Ah sleep, blissful sleep, it’s one important thing we can’t live without. In theory, it should be easy; once your head hits the pillow, you fall into a deep peaceful sleep, just like the people in those mattress commercials. However, it often doesn’t happen like this. For many, it can take hours to fall asleep, and even when rest finally comes, it’s short-lived and sporadic. When your brain decides it’s the perfect time to solve every problem as soon as your head hits the pillow. How am I going to get through the presentation at work tomorrow? Maybe I should bring two shirts in case I spill coffee on the first one. Are those laundry pens for stains still around? Stains..stains…how did that word come about? Wide awake, stuck in the endless rabbit hole of thoughts, searching for sheep, but all is not lost, and you’re not alone. There are many ways you can get a better night sleep, naturally. Proper diet, exercise, and just like babies, a schedule is super important for sleep. When it comes to calming down those thoughts and letting go of your worries until the morning, adaptogens may give you that extra bump needed to drift off, deeply. We’ve put together a list of our top adaptogens for natural sleep support.

Why Do We Even Need Sleep?

New sleep studies suggest 7-10 hours of sleep each night, what!? That may seem like a lot, especially in our fast-paced society, balancing a work, home, and social life. There are never enough hours in the day as it is, how are we supposed to spend nearly half the day sleeping!? This is where it can be just as important to get a good quality sleep as it is to get those hours in. While all four sleep stages are important, science shows that deep sleep is the most important for our health and wellbeing. Deep sleep or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is where our dreams come out to play, and our bodies heal and regenerate. Our brain is able to build new pathways that retain all of the information we’ve learned throughout the day. And our body is able to develop, grow and repair our vital systems, like immune function, muscles tissue, our brain, and hormone regulation. Lack of good quality sleep over time can lead to decreased memory and motor function, depression, anxiety, obesity, heart attack, diabetes and the list goes on. Not to mention, it affects our day to day life, slowed reaction time, learning and focusing become difficult, and our mood can change.

Lifestyle Changes for Natural Sleep Support

Lifestyle contributes largely to getting a better night sleep. Here are some fairly easy lifestyle changes that may help you get a more restful sleep:

• Have a sleep schedule where you go to bed and wake up at the same time each day
• Skip the afternoon/evening coffee
• Drink alcohol in moderation and avoid it too close to bedtime (may increase heart rate)
• Eat a healthy balanced diet
• Try exercising earlier in the day (giving the body time to regulate an elevated heart rate)
• Avoid smoking
• Control the temperature in your bedroom, a little cooler is better
• Aroma in your bedroom can help (lavender or eucalyptus essential oil)
• Eliminate light in your bedroom with blackout curtains
• Have a good quality mattress and pillow
• Relax in the evening before bedtime, take a bath, read, meditate
• Disconnect, try to avoid any screens an hour before bedtime
• Try adding some natural supplements, organic fruits like cherries, or adaptogens to your diet

How These Powerful Adaptogens Can Help You Sleep Better

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha has been used for centuries in Ayurveda for its health benefits. Most commonly found in powder or capsule form but can also be taken in tincture or tea form. It is known for having a calming effect, so it can be taken close to bedtime. Studies show that ashwagandha can help improve sleep quality and reduce the time it takes you to fall asleep. It can also help with symptoms of anxiety and even depression.

Lavender

Lavender essential oil is well-known as being promoted for relaxation and sleep support. It can be diffused in your bedroom before sleep or applied to your pillow, temples, wrists and feet, to help you get a deeper better quality night sleep. Did you know that lavender can also be consumed for sleep support? Adding lavender to your diet can help in the treatment of anxiety, depression, pain, and insomnia or sleep-related problems. Consuming lavender can improve the quality and length of sleep while improving your overall mental and physical health. You can find lavender in tea, supplement and oil form. Just be careful with the oils; some are not meant for oral consumption.

Passion Flower

Studies suggest that passionflower can help with insomnia and anxiety. It helps boost the levels of GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) in your brain, which means it helps you get a better night sleep by relaxing and calming your mind. It might be best to take it later in the day because it can make you sleepy. You can find passionflower in tea, liquid extracts and capsule forms.

Eleuthero

Eleuthero has been used for over 2000 years in Chinese Medicine for its wide range of health benefits. It is a natural anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant that can help with sleep deprivation. It decreases mental and physical exhaustion, making you feel more energized and alert during the day, improving your sleep quality at night. It can be found in capsule, powder, tincture and tea form. Just make sure you don’t take it too close to bedtime because it can have a stimulating effect. This also makes it a great alternative to that morning or afternoon coffee when you’re feeling tired.

Schisandra

Schisandra is used in Chinese medicine to treat insomnia. Studies show that it can reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and increase the amount of time spent sleeping. It is considered a calming adaptogen that can help treat anxiety but can also be used to enhance reflexes and concentration. Most commonly it is found in powder, extract, whole berry or juice form. It should not be taken when sick but can be taken at any time of the day.

Jiaogulan

Jiaogulan health benefits are similar to Asian Ginseng. Unlike the stimulating effect that you get from Asian ginseng, jiaogulan has a more calming effect. Traditionally, it is used in Chinese medicine to treat insomnia. It has been shown to reduce tiredness, increase stamina and reduce anxiety in people who suffer from chronic stress. It is most commonly found in tea form but can also be found in extract form and taken any time of the day.

Rhodiola

Rhodiola has been used in Russia for centuries to treat anxiety, fatigue and depression. In many studies, Rhodiola has been proven to help improve mental fatigue. One study conducted on students during exam time helped them improve their sleeping patterns and motivated them to study for their exams. Rhodiola can be found in capsule, powder, extract and tea form. It should be taken in the morning because it has a stimulating effect.

*** Disclaimer: The content on this website (Thrive Remedies) is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended or suitable in place of advice from your health care practitioner or licensed physician. The information and products on this website should not be used for diagnosing, treating, curing or preventing a health problem, you should always consult a health care provider or licensed physician for advice. ***

References:

1.   Adaptogens Study
2.   Sleep Deprivation
3.   How Much Sleep Do We Need
4.   Healthy Sleep
5.   Study on Ashwagandha
6.   Eleuthero Study
7.   Siberian Ginseng Review
8.   Eleuthero and Sleep Deprivation
9.   Eleuthero and Stress Induced Sleep Deprivation
10. Schisandra and it’s Sedative Properties
11. Jiaogulan and Brain Function
12. Jiaogulan for Anxiety
13. Rhodiola and Fatigue
14. Lavender and the Nervous System

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