Everything You Need To Know About Sleep Aid Supplements

August 17, 2022

Despite the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommending that adults aged 18–60 years sleep at least 7 hours each night to promote optimal health and well-being, a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report states that more than a third of American adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis. Truly, the lack of sleep may be due to circumstances out of their control. However, despite these reasons, sleeping aids supplements can help them get enough sleep for optimal wellbeing. In this blog post, we will further emphasize the importance of sleep, discuss the utility of sleep aid supplements and give some safety precautions when using them.

Why Is Sleep Important?

Sleep is important for your health and well-being. It helps you function better during the day, which in turn makes it easier for you to do things like work, go to school or hang out with friends. When we’re asleep, our bodies are able to repair themselves from any damage sustained during the day’s activities, so when we wake up feeling refreshed and energized instead of tired and irritable (which happens when we don’t get enough sleep), that means our bodies are doing what they were designed to do: stay healthy!

Sleep also helps keep our brains sharp by giving them the time needed for repairs. Sleep deprivation can lead to impaired thinking skills such as memory loss, decreased problem-solving ability and difficulty focusing on tasks at hand—and these problems can become much worse if not addressed quickly!

Sleep deprivation can also lead to irritability, fatigue and lack of motivation, all of which can have a negative impact on your life.

Causes Of Sleep Problems

Multiple factors might contribute to sleep issues, such as not getting enough sleep or not obtaining deep, restorative sleep. Lack of sleep can result from a variety of problems, including:

Sleep-related health issues, like obstructive sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome
A distracting (bright or noisy) sleeping area
Depression
Stress
Excessive caffeine intake

What Are Sleep Aid Supplements

Supplements are a type of medication that can be used to treat insomnia. They are natural or synthetic, and they’re not regulated by the FDA. You should only take supplements if your doctor has prescribed them for you, in addition to taking your medication(s) as directed.

A sleep aid supplement is not a substitute for medication—it can’t replace what you’re supposed to do when trying to fall asleep at night—but it can complement them by helping improve how well your body responds during REM sleep cycles (which happen when we dream).

The goal of sleep aid supplements is to help people get better sleep. It is not a cure-all solution, however. If you’re experiencing insomnia, then it’s important that you speak with your doctor first before trying any type of medication or supplement.

Who Should Use Sleeping Aids Supplements

If you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or waking up in the morning, or if you’re having trouble falling back to sleep after waking up from a nap (which happens to many people), then sleep aid supplements may be able to help. Sleep aids can help with all of these issues because they contain ingredients that promote relaxation and calmness in the body. They also provide energy for those who need it most during their busy day, so if you find yourself feeling tired at work or school, then a good night’s rest could make all the difference between making it through another long day without losing your mind!

Types Of Sleep Aid Supplements

There are a variety of types of sleep aid supplements. Some are over-the-counter (OTC), and others are prescription, but there are also natural kinds available as well.

The most common type of sleep aid supplement is an over-the-counter product. These supplements can come in tablet, capsule or liquid form and usually contain a combination of ingredients such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), doxylamine succinate (Unisom) and melatonin.

Prescription sleep aids are not as common, but they can be quite effective. They often have a rapid onset and long duration of action, making them ideal for people with acute insomnia. Examples include zolpidem (Ambien) or eszopiclone (Lunesta). Natural sleep aids come in many different forms, including herbal teas like chamomile or valerian root.

Some people prefer not to take prescription medications, so they may opt for natural sleep aids instead. There are many different types of natural sleep aids available on the market today: teas, tinctures, extracts and supplements. They can be effective in helping you get better quality rest without having side effects like drowsiness the next day.

Natural Sleep Aid Or Pharmaceutical Sleep Aid?

In general, people believe that natural sleep aids are less dangerous than over-the-counter and prescription drugs. This is because they typically have fewer side effects than their equivalents, available only by prescription. Some people are concerned that taking prescription medication could make them dependent on it. If this takes place, people can go through withdrawal if they decide to stop using it. After ceasing use, they could struggle to fall asleep much more.

Natural sleep aids rarely cause dependence when used for a brief period of time. When taken for a brief period of time, natural sleep aids have a low risk of problems or adverse effects. You should use caution when using herbs, which are frequently utilized as natural sleep aids because they aren’t governed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Any potential conflicts between a herb you want to consume and any existing medical issues or prescription medications should be discussed with your doctor.

Potential Drawbacks Of Using Sleeping Aids Supplements

When taking any form of sleep aid supplement, you should know that using a sleep aid, especially in excessive amounts, can have some minor drawbacks, such as

Dry mouth
Feeling tired the next day (drowsiness) or feeling like you slept longer than usual. This can be dangerous if you’re driving a car or operating machinery, so be careful!
Nausea and dizziness are also common side effects of some sleeping pills and prescription drugs used to treat insomnia. If these symptoms persist after taking your medication for several weeks, talk to your doctor about whether it’s safe for you to continue taking them without first stopping treatment temporarily until the symptoms subside.
Withdrawal symptoms from benzodiazepines like Xanax are more likely than other types of medications because they work by binding GABA receptors in brain cells which then cause drowsiness as well as decreased appetite, among other things, when taken regularly over time – this makes quitting difficult though not impossible if done slowly enough (usually about 2-3 days). Other drug classes such as barbiturates don’t tend toward dependence but nonetheless carry risk factors such as addiction potential due to their sedative effect on the central nervous system, which may lead people down dark paths should they become addicted while taking them regularly over time – but again this is not inevitable since there’s always hope!

Sleep aid dependence is also a real problem among people who take prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs to help them sleep. While it can be very easy for someone with an addiction history to become dependent on sleeping aids, it’s important not to give in too easily. The best way is by slowly reducing their usage (usually about 2-3 days) and then stopping altogether once symptoms subside.

Some Helpful Precautions For Using Sleeping Aids Supplements Effectively

To prevent any harm to your overall health, it is advisable to follow some general precautions when taking any sort of sleep aid supplement. This includes, but it is not limited to:

Don’t take sleeping aids for long periods of time.
Don’t take sleeping aids if you are pregnant.
Don’t take sleeping aids if you have a history of mental health problems or drug abuse, as these conditions can make it more difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Note that these general warnings do not apply to every product in the market; always check with your doctor before taking any medication or supplement.

It is undeniable that sleep is one of the most important things to wellbeing as not having enough sleep can lead to far greater health consequences. Due to this, one should strive to have adequate sleep every single night. To do this, the adequate use of effective sleeping aid supplement might come in handy as a way to improve your sleep and get the best night’s rest.

References

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Okano, K., Kaczmarzyk, J.R., Dave, N. et al. Sleep quality, duration, and consistency are associated with better academic performance in college students. npj Sci. Learn. 4, 16 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41539-019-0055-z

Cao Y, Zhen S, Taylor AW, Appleton S, Atlantis E, Shi Z. Magnesium Intake and Sleep Disorder Symptoms: Findings from the Jiangsu Nutrition Study of Chinese Adults at Five-Year Follow-Up. Nutrients. 2018;10(10):1354. Published 2018 Sep 21. doi:10.3390/nu10101354

Hu Z, Oh S, Ha TW, Hong JT, Oh KW. Sleep-Aids Derived from Natural Products. Biomol Ther (Seoul). 2018;26(4):343-349. doi:10.4062/biomolther.2018.099