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4 Types Of People Who Can Benefit From Taking A Sleep Supplement

Author:

Emma Loewe

June 02, 2023

By Emma Loewe

mbg Contributor

Emma Loewe is the former Sustainability and Health Director at mindbodygreen. She is the author of "Return to Nature: The New Science of How Natural Landscapes Restore Us" and the co-author of "The Spirit Almanac: A Modern Guide To Ancient Self Care." Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,500 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes.

Image by Marc Bordons / Stocksy

June 02, 2023

Sleep is more essential to health than many people realize. As you snooze, your body is busy regulating hormones 1, consolidating memories 2, supporting immune defenses 3, and flushing out toxins 4. But an alarming 1 in 3 Americans 5 don't get enough sleep, meaning they're missing out on these essential processes.

While they can't undo bad bedtime habits, sleep supplements can help complement a healthy wind-down routine and make deep, restorative sleep easier to come by.* Here are four signs you could benefit from taking one and how to find a quality option:

You have trouble turning your mind off at night

Having racing thoughts at bedtime is very common—especially during stressful times at work, in your personal life, or in the world at large. Even sleep doctors struggle to calm their minds before bed at times, making it much harder to fall asleep. Leaving plenty of buffer time before bed to turn off screens, wash up, and get into sleep mode can help, as can starting a nightly journaling practice where you write down what's on your mind. Supplements that contain calming ingredients can also be extremely effective at easing stressful thoughts.*

You know your deep sleep could use some work

Even if you have no trouble falling asleep fast, you may still have a hunch that your sleep is more fragmented than it should be. Maybe you get up in the middle of the night often, wake up feeling tired despite getting plenty of rest, or see a low overall sleep score on your Fitbit or Oura ring come morning. The later stages of sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep, are essential for healthy memory consolidation, motor skills, and learning—and the right sleep supplement can help you spend significantly more time in them each night.*

You have an unpredictable schedule

Health experts agree: The best thing you can do for your sleep quality is go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This trains your body to get into a good rhythm and slip in and out of deep sleep more easily. It's easier said than done, of course. For the times you're dealing with teeter-tottering work hours, traveling to new time zones, or just staying out a bit later on the weekends, sleep supplements can help you relax despite an inconsistent schedule.*

People who want to transition off melatonin

Finally, given the recent evidence that taking melatonin for sleep every night (especially in high doses) is not safe, those who are looking to transition off melatonin for the sake of their health will want to explore nonhormonal options.

What to look for in a sleep supplement

The best sleep supplements will check the following boxes:

Nonhormonal
Gentle and non-habit-forming
Low in added ingredients
From a trusted brand

They'll also contain science-backed ingredients that have been shown to promote rest and relaxation, like mindbodygreen's sleep support+. This targeted supplement contains a trio of ingredients that help improve all the various markers of a great night's sleep.*

sleep support+

Magnesium bisglycinate, a readily absorbed form of magnesium, promotes a steady state of whole-body relaxation, while the amino acid neurotransmitter PharmaGABA® helps increase soothing brain waves and balances out excitability in the mind. Finally, jujube seed extract, a calming fruit used in traditional Chinese medicine, has been used for thousands of years to help improve sleep.*

When combined with a healthy nighttime routine, the nonhormonal sleep aid can help sleepers of all kinds fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up feeling more restored.* Read what reviewers are saying about it here.

The takeaway

Most of us could use some help in the sleep department, and taking a supplement can be a valuable addition to many bedtime arsenals. Be sure to look for one that is nonhormonal, made from a trusted brand with few additives, and formulated with science-backed ingredients.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.