Natural Sleeping Aids: How they work and how best to try them out

By Jason Wooden, PhD | Updated May 2024

Today, there’s a wide variety of natural sleeping aids to choose from.  Some have been more tested than others and some are more effective when combined with other natural actives.

Before trying out a natural remedy, it’s recommended that you check with a complementary health specialist about whether it’s right for you and the best way to use.

Contents:

• What you need to know
• 15 natural sleeping aides explained
• 10 other remedies worth a try

What you need to know about natural sleeping aides

Interest in natural sleeping aids continues to grow, especially for those who want to avoid the downsides of sleeping pills.

While drugs may be useful as a short-term insomnia remedy, you may wake up the next morning with a sleeping pill hangover and have problems with memory and attention.

If used long-term, you can become dependent on them and develop an addiction.  (Learn more about this serious issue here.)

For some people, the sleeping pills may stop working as the body builds up a tolerance to them.

With all these potential side effects, it’s no surprise there’s such a huge interest in natural sleeping aids.  (Get more in depth info about the side effects here.)

Herbal preparations have been used as an insomnia remedy for millennia dating back to ancient Greece and Egypt.

Many natural remedies help reduce the anxiety and stress that can keep you from getting quality sleep.

Some may directly affect hormones involved in the body’s sleep-wake cycle.

If you are thinking about using natural sleeping aids to treat your insomnia, be sure to:

• Practice good sleep hygiene
• Check with a doctor as there may be underlying issues causing your insomnia
• Discuss specific natural aids with your doctor as some may interact with other medications or pose risks for other medical problems
• Keep in mind some work better when combined with other herbs or minerals

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15 Natural Sleeping Aids Explained:

• How they work
• The evidence they help
• Available forms

It’s important to keep in mind that many natural actives haven’t been as well-researched as pharmaceuticals.  Consequently, there’s less known about side effects and possible interactions with other substances such as medications.

If you decide you want to try it out, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor first, especially if you’re dealing with specific health challenges and taking other medications.

It’s also worth checking with an alternative medicine practitioner such as an herbalist or naturopathic physician.  They can advise as to the best dosing for you and any safety issues.

1) Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the body that helps control your sleep-wake cycles.  It rises in the night and falls in the morning.

Synthetic melatonin is one of the most commonly used natural sleeping aids for insomnia.

Be sure to talk to your doctor as taking it before bed might not be the best strategy for you and melatonin supplements don’t work for everyone.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies

Availability:  pill

Learn more

2) Chamomile

Dried flowers of the chamomile plant are used to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies

Availability:  extract, tea, capsules

Learn more

3) Lavender Essential Oils

Like many other herbal natural sleeping aids, extracts prepared from the flowers of the lavender plant are used to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies (Mar 2021, Aug 2021)

Availability:  oil, tea

Learn more

4) Ashwagandha

One of the most powerful herbs used in Ayurvedic healing, it’s thought to work as a moderator of the body’s response to stress.  The root and berry are used to reduce anxiety and calm the body.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies

Availability:  capsule, powder, tablet

Learn more

5) CBD oil

CBD (cannabidiol) is derived from the hemp plant which is a cousin of the marijuana plant.  Unlike marijuana, it does not contain the psychoactive THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) which causes a “high.”

Cannabinoids interact with cells and proteins in the brain.  While more research is needed, studies have shown CBD can help improve sleep quality and help with underlying insomnia causes such as pain and anxiety.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies

Availability:  oil, gummies

Learn more:
How I’m using CBD for pain and better sleep
CBD For Sleep and Insomnia (American Sleep Association)
Cannabidiol (CBD) — what we know and what we don’t (Harvard Health)
What You Need to Know And What We’re Working to Find Out (FDA)

6) Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral critical to many functions in the body.  Low levels have been linked to sleep problems.  Increasing your magnesium intake may help promote healthier levels and improve sleep.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies

Availability:  capsule

Learn more

7) Tryptophan

Tryptophan is an amino acid used by the body to make serotonin and melatonin, hormones that regulate sleep.  Tryptophan supplements are used to boost the level of sleep promoting hormones.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies

Availability:  capsule

Learn more

8) Valerian

Valerian root extracts are used to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.  It may work best for insomnia when combined with other natural sleeping aids such as Hops extract.

Evidence it helps:  limited

Availability:  capsule, tea, tincture

Note:  Valerian has been also been shown in clinical studies to be beneficial when combined in a mix with hops and Chinese red dates (36)

Learn more

9) Glycine

Glycine is one of the many amino acids the body uses to make proteins.  It’s believed to also play an active role in sleep regulation.

Evidence it helps:  limited

Availability:  capsule

Learn more

10) Hops

Extracts made from the plant flower are used to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.  Hops may work best for insomnia when combined with other herbal natural sleeping aids such as valerian.

Evidence it helps:  limited

Availability:  creams and lotions, capsules, tablets, tea, tincture

Notes:  Hops has been shown to be helpful for sleep when combined with valerian and Chinese red dates (36), or with valerian (37)

Learn more:
Hops (MedlinePlus)
Can Hops Help You Sleep? (HealthLine.com)

11) Passion flower

Preparations are made from the above ground parts of the plant.  Passion flower is used to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation which may help with sleep.

Evidence it helps:  limited

Availability:  tea, liquid extract, capsule, tablet

Note:  Passion flower has been found to be beneficial when combined with valerian and hops (38)

Learn more

12) Red Ginseng (Asian ginseng)

Native to the far east, it’s thought that red ginseng moderates the body’s response to stress.  Root preparations are used to reduce stress and anxiety which may help sleep.

Evidence it helps:  limited

Availability:  capsule, liquid extract, tablet, tea

Learn more

13) Calcium

Calcium is a mineral used by the body for many different things.  It’s also thought to be involved in sleep and reduced intake has been associated with insomnia.  Calcium supplements are believed to help sleep through improving blood calcium levels.

Evidence it helps:  limited

Availability:  capsule, tablet

Note:  Studies suggest calcium is beneficial for sleep when taken with magnesium

Learn more

14) Japanese sake yeast

This yeast is used to brew Japanese sake.  Like other yeasts, it’s a good source of B-complex vitamins, protein, chromium and selenium.  How it may help sleep is not well understood.

Evidence it helps:  limited (animal studies, humans)

Availability:  not yet available

15) St. John’s Wort

The plant flowers are used to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.  St. John’s wort may also directly stimulate chemicals in the brain that promote sleep.

Evidence it helps:  not well studied

Availability:  tablet, capsule, tincture, liquid extract, powdered extract, dry herb, oil, and tea

Learn more

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Other Natural Sleeping Aids and Insomnia Remedies Worth A Try:

Everyone’s situation is unique and often there are multiple factors causing insomnia.

It’s a good thing there’s a wide variety of natural sleeping aids, some of which can be combined for better results.

What’s important is to find something that works for your situation.

Besides being drug free, many of the remedies below provide health benefits beyond sleep.

1) Cognitive behavioral therapy

Considered the gold standard for insomnia treatment, this approach helps you change behaviors and thoughts that make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies (16, 17)

Learn more

2) Sleep restriction

Spending too much time in bed can sometimes make things worse.  This approach matches the amount of time spent in bed to the actual amount of sleep you get which helps the body to stay on schedule.  It’s often used with cognitive behavioral therapy.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies (18)

Learn more

3) Exercise

Thought to promote sleep in various different ways, including a post-exercise drop in temperature, reducing anxiety, and improving mood.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies (19, 20)

Learn more

4) Relaxation techniques

A variety of exercises designed to help the mind and body relax in preparation for sleep.

Progressive muscle relaxation:  you systematically tense and then relax all the muscle groups of your body.

Autogenic training:  you focus your awareness on different parts of the body and consciously relax them

Biofeedback:  to see how your body reacts to tensing and relaxing, electrodes are place on the body to measure muscle tension, pulse, and brain activity

Visualization:  you imagine pleasant scenes or visualize yourself peacefully falling asleep

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies (21)

Learn more

5) Meditation

A practice where you focus and quiet the mind in order to relax body & mind.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies (22, 23)

Learn more

6) Yoga

Gentle stretching to help relax the body and mind in preparation for sleep.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies (24, 25)

Learn more

7) Tai chi

Tai chi is a low impact practice based on an ancient Chinese martial art.  It relaxes and calms the body using slow meditative movements and controlled breathing.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies (25, 26)

Learn more

8) Soothing Music and Sounds

Believed to promote restful REM sleep.  Music with slow and stable rhythms, low frequency tones, and relaxing melodies is recommended.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies (27, 28)

Learn more

9) Dietary changes

Did you know we now know quite a bit about how nutrition affects the body?  Some things you eat can help sleep and some can hurt sleep.  Some food-types have nutrients that can actually promote healthy sleep.

Evidence it helps:  clinical studies

• Mediterranean diet
• Melatonin-Rich Foods
• Tryptophan-Rich Foods
• Calcium-Rich Foods
• Magnesium-Rich Foods
• Vitamin B-Rich Foods

Learn more

10) White noise

White noise is a sound that is played on the same frequency repeatedly such as an electric fan. It’s thought to help promote sleep by masking background noises that could arouse you.

Evidence it helps:  limited (26)

More:
White Noise (sleepfoundation.org)
Picking the best fan for white noise: Tips and options

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Natural Sleeping Aids:  5 Things to Remember

1) Sleeping pills may be helpful for short-term relief but there are serious downsides if used long-term

2) Do your homework – some natural aids work better than others, some have been tested for insomnia while others have not

3) Check with your doctor for underlying issues or potential downsides

4) A complementary health specialist can help you figure out the best way to use a natural aid

5) Be sure to consider other natural remedies such as relaxation exercises

You may also be interested in:

Can turmeric help insomnia?

Does turmeric help you relax?

Can CBD oil cause insomnia?

Can CBD help sleep apnea? – 4 ways it might

Can CBD help with sleepwalking?

Does shiatsu work for insomnia? – Practical tips

How I’m using CBD for pain and better sleep

How I’m using turmeric curcumin for pain and better sleep

Foods that help sleep apnea – 5 to try for better sleep

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