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Is there anything worse than not being able to sleep? Tossing and turning in your bed, either from waking, or just not being able to switch off is to say the least, annoying.
We don’t want to go all Eminem and crack open the sleeping pills every night. That’s not sustainable. What we need is natural sleep supplements, with the only side effect being a bloody good night’s sleep.
Prescription sleeping pills can have some unwanted side effects such as:
Feeling groggy in the morning
Changes in appetite
Constipation or Diarrhea
Balance issues
Dry mouth and throat
I’ve been someone who has always suffered with sleep. However, I’ve not been one to want to go down the sleeping pill route, so I’ve tried to look for the perfect sleep aid that doesn’t have man made chemicals. I know how groggy I feel after an over the counter tablet, let alone a prescription!
I’m going to share with you my 5 go to sleep supplements that have helped me nail my sleep, finally.
5 natural sleep aids to try
Magnesium
If you want to fall asleep, and stay asleep, you need to have your body and brain relax.
Easier said than done when you have tension in your jaw and about ten thousand thoughts in your head.
Magnesium is said to help you feel calm and relaxed by activating the parasympathetic nervous system among other things which helps stress reduction. This supplement also regulates melatonin which is important for sleep and wake cycles, according to Healthline.
Maybe try a dinner of brown rice, salmon and spinach.
This would give you a healthy dose of the sleepy mineral. You can get magnesium flakes to put in your bath too, a warm bath is also great for making me sleepy!
I’ve been taking CBD to help with getting a good night sleep for a while now. I swear by it. This one of the natural sleep supplements has been so helpful. I take Pretty Peaceful right before I go to sleep, which contains lavender.
I simply place a few drops under my tongue, or mix it with a chamomile tea, or hot chocolate if I feel indulgent. But sometimes I worry about the chocolate containing caffeine so I wouldn’t do this right before bed.
I decided to try this one because there was some interesting research which showed 80% of the subjects were able to sleep better compared to those who had the placebo.
You can get this sleep aid in pill form from local health food store, or you can buy the actual dried herb and make your own tea. It is suggested that you take it around 30 minutes to 2 hours before you go to bed.
Lavender
This sleep aid is one I really enjoy and a home remedy that has been used for thousands of years. I usually add a drop of lavender oil to an evening bath, or dab it on my temples and soles of my feet. Not sure on the science behind the feet thing, but it feels like it works for me!
Just as there are things you can do and supplements to take for a good sleep, there are also things to avoid.
If you want to really shut off and fall asleep quickly you might want to consider your bedtime routine and what you do leading up to bedtime. Here are a few things we find it is best to avoid a few hours before bed:
A heavy, fatty meal
Alcohol
Intense exercise
Caffeine (we usually have a final tea no later than 3 pm)
Looking at your phone
Checking work emails
Watching a series that is a little intense before bed – maybe a book is a better option!
Final Thoughts on Natural Sleep Supplements
It was important to me to find natural sleep supplements. Ones that wouldn’t have lots of side effects when used long term.
Natural methods are always my first port of call, so I was very glad when they worked out well for me.
Im Rachel, the Founder of Our Remedy and passionate about helping women with their health. You can read a little more about my story here and why I started Our Remedy. I studied Graphic Design at uni, love decorating and then redecorating my house and doing yoga (with my 2 cats). I'm happiest barefoot in a field or with a cocktail in my hand at brunch - a true mixed gemini cusp personality.
I took magnesium for a month… here’s what happened. Becky’s real life experience (pictured!) TLDR: This article looks at magnesium and magnesium from a real
