If you frequently struggle to sleep at night, the issue can start to impact your daily life. And just as with any problem, it’s only natural that many of us want to find the easiest, quickest solution to get some relief, fall asleep, and stay asleep through the night. That’s why sleep supplements, like melatonin, can sound like such a perfect idea. Take a pill or capsule before bed and fall asleep without any issues? Sign us up! But is that really how it works?
It’s always important to take the promises made by supplement brands with a grain of salt, as supplements are not regulated by the FDA. As it turns out, certain supplements are straight up ineffective, while some can even be downright dangerous. So, what’s the deal with sleep supplements? Are they worth a shot, or nothing more than placebo? To find out, we spoke to Dr. Johannes Uys is a General Practitioner (GP) working at Broadgate General Practice. He told us that although supplements could be beneficial to certain individuals, it’s always best to try to practice better sleep habits and other solutions before going straight for the melatonin. Find all of his expert insight below.
Sleep supplements could be helpful—but try other methods first
According to Dr. Uys, adding sleep supplements to your nighttime routine may be one way to improve your sleep. However, he says you should try other methods before resorting to this.
"Generally speaking, it’s inadvisable to resort to sleep supplements before making other adjustments in your lifestyle and behavior to improve your sleep quality," he says. "These adjustments could include changes in your diet to include more fruit and nuts in your diet (pistachios, bananas, and cashews are particularly effective), establishing a nighttime routine that you’re able to stick to, consuming enough water, and drinking herbal teas such as chamomile."
There are plenty of healthy habits you can implement on your pursuit of better sleep. By making an effort to establish these lifestyle changes, you could save yourself the trouble of spending money on supplements that you may become reliable on, could lead to adverse side effects, and may not even give you the results you're looking for. Going the natural route is always the best option. However, if you've tried everything and you still find it difficult to sleep, supplements could offer a helpful alternative.
"If, after doing the for a prolonged period (such as a couple of weeks), your sleep pattern has not yet improved, it might be time to consider supplementing your lifestyle and diet with chemicals that can encourage your body to fall asleep or improve its sleep quality," Dr. Uys says.
He recommends starting off with small amounts of natural sleep supplements, which will help you monitor your body's reactions and identify any side effects before consuming larger doses. "It is also generally safer as your body naturally produces a lot of these chemicals anyway," he points out.
Best natural sleep supplements
Dr. Uys says that L-Theanine could be one good option when it comes to natural sleep supplements. This amino acid found in tea leaves can induce mental relaxation and reduce anxiety. "L-Theanine can be purchased as a supplement, but it’s also found in various teas," he says.
"Glycine is another amino acid that can improve the quality of your sleep by encouraging your body to fall into deeper sleep patterns," Dr. Uys adds, noting that this supplement can also be found in pharmacies.
Of course, there's also the ever-popular melatonin. "Melatonin is a frequented sleep supplement thanks to how readily it’s absorbed in the body," he says. "It’s already produced naturally to help regulate your circadian rhythm, so the occurrence of side effects is less common than in other sleep supplements." However, it's important to note that many people become reliant on melatonin to sleep each night, and it doesn't come without risks.
Finally, Dr. Uys suggests magnesium. "This mineral is involved in muscle relaxation, the regulation of neurotransmitters, and mood stability," he says. "While this can be found in various pharmacies as a sleep supplement (and can also be sourced from a diverse and well-balanced diet), I’d suggest consulting your healthcare provider before committing to the regular consumption of Magnesium supplements."
Ultimately, while you should use sleep supplements as a replacement for healthy sleep habits, and it's important to proceed with caution whenever adding any new supplement or medication to your regimen, these supplements may be beneficial.
READ MORE: 2 Blood-Sugar Stabilizing Foods To Help You Sleep Better, According To Experts
