Top 10 Home Remedies for a Good Night’s Sleep (Aids That Actually Work)

  

At the end of a long day, you look forward to pulling back the covers, fluffing the pillows and slipping into bed. 

It's so important to get a good night's sleep, but it's not always as easy as closing your eyes and drifting off.

 Everyone needs a little help every now and then.

When counting sheep doesn't work, the best natural sleep aid is probably just around the corner in your kitchen.

Many of our favorite natural sleep remedies have been passed down over hundreds of years. Every culture around the world has dozens of home remedies for insomnia. Some are well-known herbs that help you sleep, and others like sea slug entrails and dormouse fat are curious holdovers from old folk tales. The best solutions for peaceful slumber are simple and natural, and they work with our body's sleep hormones.

 

 

Essential Ingredients for Sleeping Well

Chronic insomnia is a serious problem that affects 30 percent of adults , but almost everyone has trouble getting to sleep from time to time. Our busy lives keep us on the go with schedules that stay full at work and at home. We don't always eat as well as we should or exercise regularly. It all takes a toll on the body's ability to produce and balance the natural compounds and hormones that help us fall asleep.

There are countless sleep remedies available over the counter, but these medications are often expensive and can be addictive. If you want a home remedy that naturally eases you into relaxation before bedtime, make a quick trip to the kitchen. Your pantry is an ideal source for a variety of non habit forming sleep aids that deliver these essential ingredients for a sound slumber. 

• Melatonin - Vital hormone that makes you feel drowsy and helps you sleep through the night.

• Serotonin - Important neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood, memory and sleep.

• Tryptophan - Amino acid necessary for the production of both melatonin and serotonin.

• Magnesium - Mineral produced by the body that helps control stress hormones like cortisol.

You can buy supplements that aid your body in maintaining these essential sleep-building blocks, but they quickly add up to a big investment sitting on your medicine cabinet shelves. What you eat or drink in the evening can often be much more effective. Home sleeping remedies and herbal sleep aids are affordable, they aren't habit forming, and they're much more enjoyable than a pill or powder.

Home Remedies for Sleeplessness: 10 Natural Aids for a Good Night's Rest

It's always a comfort to know you have more than one solution to a problem. Our list includes a few familiar sleep remedies and other sleep aids that may surprise you. They all contain sleep-building blocks and compounds, and they're all easy to find at the grocery store.

Enjoy a cup of tea before bed. Relax the next evening with a small bowl of yogurt. Treat yourself to a better night's rest with one of these 10 natural sleep remedies that really do work.

1. Sip a Cup of Chamomile Tea

Of all the herbs that help you sleep, chamomile is easily one of the most popular. Its medicinal qualities have been valued for centuries, and it's one of the oldest herbs in our gardens. A cup of chamomile tea before bedtime delivers a soothing combination of natural sedatives, and its aroma is considered very calming. Add flavor to your cup with a touch of honey and cinnamon.

2. Brew Up Banana Tea

This surprising evening elixir is simple to brew, and it's a delicious source of amino acids that elevate the body's serotonin levels. Banana tea sends you off to dreamland with tryptophan and dopamine while it improves overall health by delivering potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron. These minerals improve bone density and are also considered excellent digestive aids. Bananas boost your immune system too with vitamins A and C.

3. Relax with Passionfruit Tea

The passionflower also has a long history as a favorite herbal sleep aid. Its round passionfruit berries brew up an aromatic tea that's well-known for its deeply relaxing effects. The tea helps relieve anxiety while it soothes tense muscles. As you unwind with a fragrant cup, you're also boosting your immune system. Passionfruit tea is an excellent source of antioxidants.

4. Enjoy a Glass of Tart Cherry Juice

A small glass of tart cherry juice delivers a powerful combination of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds and sleep-enhancing melatonin. The dark red drink is a healthy, tasty choice for sipping just before turning in. Its natural compounds promote sound sleep throughout the night. Tart cherry juice is also considered beneficial for reducing muscle pain and improving circulation.

5. Have Fresh Fish for Dinner

Fresh fish is a healthy source of tryptophan, so it's a dinner dish that actually helps you produce melatonin and serotonin later in the evening. Salmon is an especially good choice because it's rich in vitamin D. Low vitamin D serum levels are frequently linked to a number of sleeping problems, but a serving of salmon helps your body generate and maintain this important vitamin.

6. Bring a Bowl of Yogurt to Bed

This is one of the few home remedies for sleep that lets you enjoy a snack before bedtime. Plain yogurt is an ideal sleep aid because its high levels of tryptophan increase your body's natural production of melatonin and serotonin. As these sleep hormones gently turn on and relax you for a good night's rest, you're also enjoying the positive effects of a snack loaded with vitamins B2 and B12.

7. Unwind With Whole Grains

The complex carbs found in most whole grains fortify your body's tryptophan levels, and they boost melatonin production with healthy doses of vitamin B6. A small bowl of whole grain cereal before going to bed helps you get to sleep, but you can also get ready for a peaceful night with a serving of brown rice. Every grain is naturally loaded with tryptophan and serotonin.

8. Curl Up with a Kiwi

This fuzzy, little fruit is a surprisingly powerful sleep aid. It delivers high levels of serotonin, and it's full of antioxidants too. Recent studies of the kiwi fruit note its value in aiding individuals who have trouble falling asleep and resting soundly through the night. Its delicate flavor is a combination of tart and sweet that makes it a perfect bedtime snack.

9. Have a Handful of Almonds
Almonds earn their place on our list of home remedies for sleeplessness because the nuts are an excellent source of melatonin. In addition to this important sleep-regulating hormone, almonds are also full of magnesium. Just 1 ounce provides 19 percent of your body's daily needs for this stress-busting mineral. A handful of almonds also helps you rest better by increasing calcium levels that peak during deep sleep.

10. Slip Off With Warm Milk

It's a time-honored, bedtime tradition for good reason. A glass of warm milk is simple and comforting, and it usually makes you feel drowsy right away. The science behind its effect still isn't completely understood, but milk does contain tryptophan, the amino acid that aids in serotonin and melatonin production. A teaspoon of honey turns your glass of warm milk into a sweet, healthy nightcap.

 

Creative Bedtime Snacking Ideas

Once you settle on the best natural sleep aid for your taste and lifestyle, try mixing and matching different flavors and textures. Get creative in the kitchen with the ingredients on our list, and come up with your own non habit forming sleep aid. Put a little variety into your bedtime snack routine with these ideas.

• Add sweet-tart flavor to your plain yogurt with slices of fresh kiwi fruit.

• Make whole grain cereal even better by preparing it with warm milk.

• Toss your handful of almonds in the cereal bowl for a crunchy goodnight snack.

• Blend a ripe banana with warm milk for the ultimate late-night smoothie.

• Try jasmine rice for a change of taste in your menu of whole grain goodies.

• Stir a little nutmeg into a glass of warm milk as a sleep-inducing flavor enhancer.

Heading to bed is easier when you know you have all kinds of delicious options that can help you drift off. Keep the pantry stocked with your favorite natural sleep aids, and practice good sleeping habits too. Enjoy the wonderful feeling that comes from getting the peaceful rest you deserve night after night. 

Your Trusted Online Mattress Store

We have to mention that all our home remedies for sleep work their best when you snuggle down on a comfortable mattress. When you turn in on a bed that suits your personal sleeping style, it's even easier to drift off and enjoy deep slumber. A quality mattress made in the U.S.A. is the one non habit forming sleep aid you can always count on even when you're counting sheep.

When you're ready for a new bed, our Sweet Zzz team looks forward to matching you up with the perfect mattress. Whether you prefer the cool comfort of a quality memory foam or the supple support of an innerspring hybrid, we can help. We're always here and always happy to be at your service as your most trusted online mattress store.