From CBD to Blue Passion Flower, here are the best natural supplements for a perfect sleep…

We compare the properties of the best natural solutions on the market to help you improve your nighttime routine. 

Natural supplements are huge on socials right now. With January resolutions comes a spike in wellness products circulating the digital sphere, and a myriad of organic ways we can help aid our journey to the ultimate state of wellbeing.

Enter natural supplements – an umbrella term for herbal products made from plants to help manage health issues. It stems from a history of herbalism and traditional medicine practices and has split into three branches to include vitamins (such as Vitamin D or Biotin); minerals (such as magnesium or iron); and botanicals/ herbs (such as ginger). They have been repackaged into products that manifest in the forms of powders, gummies, teas, tablets, capsules, drinks, and foods like energy bars. 

Some natural supplement companies claim they can give extreme benefits ranging from healthier blood plasma to significantly better hair, skin, and nails. TikTok users are raving about the effects of various supplements, plugging their faves with handy links. But as they profit off the selling of these natural variations with commissions, the truth about how supplements can help you is getting lost in the inauthentic sales pitches and clickbait claims. 

A sector of supplement social marketing that takes a calmer approach is the promotion of natural ingredients to help you sleep. Wellness brands like Lemme by Kourtney Kardashian and viral sensation Arrae are always launching new relaxation gummies and vitamins. Users are comparing the natural properties that help them chill out and get their best night’s sleep, sharing tips on how you can indulge in true rest too. 

According to Mental Health UK, around 1 in 5 people in the UK aren’t getting enough sleep. This can be due to environmental issues (night-time noise or screen light), life events (worry or stress from the day), a negative thinking cycle, and poor habits around sleep, and can help to explain why the rise of sleep supplements in the online wellness community has taken a more organic growth. Everyone can empathise with the want to get a healthier sleep pattern, and it spans all ages, genders, classes, countries etc. Instead of making false claims on the effectiveness of sleep supplements, users can authentically market it and tend to encompass it in a night-time routine and take a more balanced and objective review on how they aid real rest. 

But as the market for sleep supplements expands and new ingredients are dropping each season, we beg the question: do they actually work? And which ingredient is right for you? 

Magnesium 

This essential mineral helps play a role in muscle function, heart rhythm, blood sugar, bone health, as well as our nerves. With various research showing how increased magnesium intake gives a better night’s sleep, many are taking to including the natural supplement in their evening teas or the form of gummies. It can also be found in a range of foods from spinach and whole grains to legumes and cultured yoghurts. To see the long-term benefits of magnesium on your sleep, you must replenish your intake every day. Depending on age, gender, weight, lifestyle etc. the range in which the milligrams you should consume varies, and it should always be checked. 

Melatonin 

The subject of increasing melatonin levels in your body is relatively divided. Health specialists advise not to take it every night as it disrupts your body's natural sleep responses, so much so that the supplement is not even authorised for sale in the UK and can only be acquired via prescription. However, across the pond in America for example, the benefits of melatonin mean that most wellness brands deriving from the country have them on offer. Since wellness is predominantly shared via the internet, this also means we see their promotion. The body naturally produces melatonin as a hormone in response to darkness. Taking the supplement can add to the body’s natural supply to improve sleep by regulating your circadian rhythm. 

CBD 

Though the name may sound scary, Cannabidiol – better known as CBD – is a widely popular supplement to aid rest and sleep. It is seemingly the most popular supplement on the market right now, appearing in oils, creams, gummies, capsules, vapes, lollipops, and even toothpaste. It’s associated with cannabis and can leave some feeling a bit apprehensive when trying it out, but CBD comes from the hemp plant which contains less than 0.3% THC and, therefore can be more controlled. It can aid sleep by creating a sense of calm and relaxation as opposed to drowsiness that people often associate with. It reduces stress and anxiety by allowing a more peaceful state to lure in sleep. By taking controlled measurements and with all the products on the market, you can test what works best for you.

Passionflower 

With around 500 known species in a family of plants called Passiflora, passionflower is believed to help aid sleep by naturally affecting the chemicals in your brain. It increases levels of a chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid in the brain, which helps lower the activity of brain cells and can help promote a relaxed state. Passionflower is known for helping with anxiety in the modern world and can flavour various drinks. Historically it was used by the likes of Native Americans to help things like wounds and liver problems, and named according to Spanish explorers who related it to their Christian faith after learning about its properties from the native Peruvians. Not only does it help sleep, but it can also help soothe stomach problems, with scientifically proven antioxidant potential. You find it mainly in herbal teas, capsules, and liquid extracts, but it is increasing in popularity and appearing across other forms too. 

Chamomile flower 

Chamomile tea before bed is a much-loved staple for many people’s evening routine, and rightly so, as its binding to benzodiazepine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (much like its floral sister Passionflower) can help aid sleep-wake cycles. As well as this, studies have shown that chamomile flower can especially help women, being believed to soothe symptoms of menstrual pain and help sleep for those going through menopause and post-pregnancy. Appearing in the form of creams, gels, and teas mainly, it can ease symptoms of anxiety and help produce a restful state before going to bed.