Sleep: 7 food supplements to sleep well
We often hear it said: most of us don't get enough sleep. But to what extent? According to a study by the French Public Health Barometer in 2017 , the average weekday sleep time of French people would have fallen below 7 hours, at 6:42 a.m. However, 56% of French people believe they need a minimum of 7 hours of sleep. to be in shape, and 83% of at least 6 hours.
Sleep disorders are therefore a reality, and they are not without consequences: fatigue, mood swings, tension problems, and even disruption of energy metabolism.
Where do they come from ? How can we deal with it without falling into the trap of excessive medication, which carries its own risks? Overview in this article.
Where do sleep problems come from?
Sleep disorders refer to phenomena that alter the quantity or quality of sleep. The best known are difficulty falling asleep or light sleep, for example. Their appearance is multifactorial, and also very dependent on individuals. Among the most common causes of sleep disorders, we can nevertheless cite:
• The stress
• A neglected lifestyle: unbalanced diet, alcohol, tobacco, etc.
• Lack of physical activity
• The environment: noise, unsuitable temperature, bedding, etc.
• Health issues
• Bad habits: eating right before bed, or watching too many screens before going to bed
There may be other, deeper reasons behind sleep problems, but in any case, taking medication on the advice of a doctor is (fortunately) not inevitable!
The benefit of food supplements to improve sleep quality
Before considering drug treatments, an intermediate and often sufficient solution lies in food supplements. Why food supplements? Quite simply because they can, through their very precise composition, strongly influence the predominant factor of sleep disorders: stress. Through their soothing and relaxing properties, food supplements reduce anxiety, thus promoting rapid falling asleep and a peaceful night.
In addition, food supplements often contain ingredients that promote the secretion of hormones beneficial to sleep, such as melatonin.
Which supplements should you choose to sleep better?
Here is for you our Top 7 of the most suitable food supplements for peaceful nights!
1) Melatonin
Melatonin is also called the sleep hormone: this shows that a food supplement containing it is specially dedicated and adapted to fight against sleep disorders! Produced naturally by the pineal gland, melatonin helps regulate our waking and sleeping phases. Normal secretion of melatonin limits nocturnal awakenings: in the event of a nutritional deficit, a food supplement based on melatonin can help restore stable sleep, and also limit the effects of jet lag.
2) Lemon balm
Lemon balm is a Mediterranean plant whose benefits have been recognized since Antiquity. If it promotes good digestion, it is also ideal for minor sleep disorders, both in children and adults. It indeed has relaxing properties, and thus helps you fall asleep, in particular by contributing to calm. Available in many applications, lemon balm also exists in capsule form, for quick and easy consumption.
3) Passionflower
With its very particular composition, based on alkaloids and flavonoids, passionflower is recognized for its calming properties, which make it a natural sleep aid. It also contains many minerals and vitamins, which make this plant almost a natural equivalent of an anxiolytic – minus the risk of addiction. Consumable in the form of capsules or herbal tea for example, passionflower helps fight stress, and combines very well with other plants if necessary.
4) Eschscholtzia
Eschscholtzia, better known as California Poppy (where it originates), is another natural anxiolytic with relaxing properties. It helps combat sleep disorders in adults and children, whether they are nightmares, difficulty falling asleep or waking up at night. It is also recommended in the fight against stress.
5) St. John’s wort
St. John's Wort is used both to manage sleep and mood disorders. It is rich in active substances such as hypericin or hyperforin, which gives it its properties. St. John's wort helps you fall asleep, but also helps maintain quality sleep throughout the night. Be careful, however: it interacts with many other plants and medications, is not recommended for bipolar people, and should not be stopped suddenly, at the risk of causing addiction.
6) Valerian
Valerian, like other plants from our selection, helps fight stress by promoting relaxation and physical and mental well-being. It reduces nervous agitation, promoting rapid and peaceful falling asleep. The effectiveness of valerian is based on some of its alkaloids and terpenoids, active substances and essential oils, which have a direct effect on relaxation and sleep. Valerian is not addictive.
7) Hops
A climbing plant well known for its use in beer, hops is also a natural remedy for sleep disorders. It soothes the nervous system, promotes a positive mood, contributes to relaxation, thus promoting sleep. It can in particular be combined with valerian for a greater effect. Note that it is not recommended for pregnant women, or for people at risk of hormone-dependent cancer, because of its estrogenic effect.
The power of plants to support your sleep
This is where our little overview of active ingredients for sleeping well ends. We hope to have given you ideas for interesting products that will help you get the restful sleep you need for a healthy life. Now you are probably asking yourself the question: which one to choose? Well...EVERYONE!
So that you can benefit from the virtues of each of these ingredients, we have brought them all together in the same supplement: the Sleep Formula 🌙
Stress being a major contributor to sleep disorders, as we have seen, do not hesitate to supplement your sleep supplement intake with a course of Magnesium Bisglycinate , an essential mineral with anti-stress properties.
All that remains is for us to wish you… a good night!
