Nutrients and Supplements that Work as Sleep Aids

• Nutrients to take as sleep aids:
  a natural source of calcium
  magnesium-rich foods
• Vitamins to take as sleep aids:
  B vitamins (vitamin B12)
• Natural supplements to take as sleep aids:
  tryptophan (amino acid) which increases REM sleep by 25%
• Also avoid drinking alcohol, smoking or drinking caffeine

In today’s hustle and bustle society, most of us could use a better sleep. Either we aren’t getting enough or what we are getting isn’t fulfilling our rest and relaxation needs. If you’re one of the millions of people who need a better night’s sleep, there are a few strategies that can help, including taking some types of nutrients.

Nutrients to Take as Sleep Aids

Remember how people were always trying to give warm milk to someone who couldn’t sleep on television? Well, that advice might not be far off the mark. When you drink or eat a natural source of calcium, such as milk, it can create a sedative effect on the body. That means a glass of milk can really help you drift off to sleep at night. Additionally, you should consider adding some magnesium-rich foods to your diet. If you’re taking in about 1,000 mg a day you should find yourself sleeping better at night. Good sources of magnesium include cashews, wheat bran, and kelp. Supplements might be an even better choice.

Vitamins to Take as Sleep Aids

The family of B vitamins can be some of the best choices if you have nervousness problems, especially at night. Concentrate the most on your intake of B6 and B12 vitamins because these are known to prevent and/or treat cases of insomnia. If you’re not getting enough in your diet, you might have a hard time falling asleep at night so make sure you take at least 100 mg of B6, 25 mg of B12, and 100 mg B5 (this vitamin can help reduce stress which can also lead to insomnia and sleeplessness).

Supplements to Take as Sleep Aids

One of the main helpers in your effort to fall asleep every night is serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain. If your brain isn’t producing enough serotonin, you may have a difficult time falling asleep. Tryptophan is an amino acid are bodies use to create serotonin so this can be one way of increasing your likelihood of drifting off. While supplements of tryptophan are no longer available, you can increase the amount of this amino acid in your diet by drinking milk and eating turkey.

If you’d prefer to get these benefits through supplements, one possibility is known as 5-HTP. In clinical studies, the supplement has been proven effective at treating insomnia and in increasing REM sleep by 25%.

Other Ideas for Better Sleep

While adding supplements to your diet is a good idea, you can also take other steps to get better sleep. For example, you can stop drinking alcohol, using caffeine, and smoking. All of these activities are known to inhibit your body’s ability to get a good night’s sleep. Avoiding eating before going to bed and increasing your amount of physical activity during the day are both good ideas, too.

If you still have trouble sleeping, work on reducing your stress, going to bed at the same time every night, and investing in a comfortable mattress. Making these changes can help you get better sleep.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.