Vitamins For Better Sleep
See Selection nowThe Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports a staggering thirty to forty percent of all adults in the United States undersleep on a daily basis. The recommended number of hours to achieve quality sleep is seven for adults, with that number varying slightly based on gender, age, and general health. Poor sleep is responsible for a number of conditions and symptoms, including mid-day fatigue, inability to focus, and an increase in stress responses.
Anyone who finds themselves often tossing and turning during the night or scrolling endlessly through their phone instead of sleeping, there are a few supplements and lifestyle changes that can get you back into a healthy sleep routine. The excellent news is that natural remedies can often make all the difference in getting a good night's rest with no need to rely on prescription medications.
Effects of Poor Sleep on the Body
We already mentioned a few of the symptoms you can expect to see if you fail to get enough sleep during a twenty-four-hour period, but the body is a delicate system of balances, and sleep is essential to all of them. Without the ability to rest and regroup, the different systems begin to get overworked and can start to behave in unexpected ways. This is especially true for neurological and cardiovascular health.
Some of the effects of chronic poor sleep (e.g., regularly less than seven hours a night) including the following symptoms.
- Short and long-term memory issues
- Inability to focus and problems with thinking clearly and problem-solving
- Extreme mood swings and unusual anxiety or depression
- You will be more vulnerable to infections, and injuries will heal slower
- Increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and weight gain
- Difficulty with balance and overall body coordination
- Decreased libido

Vitamins to Help You Sleep Better
Fortunately, there are plenty of minerals, compounds. and vitamins for better sleep that you can take that can help you fall and stay asleep. This is a perfect way to get a restful night without resorting to prescriptions. Not only are each of these products great for increasing your sleep and fighting off insomnia, but they also have other health benefits.









5-HTP
This supplement encourages melatonin production. Not only can it shorten the amount of time that it takes you to fall asleep, but once you are resting, it can ensure that you wake up feeling more refreshed. Studies have shown that it can readily treat insomnia due to the efficiency through which it can pass through the blood-brain barrier.









Kava Kava
The Kava root extract found in our products can help remove feelings of anxiety and stress while encouraging sleep. It is included as an ingredient in certain anti-anxiety medications. This herbal remedy can lower pain levels, improve mood, and relax muscles. It is sometimes used to prevent seizures.

Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Omega-3
This fat is found in shellfish and oily fish. It has all kinds of excellent properties and strengthens heart health and cognitive function while lowering the risk of Alzheimer's, some cancers, and depression. DHA Omega-3 is also an anti-inflammatory.



Melatonin
Melatonin is primarily responsible for the regulation of sleep. It is found in foods like eggs, fish, nuts, and milk, but some people do not get the right amount in their diet, so a supplement becomes necessary to ensure a hormonal balance that can lead to better sleep.









Calcium
This mineral is found in quite a few foods, and it ensures that we have healthy bones, joints, connective tissues, teeth, and carries messages between cells in the nervous system. It is essential for the process that turns tryptophan into melatonin and can foster better sleep regularity.



Vitamin D
There is a connection between Vitamin D deficiencies and sleep disturbances. By taking this vitamin supplement, you can make sure that you have the proper amount in your system to ensure quality sleep.
Additional Sleep Aids
A few other things that can help with getting you relaxed enough to fall asleep more easily. The following natural treatments have been used for generations by civilizations all around the world to induce calm and encourage restful sleep.
Essential oils
Essential oils can relax the body and mind so that it is in a better state for rest. A number of oils can be used, including chamomile, lavender, bergamot, valerian, sandalwood, ylang-ylang, clary sage, and sweet marjoram. They work by lowering anxiety and increasing calmness.
Bedtime Tea
The L-theanine in tea is able to promote feelings of calm and contentment, which make it easier to quiet your mind and drift off to sleep. The teas that work best are chamomile, valerian, lavender, and magnolia bark.
Lifestyle Changes That Can Improve Sleep
Quality sleep is the product of a healthy lifestyle. If you do not exercise for at least two and a half hours a week and fail to follow your demographic's recommended diet, you may experience some problems getting all the rest you need to function throughout the day. Below are a few helpful suggestions for changes you can make to improve your sleep.
Reduce Stress
Psychological stress has the ability to disrupt normal sleep patterns. It can be a few solitary instances or lead to chronic sleep deprivation, depending on the severity. A 2014 review of research by the University of California reported that stress could affect how often and deeply participants were able to sleep during clinical studies. There are a number of ways to decrease mental stress, including eating a healthy diet, regular exercise, meditation, other relaxation techniques, and talking to your doctor to make sure you are not experiencing problems due to essential nutrient deficiencies.
Create a Sleep Routine
Patterns of behavior are vital when you are trying to create new lifestyle habits. Especially ones that may be counter to how you have been living for decades. In particular, sleep routines are known to assist with creating a more relaxing environment, and your body becomes used to what to expect, leading to an easier time falling asleep. Anyone experiencing chronic insomnia will benefit from making a schedule for when to go to bed and wake up as well as a set of actions you take before bedtime. There are several things studies have revealed that tend to improve a pre-sleep routine, including the following.
- Do deep breathing exercises.
- Do deep breathing exercises.
- Use a diary or some other form of writing down your anxieties and then placing that list somewhere physically away from the bed to symbolically set aside those concerns for the night.
- Slowly build up to a full night's sleep by 15 or 20 minutes per night rather than attempting to immediately reset your internal clock and forcing your body to sleep through the full seven to eight hours when it is used to much shorter time periods. This can increase overall anxiety. Taking it slow and working up to an ideal sleep schedule has been proven effective.

Avoid Certain Foods and Drinks
Coffee, alcohol, and nicotine are all known to adversely affect sleep patterns. Also, proteins (e.g., cheese, peanut butter, etc.) are harder to digest and should be avoided close to bedtime. Foods that can increase energy, disrupt your sleep schedule, or ramp up your metabolism may interrupt your body's ability to get a restful sleep. They include the following.
- Chocolate
- Cheese
- Curry
- Ice cream
- Potato chips
- Raw honey
- Cherries
- Red meats and jerky
- Soda (including diet)
- Apples
Hydrate
Interestingly, hydration also plays a significant role in how quickly you can fall asleep and how long you sleep. Your body is busy doing all kinds of checks and balances while you sleep as it repairs damage and gets you ready to face the next day. These processes are going to have some trouble functioning properly if you are dehydrated before or during sleep. It is important to make sure you have enough water in your body to keep your cells fueled, communicating, and working together.
Some superficial things you may notice include a dry mouth and throat, which can lead to louder snoring as well as muscle cramps, specifically in the thigh and calf. We all naturally lose water as we sleep through breathing or night sweats if you are prone to them. These make for uncomfortable, interrupted sleep. In addition, you will feel tired and slow the next day unless you hydrate in the late evening.
Do Not Use Phones and Other Devices at Bedtime
Everyone knows what it is like to lay in bed and wait for sleep to take over when a sudden urge hits to check email, social media, or play the next level of a favorite game. This distraction may seem small and unimportant, but multiple studies have shown that people tend to sleep less than the recommended seven hours if they use phones near their bed or directly before attempting to sleep. This can be solved by placing your phone or other devices (e.g., tablet, smartwatch, laptop, etc.) out of reach when you prepare for bed. Making it a part of your nightly sleep routine will cement this new habit.
FAQs
Can I take Vitamin B12 at night?
Vitamin B12 deficiency is believed to be linked to insomnia related sleeping disorders. If you believe that you may not be getting enough naturally through your diet, you should speak with your doctor about the best supplement for you. However, B vitamins tend to work better if you take them earlier in the day rather than at night time. This is because they may have the side effect of stimulating brain activity and the body's metabolism, which can keep you from falling or staying asleep.
Does Vitamin C improve sleep?
Vitamin C can help improve sleep and also counter some of the effects of sleep deprivation. A 2015 study showed that it can also decrease stress caused by sleep deprivation. This is important if you have a sleep deficit due to insomnia or other sleep disorders that have left you with a chronic inability to get a full night's rest. You can get Vitamin C in your diet, and supplements can also ensure you have enough in your system to take advantage of all the benefits. Foods high in Vitamin C include citrus fruits, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, strawberries, peppers, and potatoes.
What foods can help you sleep better if you eat them in the evening?
The following foods have properties that can help you get better sleep. Small quantities of carbohydrate-rich foods can increase tryptophan, which is an amino acid that helps create melatonin, which is responsible for the body's natural sleep cycle, and serotonin, which also impacts sleep and can decrease pain while balancing mood. Foods that have this useful element include the following.
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Chicken and turkey
- Milk
- Pineapple
- Kiwi
- Tomatoes
- Plums
- Bananas
What is a Sleep deficit, and how can you avoid it?
Chronic lack of sleep is known as "sleep debt" or "sleep deficit," which means that you are regularly getting less than the minimum requirement of sleep per night. This is often seen in people who work late at night, cover multiple shifts, or have a large number of responsibilities that take up their time and attention. Studies have shown that sleep debt can impair your cognitive, physical, and emotional abilities. You can avoid it by getting at least seven hours of quality sleep per night. Supplements can help you get back on track.
Are there supplements to help with insomnia during pregnancy?
Pregnant women often experience long or short-term bouts of insomnia. These interruptions to rest can have adverse effects on both the mother and the growing child, so it is vital to ensure that all resources are used to get quality sleep. Hormonal changes that can lead to insomnia are usually seen in the first and third trimesters. During that time, it is entirely normal to experience severe heartburn, frequently need to use the bathroom, and have hormonal shifts that can make it hard to fall asleep. There are some supplements that can help during this time, including melatonin. A doctor should be consulted before any product is used during pregnancy.
Article Sources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3311304/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4276978/
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-do-we-know-about-diet-and-prevention-alzheimers-disease
Sleep Health
Supplements for Sleep Support
Tired of lying awake at night for hours? Are you restless, stressed and overthinking when all you want is to relax and get a quality night of sleep? Are you tired of going to work fatigued and having trouble concentrating? Whole Health's natural supplements offer a wide array of options to help you sleep better and feel more rested the next day. Prescription medications can be very costly and often addictive. Before you resort to medications, we suggest you try our natural supplements for a peaceful night's sleep!
Melatonin is one of the most well-known supplement for sleep support. Melatonin is a hormone in the brain that is believed to regulate our sleep/wake cycle. This supplement not only helps you fall asleep faster, but improves the Quality of Sleep so you are not waking up in the middle of the night.
Calcium Magnesium Citrate are two minerals are often overlooked but are just as essential when it comes to healthy sleep. When our bodies are low in Magnesium and Calcium, we often have difficulty sleeping. This product combines both Calcium and Magnesium into one convenient capsule.
5-HTP or Kava Kava are two of Whole Health's top supplements to put your body and mind at ease, ultimately leading to better sleep. Stress is the most common problem that keeps people up at night. Kava Kava calms the mind and reduces stress levels, while 5-HTP is particularly helpful since it is a precursor to serotonin and melatonin.
DHA lead to fewer sleep problems. Studies show that high levels of fish oils and Omega-3's, specifically DHA, reduces shorter night-waking's and prolongs longer duration of sleep.