Understanding Sleep and Sleep Aids
Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for overall health.
If you’re having severe difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early – you might be suffering from insomnia, and it can be torture.
It doesn’t help that these problems can be caused by anything from stress and anxiety to your diet – what do you do?
See your doctor – insomnia is no joke!
And finding the right supplement might just help you finally get some sleep, too.
Common/Popular Sleep Supplement Ingredients
- Melatonin – Hormone – Regulates sleep-wake cycle – Effective For Jet lag, shift work disorder – May Cause Dizziness, daytime grogginess
- Magnesium – Mineral – Muscle relaxation, improves sleep quality – Effective For: Older adults, magnesium deficiency – Sources: Almonds, spinach, pumpkin seeds
- Valerian Root – Herbal remedy – Promotes relaxation, improves sleep quality
- Chamomile – Herbal tea – Calming effects, contains antioxidants – Uses: Insomnia, anxiety
- CBD (Cannabidiol) – Cannabinoid – Interacts with the endocannabinoid system – Effective For: Anxiety-related sleep issues, chronic pain
- Ashwagandha – Adaptogenic herb – Manages stress, improves sleep quality – Uses: Insomnia due to stress or anxiety
- GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid) – Neurotransmitter – Promotes relaxation, reduces nervous system activity – Uses: Anxiety, sleep quality improvement
- L-Theanine – Amino acid – Promotes relaxation without sedation – Sources: Tea leaves
- Lemon Balm – Herb in the mint family – Reduces stress and anxiety, improves sleep – Uses: Combined with other calming herbs like valerian
Lifestyle Changes That Can Improve Sleep
- Regular sleep schedule
- Don’t look at electronic screens (TV, phone, tablet, etc.) during 10 mins before sleep
- Restful environment (No screens/light sources in bedroom)
- Lower the amount of caffeine/alcohol you drink
- Relaxation techniques (meditation, yoga, mindful breathing)
#1 NeuroScience Serene – Editors Choice
by NeuroScience
NeuroScience is a privately-owned professional grade dietary supplement company specializing in proprietary blends of amino acids that support better brain function. We love this company because all of their products are backed by scientific evidence by design and their quality manufacturing is top-notch.
The primary active ingredient of this supplement is 5-HTP, a serotonin precursor. This is designed to ensure that your body has what it needs to create sufficient levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter (chemical) which regulates mood and the sleep-wake cycle. In addition, Serene contains folate and vitamin B6 which are strongly linked to mood and sleep quality. Due to very positive consumer feedback and effective amounts of key nutrients, NeuroScience Serene has earned the title of our Best Sleep Supplement of 2019, 2020 & 2021.
Overall Score: 4.7/5
Variety: 5 high-quality supplement ingredients — Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium & 5-HTP
Supplement Diversity: 4.5/5
Potency: 4.8/5
Key Features
- Product formula is backed by research and science
- cGMP manufactured in the United States
- 3rd-Party tested for quality and potency
- Safe, non-habit forming ingredients
#2 Nested Naturals Luna Natural Sleep Aid
by Nested Naturals
Luna is a wonderful, natural herbal sleep supplement which contains a wide variety of calming extracts and amino acids. We love this supplement because the formula is scientifically-based but also includes well-known herbal ingredients that people have been using for hundreds of years. These include valerian extract, chamomile extract and more. Luna Herbal Sleep Aid is specifically geared towards reducing anxiety and morning grogginess, the blend of chamomile extract, valerian root, and passionflower is highly effective. This supplement also works well for dissipating stress. It is also melatonin-free, which is preferable as melatonin can cause you to feel lethargic upon waking up.
Overall Score: 4.6/5
Variety: 6 high-quality supplement ingredients — Valerian Extract, Passionflower Extract, L-Theanine, Chamomile Extract, Hops Extract, Lemon balm Extract
Supplement Diversity: 4.8/5
Potency: 4.0/5
Key Features
- Product formula is backed by research and science
- cGMP manufactured in the United States
- Includes herbal remedies
- Safe, non-habit forming ingredients
#3 Physician’s Choice Natural Sleep Aid
by Physician’s Choice
Another 100% natural option is Physician’s Choice Sleep Aid. The primary active ingredient Suntheanine is a patented and specially tailored form of the amino acid L-Theanine – an amino acid which is found almost exclusively in tea.
Physician’s Choice is a reputable company with a solid background in health supplements. Consumers loved this product of theirs in particular, as feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. This supplement contains many key-ingredients such as Vitamin B6, chamomile, valerian root, melatonin and more – but is less potent than its competitors. It is still a fantastic, high-quality supplement that is loved by most consumers and a great choice for a sleep aid.
Overall Score: 4.4/5
Variety: 5 high-quality supplement ingredients — Vitamin B6, Chamomile Flowers, Valerian Root, L-Theanine, Melatonin
Supplement Diversity: 4.8/5
Potency: 4.0/5
Key Features
- cGMP manufactured in the United States
- Includes herbal remedies
- Safe, non-habit forming ingredients
- Patented ingredients reviewed by healthcare experts & physicians
- Contains melatonin instead of a precursor to melatonin such as 5-HTP
#4 Nuvana Shut Eye
by Nuvana
#4 on our list is Nuvana Shut Eye. This product prides itself on being neurologist formulated using all-natural ingredients. This is also a non-habit forming product that will not leave you feeling groggy in the morning.
This product formulation takes a different design than the previously listed products. It contains a combination of naturally sourced ingredients such as Valerian Root Extract, Passion Flower Extract and Lemon Balm Aerial and combines it with ingredients like GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid) and Magnesium. Receiving an impressive average of 4/5 stars on its thousands of amazon ratings — consumers clearly love this product. There is less scientific evidence behind some of the ingredients in this product (such as Lemon Balm Aerial) but it’s clear this product is effective for many people. It is #4 on our list because it does indeed contain the listed ingredients scoring high for supplement potency and consumer approval.
Overall Score: 4.3/5
Variety: 9 high-quality supplement ingredients
Supplement Diversity: 4.2/5
Potency: 4.4/5
Key Features
- cGMP manufactured in the United States
- Includes herbal remedies
- Safe, non-habit forming ingredients
- Formulated by neurologists
- designed to help improve sleep quantity and quality
#5 Puritan’s Pride Super Snooze With Melatonin
by Puritan’s Pride
Puritan’s Pride has been in business for over 45 years and is known for producing high-quality products. This sleep supplement is an affordable option that checks out in potency. It takes a more simplistic approach to solving life’s great mystery to a better nights sleep. It is very simple and contains one ingredient: Melatonin. Simply replacing melatonin is a cost-effective remedy that works for millions of people. It’s a method that is tried and true for most people but no everyone. The price (varying from place to place) is pretty unbeatable so you really can’t go wrong trying it out to see if simple, pure melatonin is the key to a better night’s sleep for you or your loved ones.
Overall Score: 4/5
Variety: 1 high-quality supplement ingredients
Supplement Diversity: 3/5
Potency: 5/5
Key Features
- cGMP manufactured in the United States
- Simple and effective for most people
- Safe, non-habit forming ingredient: Melatonin
