If you’re having sleep issues, you’re not alone; 70 million folks in the US have chronic sleep problems. Unfortunately, sleep disorders have effects that extend beyond the night. Left untreated, they can lead to many other physical and mental chronic diseases.
Fortunately, there are supplements for better sleep that you may want to give a shot. This guide rounds up the ones backed by science, so be sure to read on.
Vitamin B6 Supplements
Vitamin B6 is one of the sleep vitamins for restful sleep you should consider taking. For starters, it helps create dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and serotonin. These three, in turn, are neurotransmitters involved in emotion regulation.
For those reasons, vitamin B6 deficiency may put you at risk of mood disorders. Unfortunately, mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression can lead to sleep problems. What’s more, sleep problems can exacerbate psychological and mental conditions.
If you think you lack vitamin B6, talk to your doctor about supplementation. This way, you can increase your body’s supply of this vitamin, which may then help boost your mood. The better your moods are, the higher your chances of getting relaxing sleep.
Melatonin Supplements
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that prepares the body for sleep. It affects the internal body clock known as circadian rhythm. The body, in turn, produces this hormone when it’s dark or when the sun goes down.
Unfortunately, melatonin levels in the body can dip due to things like too much screen time. That’s because such devices emit blue light, which affects circadian rhythms. As such, excessive exposure to screens can make it harder for you to fall asleep.
In addition, some activities and conditions can also interfere with melatonin production. These include night-shift jobs and long-haul flights that cause jet lag.
For those reasons, melatonin supplements can be effective as natural sleep aids. They help shorten sleep latency, the length of the time it takes you to fall asleep. So, the shorter your sleep latency, the faster you may fall asleep.
What’s more, melatonin can help increase the length of time that you’re asleep. This, plus its other benefits, can then help improve the overall quality of your sleep.
Vitamin D Supplements
In the United States, as many as one in four people have severe vitamin D deficiency. In Canada, this goes up to more than a third of the population.
Regardless of where you’re from, if you’re deficient in vitamin D, you may develop sleep woes. For starters, this vitamin plays a role in the body’s production of melatonin. Moreover, it affects certain pain disorders that may impair sleep quality.
The thing is, other than sunlight, few types of food contain the D vitamin. That makes it harder to obtain, which is why you may want to consider taking vitamin D supplements for sleep.
Consider Taking These Supplements for Better Sleep ASAP
There you have it, some of the top supplements for better sleep, according to science. Just remember that these don’t work overnight, so it’s best to set the right expectations.
Most importantly, seek your doctor’s approval first before you take any supplement. This way, you can get expert guidance, especially if you’re taking other medications.
Interested in more tips and tricks to boost your health and lifestyle? Please feel free to browse our most recent educational blog posts then!