In most countries, you need a prescription to obtain synthetic melatonin, but it’s available over the counter in the U.S. In the human body, the pineal gland secretes melatonin as a reaction to reduced light, signaling to the brain that it’s time to get sleepy. Melatonin is the hormone that tells your body it’s time for sleep by timing your circadian rhythm. Other natural sleep aids, such as valerian root and lavender, may help to improve sleep through their ability to promote a sense of calm in the user. Once digested, they promote the brain’s production of melatonin and serotonin, each of which help induce and regulate sleep. Some natural sleep aids, including tryptophan, 5-HTP and GABA, are amino acids typically consumed through the diet. Rather than inducing sleep by depressing the central nervous system as medications like barbiturates do, many natural sleep aids contain sleep-promoting hormones and chemicals that are naturally occuring in the body, such as melatonin. However, ongoing research into the mechanism of various natural sleep aids, their efficacy and side effects is essential. People who suffer from chronic sleep issues or mild insomnia may gravitate toward natural sleep aids due to their lack of side effects and risks. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs typically prescribed for insomnia, such as barbiturates which can cause habitual use or addiction, natural sleep aids have minimal unwanted side effects.

These products include over-the-counter plant, vitamin or mineral supplements, as well as substances already found within the body with potential sleep-promoting benefits, such as melatonin. Natural sleep aids are products that can potentially address mild to moderate insomnia and sleep issues, according to Biomolecules and Therapeutics. A supplement that offers a slight improvement in sleep quality may be adequate for minor or occasional sleep problems, though Grander encourages anyone experiencing persistent problems with sleep to seek professional care. Grandner, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychiatry and the director of the behavioral sleep medicine clinic at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson, Arizona. “A number of supplements have some data to support their use to improve certain aspects of sleep, but it’s often a subtle effect,” says Michael A. Pharmacy aisles feature an overwhelming array of sleep solution supplements, however these supplements aren’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In fact, researchers report that a chronic lack of sleep can contribute to a host of health issues, including depression, a weakened immune system and possibly even Alzheimer’s disease.

Yet sleep is recognized as an essential part of overall health, and the effects of being sleep-deprived are well-known. adults aren’t regularly getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep a night, according to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2020 Sleep in America Poll Sleep in America Poll 2021. 7 Best Natural Sleep Aids: Which Ones Really Work?Ībout one-third of U.S. While we work hard to provide accurate and up-to-date information that we think you will find relevant, Forbes Health does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Forbes Health.

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