The problem with natural sleep aids

Chamomile. Melatonin. Tart cherry juice. Many people swear these natural sleep aids work—but experts say the evidence is much less convincing.

 Sipping on the Sleepy Girl Mocktail: A Sleep Expert’s Take on the Viral Sleep Trend

The Sleepy Girl Mocktail really did help me fall asleep. Its two main ingredients -- tart cherry juice and magnesium -- have been scientifically proven to induce sleepiness. Tart cherry juice increases melatonin production, and magnesium decreases cortisol, promotes relaxation and sleep and regulates GABA production in the brain. You don’t necessarily need to mix the two to feel the effects. You can take one without the other and vice versa. Together, the ingredients are a safe, effective and natural sleep aid.

Good Snooze for Insomniacs--Therapy Is as Effective as Sleep Drugs

A review of studies on the treatment of chronic insomnia finds that cognitive behavioral therapy is an effective alternative to drug interventions.

A Troubling Potential Link Between Sleep Aids And Mental Illness

In today’s “always on,” high-stress world, it has become commonplace to turn to over-the-counter sleep aids for a little help with drifting off into dreamland at night. However, that habit, if made a consistent one, could lead to potentially serious damage when it comes to ones mental health.

Alarming number of teens are using sleep aids, doctors warn of potentially risky results

Teens don't get enough sleep and one in four cope by medicating. Less than three percent of teens get the recommended 8 or 9 hours of sleep a day, according to a recent Pediatrics study. So, robbed of slumber, a quarter of them seek relief in herbal, over-the-counter pills and prescriptions.

Could a little-known cannabinoid upend the natural sleep-aid market?

The benefits of slumber aren’t up for debate; science has proven that the amount of sleep we get impacts practically every aspect of the mind and body. According to the National Institute of Health, sleep plays a vital role in improving one’s memory, preventing and fighting cancer, as well as repairing heart and blood vessels. The consequences of not getting adequate sleep can be severe and in some instances, deadly.

Having trouble sleeping? Here’s the science on 3 traditional bedtime remedies

While these sleep remedies are unlikely to be harmful, the overall evidence on improvement in quality of sleep is weak. You may like to try them, but you shouldn’t see any of them as a quick fix.

Herbal 'Relaxation' Drinks Make Suspect Claims

There is no definitive scientific evidence that any of the products on the market create relaxation or induce sleep, but there's no evidence they don't either. And what works for one person may not work for another — or be safe.

I Road-Tested 5 Sleep Drugs to Cure My Insomnia

Most over-the-counter drugs don't work, but I found one that does.

Natural Sleep Aids

There are not strict guidelines surrounding the use of the word “natural” for supplements, and many natural supplements, such as melatonin4, tend to be synthetically derived. Many customers prefer natural sleep supplements because they tend to have fewer side effects5 than prescription sleep medications. They also appeal to people who prefer natural products, or are concerned about the addictive potential6 of prescription sleep aids.

Relaxium Review: The Best Natural Sleep Aid?

We don’t believe that the research published by Relaxium is legitimate and we don’t recommend the brand. However the supplement is still better-formulated than many supplements we’ve previously reviewed. If it’s accurately labeled, it is likely to aid with sleep, given that all of the ingredients included have been studied and shown to positively influence sleep. We recommend testing melatonin alone as a first-line sleep aid, as this is the most cost-effective and safe option. For consumers that don’t see a benefit from melatonin, we recommend sleep supplements only from brands which publish independent testing proving the potency and purity of their products. Relaxium doesn’t do that, so we cannot recommend them.

Should You Steep Before Sleep?

Humans around the world (especially British humans) depend on tea to wake up and more tea to make it through the day. Having another cup of the stuff—provided it’s uncaffeinated, as all sleep teas are—before bed seems perfectly natural. But do these teas really work? Are all of them created equal?

The Evidence Points to a Better Way to Fight Insomnia

For me, and many patients, C.B.T. works. And as studies show, it works better than drugs. That moment with my children, a couple of years ago, was the last time I fell asleep reading to them.

The Trouble With Sleep Aids

Not all sleep medications are the same. Here’s how to find one that works for you.

The Truth About Over-The-Counter Sleep Aids

These days there is a wide variety of OTC medications filling pharmacy shelves that are advertised as sleep aids for those struggling to drift off at the end of a long and stressful day. However, the active ingredient in many of these drugs is one that will be familiar to people with allergies: antihistamines. The only difference is often marketing, according to sleep medicine experts.

Thousands of kids are getting sick from downing melatonin pills

Researchers are drawing attention to a rise in poisonings in children involving the sleep aid melatonin — including a big jump during the pandemic.