in, natural sleep aids take a proactive approach. These sleep supplements address the underlying problems like stress and anxiety to culminate in holistically better sleep.
