Catch Some Zzzs: natural sleep remedies

I don’t know about you guys, but if I’m under stress, falling asleep just ain’t gonna happen. I feel like most people nowadays are up all night on Twitter or Tumblr or TSOH (my dream come true), cutting into their sleep hours. Because of this, it’s hard to fall asleep at a regular hour when we need to, or even stay asleep throughout the night.

So, if you’re not interested in taking sleeping pills (yuck!) that will make you groggy and unhealthy, here are some natural remedies to help you sleep better at night.

♥ Lavender

Lavender scent is the least invasive natural remedy for improving sleep that I’ve got in my back pocket. It is cheap, it is nontoxic, you don’t have to ingest anything, and it is simple. You can buy a lavender scented pillow, lavender spray, or real lavender to keep in your bedroom. My favorite of these is a real lavender spray, so you have the option to not use it when you don’t need it. I spritz a little on my pillow when I’m under a lot of stress and know it will be difficult to fall asleep. This is a great brand to use.

♥ Melatonin

Melatonin is the hormone in your body that controls sleep. Though some recommend a high dose (and most people tend to assume more is better), lower doses are not only more effective, but they make adverse side effects less likely. I would recommend 0.3-0.5 milligrams before bed. You can get melatonin supplements here.

♥ Valerian

Valerian is a really common remedy for insomnia. It works threefold: improving deep sleep, speeding up the falling asleep process, and improving the overall quality of sleep. Valerian works a little bit differently for every person, so it may take a longer span of time before you can adjust to the right time of day to take it. Some benefit from taking 200-700 milligrams before bed, some benefit from taking it earlier in the day. You can find valerian here.

♥ L-theanine

L-theanine is an amino acid from green tea. I know what you’re thinking, green tea is just going to wake you up! I’m not recommending green tea, but rather Suntheanine, which is a pure version of L-theanine. I recommend around 50-150 milligrams before bed.

Daily aerobic activity and nighttime yoga and/or meditation are also fantastic sleep regulators that I highly recommend trying!

Do any of you have natural sleep remedies that you use?

*Disclaimer: I am not a sleep expert, nor do I guarantee that any of these will 100% work for every person. Everyone is different, so everyone will respond differently to each remedy. Only you will know which is the best fit for you!