Sleep

Remedy Library

Sleep

What people traditionally use for better sleep, what the research says, and the safety notes.

Poor sleep can mean trouble falling asleep, waking in the night or waking too early, then feeling tired the next day. Almost everyone has rough nights now and then. When it happens at least three nights a week for three months, it’s called chronic insomnia. Stress, pain, caffeine, alcohol, some medicines, hot flashes and conditions like sleep apnea can all play a part. This page covers when to get help, the everyday steps with the best support and the remedies people traditionally use.

This page is the free overview. The full sleep support, with herb-by-herb profiles, protocols, safety notes and a members’ Q&A, is in the Remedies Vault. See what’s in the Vault →

Get medical help first if…

  • you snore loudly, gasp or stop breathing in your sleep, or feel very sleepy during the day. These can be signs of sleep apnea, which needs a proper sleep test.
  • you’ve ever nodded off while driving
  • poor sleep has gone on for more than three months, or it’s affecting your mood, work or safety
  • you feel low, anxious or hopeless most days
  • you get a strong urge to move your legs at night
  • your sleep changed after starting a new medicine

Everyday steps with the best support

  • Ask about CBT-I (cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia). It’s the first-choice treatment for long-term insomnia, and there are online and app versions.
  • Wake up at the same time every day, weekends too.
  • Get outdoor light in the morning and keep the lights low in the evening.
  • Stop caffeine by early afternoon and go easy on alcohol, which makes sleep lighter later in the night.
  • Keep the bedroom cool, dark and quiet, and keep screens out of bed.
  • If you’re still awake after about 20 minutes, get up and do something calm in dim light, then go back to bed when you feel sleepy.
  • Keep naps short (under 30 minutes) and before mid-afternoon.

Remedies people traditionally use

These have a long history of traditional use. Research on them is limited or mixed, so think of them as extras alongside the everyday steps and your doctor’s advice, not replacements.

  • Chamomile tea: a traditional bedtime tea. Studies are small and mixed, but it’s a gentle, caffeine-free way to wind down. Skip it if you’re allergic to ragweed or daisies.
  • Lavender: the scent is traditionally used to relax before bed, and small studies suggest it may help sleep quality. Don’t swallow essential oils.
  • Valerian root: one of the most used sleep herbs, with mixed research results. Don’t combine it with alcohol or sleep medicines.
  • Magnesium-rich foods: nuts, seeds, beans and leafy greens. Research on magnesium supplements for sleep is limited; check with your doctor first if you have kidney disease.
  • Melatonin: best studied for jet lag and shift work, with a small effect on falling asleep faster. Start low, ask your pharmacist about interactions, and avoid it if pregnant or nursing.
  • Tart cherry: small studies suggest tart cherry juice may help some people sleep a little longer.

If you’d like to try a glycinate form, Magnesium Glycinate Lysinate is one we like, sold by an outside company. It’s a mineral supplement, not a sleeping pill, so it may suit people whose diets run low in magnesium. Skip it if you have kidney disease, and check with your doctor if you take other medicines.

See the magnesium supplement

Sponsored link. If you buy through it, Clif may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The claims on the seller’s page are theirs, not ours, and haven’t been checked by us. It’s not a substitute for seeing your doctor.

Worth knowing: over-the-counter “PM” sleep aids with diphenhydramine or doxylamine can cause next-day grogginess, confusion and falls, and are generally not advised for adults over 65. Supplements aren’t tested for strength the way medicines are, so choose third-party tested products (in Canada, look for an NPN on the label).

Check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting anything new, especially if you’re pregnant, nursing, on medication or managing a health condition.

The Remedies Vault

Want the full sleep picture? It’s in the Vault.

This page gives you the basics. Vault members get the Poor Sleep section: everything the library has on sleep, gathered in one place, with the safety notes up front.

  • Herb-by-herb profiles of what’s traditionally used for sleep, with how each is believed to work and an honest evidence label on every use
  • The Structured Detox Method and step-by-step detox protocols, in the right order (Herbalist and Lifetime All-Access)
  • Detox Library entries for the herbs and natural helpers people use
  • The Supplement Library: vitamins, minerals and other well-studied nutrients, with official amounts and safety
  • The Recipe Library: teas, juices, tonics and broths you make at home, with real amounts
  • Alternative Remedies: dossiers on the therapies that never got approved, with both sides of the argument
  • A members-only Q&A where you can ask your own question
  • Remedy requests: ask for anything not covered yet and it becomes a new library page (Herbalist and Lifetime All-Access)
Join the Vault, from $12/month

Founding-member price, USD. Cancel anytime. Educational only, not medical advice.

Related

Sources

Educational only, not medical advice. This information has not been evaluated by the FDA or Health Canada and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting any remedy, supplement, or detox, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a health condition. Read our full Medical Disclaimer.

Photo: Laslovarga via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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