Supplements for insomnia, what they are and when to take them

Curated by Paola Ferro, Naturopath

Natural supplements for insomnia, such as melatonin or lemon balm and passionflower, are useful for regulating the sleep / wake cycle and have sedative and relaxing properties. Let's find out better.

What is insomnia

Sleep is such an essential function that it affects the proper functioning of the whole organism; it is defined as a state of rest, as opposed to the waking state, during which the body recovers physical and psychic energy.

There are different causes that cause insomnia :

insomnia associated with psychiatric disorders, trauma, prolonged stress ;
insomnia associated with the use of drugs, drugs and alcohol;
insomnia associated with sleep-induced respiratory disorders (sleep apnea, bruxism);
insomnia associated with restless legs syndrome;
insomnia associated with other dysfunctions (eg menopause, prostatic hypertrophy);
insomnia in the newborn.

To reconcile sleep it is also necessary to adopt a lifestyle that includes:

take time to relax and eliminate any anxieties (relaxation courses, autogenic training, yoga);
go to sleep at about the same time, get up early and not go to sleep after midnight;
indulge in a relaxing herbal tea in the evening before going to bed or warmed almond milk (almonds are rich in magnesium, a fundamental mineral for good quality sleep);
a relaxing environment in which to rest (mattress complying with its anti-allergic anti-mite needs, total absence of wi-fi, mobile phones, radio alarm clock, bed with metal mesh), comfortable clothing in cotton or in any case natural fiber, a temperature not excessive max 18-19 degrees;
listen to relaxing music before falling asleep;
a moderately warm bath with the addition of Sali and an essential oil such as lavender or sweet orange that stimulate relaxation.

You can learn all natural remedies to sleep well

Food supplements for insomnia

Take healthy and light foods, avoiding alcohol that creates drowsiness exclusively in the short term, tea, coffee, guaranà / mate or ginseng (or other nervine substances), chocolate before going to sleep.

Prefer complex carbohydrates (especially in the evening meal), foods rich in vitamin B1 (thiamine), such as eggs, cereals, legumes, foods rich in vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) such as fish, nuts, whole grains, foods rich in magnesium naturally (cofactor of sleep regulating enzymes) such as bran, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, brown rice, lentils.

Melatonin is a hormone, produced by one of the endocrine glands, called the pineal; it is not a sleeping pill, but a regulator of the circadian cycle (sleep / wake cycle) and in recent years it is available in convenient tablets to be taken in the evening before bedtime
Magnesium: is essential for the activity and balance of the nervous system. It performs a relaxing and calming action and dissolves muscle cramps, tachycardia, magnesium stimulates the production of serotonin, an endorphine that acts on specific receptors in the brain, and which performs analgesic, antidepressant and mood-stabilizing action.

Phytotherapeutic supplements for insomnia

The natural herbal remedies that play a leading role in the treatment of insomnia are:

Chamomile ( Chamomilla recutita ) which has anxiolytic and sedative properties
Lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis ) with antispasmodic and sedative properties
Passionflower ( Passiflora incarnata ) which has anxiolytic, sedative properties
Escolzia ( Eschscholtzia californica ) exceptional because it is sedative, hypno-inducing, analgesic, relaxing, antineuralgic and spasmolytic
Tiglio ( Tilia cordata ) which has relaxing, anxiolytic properties
Hops ( Humulus lupulus ) used for the production of beer but in herbal tea is an effective sedative
Valeriana ( Valeriana officinalis ) with hypnotic, anticonvulsive, sedative properties of the central nervous system (not associated with synthetic drugs for insomnia such as benzodiazepines)