3 Natural Sleep Aids for Better Sleep
Getting 7-9 hours of sleep at night is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Sleeping enough boosts the immune systems, improves mood and memory, and lowers the risk of serious health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.
According to the CDC 1 in 3 Americans don’t get enough sleep. While many Americans turn to sleeping pills, there is a healthier solution — natural sleep aids. Here are three natural sleep aids that can improve your sleep, and your overall health, naturally.
1) Melatonin
THRIVE’s Melatonin PR 3 mg supplement provides a natural dose of melatonin to make your sleep quality better. Melatonin is one of the most common sleeping supplements and for a good reason. Best taken 90 minutes before bedtime, it has been found to decrease insomnia and to support deep, uninterrupted sleep. It is important to know that melatonin should not be taken in doses higher than 3mg and the most effective forms are slow-release
Because this particular brand of melatonin contains high purity melatonin, it’s more natural and allows for a higher concentration of melatonin in a smaller dose.
2) GABA
GABA is known to have multiple uses including relaxation. Unlike melatonin, GABA has been less directly linked to deep sleep and more directly linked to calming the body down so it’s possible to fall asleep.
Many prescription sleep aids target the GABA system in the brain to increase sedation and sleep. Taking GABA can do the same thing without the side effects and long-term risks. Doses for sleep are generally 100-200 mg taken 30-60 minutes before bedtime.
THRIVE offers a natural 500 mg GABA supplement that will allow you to unwind after a long day. GABA is naturally present in the central nervous system where it facilitates relaxation, but many people in the modern world could benefit from an additional supplement.
3) Magnesium
Magnesium has over 300 reactions in the body so it is no surprise it is involved with sleep. It does this through its ability to balance blood sugar and blood pressure as well as its ability to relax muscles and reduce pain through its actions. It is the number one nutrient deficiency in the world and the most common symptom is insomnia.
Magnesium is a mineral necessary for hundreds of cellular reactions in the body. Magnesium activates the parasympathetic nerve system, which is the system responsible for calming down the body. This system not only relaxes the body but alerts the brain that it’s time to wind down.
Along with helping you fall asleep, magnesium has also been found to increase the quality of sleep. In a double-blind randomized clinical trial, the group who took magnesium before sleeping fell asleep faster, were less likely to wake up in the middle of the night, and saw improved subjective measures of insomnia.
It is important to use the right formulation so as not to suffer potential GI effects as some formulations can pull water into the GI tract and cause diarrhea. That is fine if you have constipation but will not really help with your sleep. You want a high-quality formulation, preferably in a threonate or glycinate form. THRIVE offers a vegetarian-friendly, natural magnesium sleep aid to help you fall and stay asleep.
Topical magnesium works well too. Doses are 150 mg to 600 mg at night for sleep. It is best to work up to the necessary dose. We carry Klaire Lab magnesium glycinate and Integrative Therapeutics Magnesium Threonate.
No matter which of these three supplements you chose, and can help naturally aid you towards not only falling asleep faster but to a better quality of sleep. A great day starts with enough sleep the night before; pick up GABA, Magnesium, or Melatonin to ensure your night sets the tone for clarity and health the next day.
