What Actually Works Among Popular Sleep Supplements?
The Washington Post published an article today reviewing the effectiveness of five widely used sleep supplements - Melatonin, Magnesium, Probiotics, Vitamin D and Ashwagandha. They did this by using insight and from specific studies and expert commentary.
The main Key takeaways from this article is that:
Melatonin is useful for adjusting sleeping times such as jet lag, but may not as effective when I comes to conditions such as chronic sleep disorder such as insomnia.
Magnesium may be helpful and promote relaxation and melatonin production however benefits are modest and intaking high doses can have side effects such as diarrhoea.
Probiotics might support better sleep through gut-brain interactions but supplement forms may impact and reduce gut microbiome diversity.
Vitamin D plays a role in the production of serotonin and circadian regulation and it recommended by experts to prioritise getting natural sunlight (ideally in the morning) over taking supplements.
Ashwagandha offers some stress-reducing effects that does have the capability to help with sleep however the research is limited and there is concerns over liver toxicity.
While reading the article there is a common and emphasis that the use of sleep supplements is not a long term solution and instead recommends consulting a doctor for any persistent sleep issues.
This article certainly shows the benefits that sleeping supplements can have on people who are struggling with sleep. However, it is also important to remember that behavioural factors also have a important part to play in securing a solid nights sleep. Techniques like grounding and focusing on breathing can have help settle our thoughts and prevent us from focusing on the worries of tomorrow.
Until next time, sleep well.