The hypolipidaemic effects of Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) supplementation in a Cretan population: a prospective study. Journal of the science of food and agriculture, Mazokopakis, E. E., Starakis, I. K., Papadomanolaki, M. G., Mavroeidi, N. G., & Ganotakis, E. S. (2014). Effects of saffron on sleep quality in healthy adults with self-reported poor sleep: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 16(6), 937–947.Lopresti, A. L., Smith, S. J., Metse, A. P., & Drummond, P. D. (2020). You don’t necessarily need to have sleep issues to take a sleep aid as well. Travelers and shift workers will frequently use a sleep aid every day even if they don’t have any underlying sleep issues simply to ensure a good night’s sleep. In women 20–45 years of age, taking 30 mg of Saffron daily was more effective than a placebo at treating PMS symptoms, such as irritability, headaches, cravings, and pain

I have never consulted a doctor about insomnia: I don’t know why, other than it doesn’t seem the kind of thing a harassed GP would be able to do much about. My region isn’t covered by the NHS CBT-based app, Sleepio either, of which I hear good things. In desperate times, I use the Valium I was prescribed for migraines – effective, but not a long-term solution. So I turn mostly to DIY insomnia remedies – and as someone who has given them all a whirl, here is my wholly subjective opinion on what to try and what not to waste your many waking hours on. Sprays and roll-ons In one serving (4 capsules), there’s 10mg of melatonin, which is definitely enough to put you to sleep. 5-HTP and L-theanine are also two other clinically studied ingredients that support restful sleep. Take two Sleep capsules around 30-60 minutesbefore you go to bed to help relax your body and mind, preparing you for better quality sleep. The VerdictIn the United States, the National Institutes of Health estimates that up to 30% of adults have regular sleep disruptions with 10% of the adult population suffering from severe sleep issues. Thankfully, most adults can rely on the use of over-the-counter sleep aid to help them fall and stay asleep.

Passiflora incarnata L. (Passionflower) extracts elicit GABA currents in hippocampal neurons in vitro, and show anxiogenic and anticonvulsant effects in vivo, varying with extraction method. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology, 17(12), 940–949. Elsas, S. M., Rossi, D. J., Raber, J., White, G., Seeley, C. A., Gregory, W. L., Mohr, C., Pfankuch, T., & Soumyanath, A. (2010). Polyphenolic content, antiradical activity, stability and microbiological quality of elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) extracts. Acta scientiarum polonorum. Technologia alimentaria, 16(4), 393–401. Pliszka B. (2017). Pharmacological basis for the role of curcumin in chronic diseases: an age-old spice with modern targets. Trends in pharmacological sciences, 30(2), 85–94. Aggarwal, B. B., & Sung, B. (2009). Turmeric, the Golden Spice: From Traditional Medicine to Modern Medicine. In: Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S, editors. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press/Taylor & Francis; 2011. Chapter 13.Prasad S, Aggarwal BB The effect of Greek herbal tea consumption on thyroid cancer: a case-control study. European journal of public health, 25(6), 1001–1005. Riza, E., Linos, A., Petralias, A., de Martinis, L., Duntas, L., & Linos, D. (2015).The effect of curcumin supplementation on recovery following exercise-induced muscle damage and delayed-onset muscle soreness: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytotherapy research : PTR, 10.1002/ptr.6912. Fang, W., & Nasir, Y. (2020).

Most sleep aids use a combination of herbal extracts and minerals to help induce sleep and ensure that you sleep throughout the night. Although commonly used by those suffering from insomnia, a sleep aid can be beneficial for anyone who experiences sleep issues more than once or twice a week. Natural sleep supplements are once again gaining popularity among consumers all around the United States. Some misinformed sources have argued that sleep supplements are a new phenomenon, but this could not be more inaccurate. The truth is that sleep formulas have persisted in the pseudo-medical industry for many decades. In fact, some of the core ingredients used in popular alternative sleep pills have been used for thousands of years to help people become more restful and sleep better at night. Ingredients like hibiscus, melatonin, and multiple herbs were staples of native cultures who practiced their own healing processes far before the advent of what we consider to be modern medicine. VitaBalance Nature Sleep is another solid sleep aid with the “big 3” ingredients - melatonin, chamomile, and valerian root. However, VitaBalance also includes some lesser-known ingredients – magnesium, goji berry, and lemon balm.A randomized study to establish the effects of spirulina in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Nutrition research and practice,Lee, E. H., Park, J. E., Choi, Y. J., Huh, K. B., & Kim, W. Y. (2008). Smooth muscle relaxant activity of Crocus sativus (saffron) and its constituents: possible mechanisms. Avicenna journal of phytomedicine, 5(5), 365–375.Mokhtari-Zaer, A., Khazdair, M. R., & Boskabady, M. H. (2015). I swear if anyone else tells me how “powerful” Night Nurse is, I’ll be making a blood sacrifice to Morpheus. It’s not that I don’t believe them – susceptibility levels do vary enormously. My stepfather gets stoned and delirious if he takes any over-the-counter pain relief. But for me, Night Nurse, Nytol and similar are basically useless. Many of these over-the-counter remedies are antihistamine-based. For me, any antihistamine strong enough to make a difference to my sleep leaves me a dry-mouthed walking corpse the next day, incapable of coherent thought and forced to sit down to shower (much like my stepfather after a baby aspirin, actually). The US army technique In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design, 20 volunteers consumed either a placebo or tart cherry for 7 days. The results showed significant increase in Melatonin in the cherry group, whilst no differences were shown between baseline and placebo trials. There were significant increases in time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency total with cherry supplementation. This data suggests that consumption tart cherry provides an increase in exogenous melatonin that is beneficial in improving sleep duration and quality in healthy men and women and might be of benefit in managing disturbed sleep.