Melatonin levels start to rise when it is dark outside, signaling your body that it is time to sleep. Melatonin is a hormone that tells your body when it is time to head to bed. Maintaining healthy levels of this mineral often leads to deeper, more sound sleep because it helps maintain healthy levels of GABA. I can personally say that magnesium has made a huge difference in my sleep. Magnesium deficiency is common among adults, which leads to restless sleep and waking frequently during the night. Unfortunately, the body does not produce magnesium, so it needs to come from outside sources. Magnesium is an essential mineral, one of seven essential macro-minerals that your body needs in large quantities. If you are sensitive to nightshades, be aware that ashwagandha is in this family. It can be taken alone (400 mg) or in a blend with other adaptogens. Ashwagandha is an herb that has been shown to increase energy and mental alertness during the day that has also been shown in research to help you sleep better at night. They don’t work on a specific body organ but have a “normalizing” effect on imbalances caused by physical or emotional stress. Adaptogenic herbsĪdaptogens increase the capacity of the body to adapt to stress and increase resistance to disease. This same study showed that lemon balm could reduce insomnia by up to 42%. In a separate two to four-week study, taking two doses of 300 mg lemon balm extract helped reduce anxiety by up to 15% to 18% in 20 participants. A study of brainwaves showed that lemon balm was useful in reducing anxiety. Research is validating the benefits of lemon balm as an anti-anxiety/sleep supplement. Unlike many prescription sleeping pills, valerian has fewer side effects and is a lot less likely to result in morning drowsiness. Studies show that valerian reduces the time it takes to fall asleep and improves sleep quality, so if you can’t sleep, it may be just what you’re looking for. Because passionflower may help lower blood pressure, be careful when using this herb with blood pressure medications. It’s common to see it combined with other calming herbs such as valerian root and lemon balm, chamomile, hops, kava, and skullcap in herbal sleep blends. Studies suggest that passionflower may be just as effective as synthetic drugs for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Using magnesium taurate allows you to get both magnesium and taurine with a single pill. Taurine is an amino acid that reduces cortisol levels and increases the production of GABA. In one study, an amino acid preparation containing both GABA and 5-HTP, which your body produces from the amino acid tryptophan, reduced time to fall asleep, increased the duration of sleep and improved sleep quality. Research has shown favorable results using GABA supplementation. GABA slows nerve activity in your brain, which leads to feelings of calm and relaxation. Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in your central nervous syste m your body’s natural “off” switch. Before you head to the supplement aisle and start to create your own herbal cocktail, please read my guidance in Chapter 9 of Perimenopause: The Savvy Sister’s Guide to Hormone Harmony and consider consulting with a professional about correct dosages and what core issue you’re hoping to treat. There are a number of supplements that can be helpful for sleep. As someone who’s been there and done that, I don’t recommend this approach. Over time, they work less effectively, which means you need higher and higher doses to do the job. If perimenopause is stealing your sleep, it may be tempting to resort to over-the-counter sleep aids (most contain antihistamines) or prescription sleep medications.īut these don’t treat the root cause of insomnia and may lead to dependency.
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