Getting 8 to 9 hours of sleep is considered to be very crucial for your health or at least 7 hours is necessary. Sleep not only helps your body for healthy metabolism but also for brain function normally. A good night’s sleep can improve your learning ability, memory, decision-making, and even creativity. In addition, lack of sleep has been associated with increased risk of diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Nevertheless, sleep quality and quantity are at historically low levels, and more and more people are suffering from sleep deprivation. Good sleep quality often begins with good sleep practices and habits. However, for some people it is not that easy to attain sound sleep due to various reasons.

If you need a little more help getting a good night’s sleep, try some of these natural sleep-inducing supplements.

1. Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone your body makes naturally that tells your brain it’s time for sleep. Day hours affect the production cycle and release of this sleep hormone. Melatonin levels naturally rise in the evening as it gets activated in the dark and reduces in the morning.

This makes melatonin supplements popular natural sleeping pills, especially when the melatonin cycle is disrupted or you have jet lag.

Additionally, some studies have reported that melatonin improves daytime sleep quality and duration. Is beneficial to shift workers.

Additionally, melatonin can improve overall sleep quality in insomnia sufferers. Specifically, melatonin appears to decrease the time it takes a person to fall asleep (known as sleep latency) and increase overall sleep duration.

Melatonin supplements appear to be safe for adults when used short-term, but more research is needed on long-term effects. Additionally, melatonin is not recommended for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding due to limited research on its safety and efficacy.

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral, required in very minute quantities by the body. And it is involved in hundreds of processes like tissue formation etc in the human body. Not only this, it is important for brain functioning and heart health too. Additionally, magnesium calms the mind and body and helps you fall asleep. Studies show that part of magnesium’s relaxing effect is due to its ability to regulate melatonin production. Many forms of magnesium supplements are available, including those that combine magnesium with other sleep-promoting ingredients such as glycine and melatonin. One study found a combination of magnesium, melatonin, and vitamins to be effective in treating insomnia regardless of cause. Magnesium also appears to increase levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter in the brain that has a calming effect. 

Studies have shown that inadequate levels of magnesium in the body can be associated with sleep disturbances and insomnia.

On the other hand, increasing your intake of magnesium by taking supplements can help optimize the quality and quantity of sleep.

It is worth noting that both studies were conducted in older adults who may have originally had low blood magnesium levels. It is unknown whether these effects are more severe in people with higher dietary magnesium intakes.

3. Lavender

Lavender plants are found on almost every continent. It produces purple flowers that, when dried, can be used for many household purposes. Additionally, the calming scent of lavender is believed to improve sleep. In fact, some studies suggest that just smelling lavender oil just before bedtime is enough to improve sleep quality in people with mild insomnia. A small study of older people with dementia also suggests that lavender aromatherapy may be effective in improving symptoms of insomnia. Participants’ total sleep time increased, and fewer people woke up very early and couldn’t fall asleep again.

Another study found that lavender aromatherapy improved sleep quality along with reducing anxiety after regular therapy for straight 15 days in 60 people with coronary artery disease.

Lavender aromatherapy is considered safe, but oral ingestion of lavender has been associated with nausea, belching, and diarrhoea in some cases.The essential oil is for aromatherapy, not for oral ingestion. It is also worth noting that only a limited number of studies are available on the effects of lavender supplements on sleep. Therefore, further research is needed before any firm conclusions can be drawn.

4. Passion flower

Passionflower, whose scientific name is Passiflora incarnata. It is also known as Maypop and is a popular herbal remedy for insomnia. Passionflower species associated with improved sleep are native to North America. It is now also grown in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. The sleep-promoting effects of passionflower have been proven in animal studies. However, effects in humans appear to be dependent on the form ingested. An older human study compared the effects of passionflower tea to the effects of a placebo tea made from parsley leaves. The participant drank each tea about an hour before bedtime for her week, with a he-week break between the two teas. Each tea bag he steeped for 10 minutes, and researchers objectively measured sleep quality.

At the end of the three-week study, objective measures showed that participants experienced no improvement in sleep. However, when asked to subjectively rate their sleep quality, they rated it about 5% higher after the passionflower tea week than after the parsley tea week. A recent study in people with insomnia found that those who took Passiflora extract for two weeks had significant improvements in certain sleep parameters compared to placebo.

The parameters those were taken into consideration are as follows:

• Total sleep time
• Sleep efficiency, or the ratio of time spent asleep to time spent in bed
• Wake up time after falling asleep
• Although more research is needed, it’s worth noting that passionflower is generally safe for adults to consume. It seems to bring more benefits.

If you are interested in trying these supplements, most of them can be found online in various forms. Some of the trustworthy platforms are Setu, Plix, Nyumi etc. Remember that a good night’s sleep is just as important to your overall health as eating nutritious foods and exercising regularly. Still, many people have trouble falling asleep, wake up frequently, or are unable to rest when they wake up. This makes it difficult to maintain optimal health and well-being.

Before taking any medication, try to incorporate good sleep habits into your daily routine, such as: Keep electronic devices out of the bedroom and limit caffeine intake before bed. The supplements listed above are one way to increase your chances of restful sleep, but they are probably most effective when used in conjunction with proper sleep practices and habits.