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Sleep Aids
5 products
Sleep aids are a range of natural products that are used to gently assist in getting people to sleep and stay asleep. These non-prescription aids contain a variety of natural products, like melatonin, to help induce sleep.
A significant number of people have trouble sleeping at least once a week. With this realization, it should come as no big surprise that sleep aids are a popular item for people to purchase. Sleep deprivation and insomnia are real problems and finding effective ways to get quality sleep is a quest we all are familiar with.
Considerations before taking a sleep aid
Sleep aids are a good option to help get you back on track to good sleep hygiene, but it will be best to get a medical professional’s advice before trying any supplement or medication. Here are some things to remember before taking sleep aid:
Age or condition
Most sleep aids work by tapping into our hormones and brain chemicals, which you may need to be cautious about using when you’re an older adult, a child, or are pregnant or breastfeeding. Any conditions affecting the heart, blood pressure, or the kidneys would also be good to mention to your doctor when consulting about sleep aids. Even with these conditions, there may still be available sleep aid products that are suitable for you.
5 Natural Ingredients That May Be Found in Your Sleeping Aids
There are tons of sleeping aids available in the market and some are made with herbs while others contain naturally-occurring hormones linked to better sleep. Here 5 of the most popular and effective natural ingredients that can aid you to better sleep:
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Melatonin
Melatonin is the most popular and widely used sleep aid out on the market. The pineal gland naturally produces this hormone and its main role in the body to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. As the day goes by, our body’s production of melatonin increases, with its levels peaking in the late hours of the night. Because of its popularity, melatonin’s effectiveness has been studied time and again and has proven that it works well as a natural sleeping aid for most people.
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Magnesium
As an essential component for different processes of the body, including sleep, magnesium is another popular aid out on the market. It plays a vital role in the sleep cycle by modulating several of the most important neurotransmitters for optimal sleep, GABA. This becomes even clearer as studies have linked insomnia directly to magnesium deficiency in the body, along with other health conditions. Magnesium has been shown to have improved sleep in various groups of people in a number of researches, and it might just work for you.
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Chamomile
Chamomile is another very popular sleep aid and it is widely used in tea form to treat instances such as jet lag. It is a very easy product to find and is available in different forms. The effects of chamomile are believed to be linked to a high level of a substance called apigenin that binds to our body’s benzodiazepine receptors, which helps make us feel relaxed.
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L-Theanine
Found in green and black tea leaves, L-theanine, an amino acid, is popular because it is believed to contribute to a more refreshing sleep. It is often found as one of the ingredients in sleeping aids with a combined formula along with other herbs linked to faster and deeper sleep. L-theanine increases the body’s production of GABA, serotonin, and dopamine, all of which contribute to better quality sleep.
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Lavender
As a capsule or as an essential, lavender has become a popular aid for anxiety and insomnia the past few years. Although data is limited, some promising studies have shown that lavender serves as a mild sedative, especially for young people, and is a safe and effective option for those who may have chronic conditions that interact with other kinds of sleeping aids.
We all have a tendency to have a difficult time falling and staying asleep. If you have been finding it challenging to hit the hay, researching more about these natural sleeping aids and consulting your doctor on which one may be the best suited for you is the next thing to do on your list. Sleep hygiene is as important as our physical hygiene, and taking care of it will lead to a healthier mind and body.
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