Ready to sleep better?

Are you in search of some much-needed sleep? A good night’s sleep is so important to your health and wellbeing. A study by Obesity Research & Clinical Practice found people who sleep less than seven hours a night have a 41% higher risk of developing obesity, compared to those who sleep more.

While eating a balanced diet, exercising daily and getting to sleep without medication is best, it’s not easy to do this regularly. Sometimes taking a few vitamins (that actually work) can help send you off to the land of slumber.

A note before you stock up on sleep vitamins: speak to your GP first

We recommend you speak to your GP about any sleep difficulties you may be having. They can provide you with professional advice and tips to address the whole picture of your physical and mental health.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a natural hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. It’s often used as a sleep vitamin to support issues with insomnia and other sleep-related disorders.

If you’re aged 55 and over, you can buy melatonin over the counter, but anyone younger will need a prescription from a doctor.

Clinical trials by NPS MedicineWise have shown that people aged over 55 who took melatonin over time gained a modest improvement in their sleep patterns. They also reported feeling more alert in the morning compared to participants who took a placebo.

It’s worth noting there haven’t been conclusive studies on younger people.

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral we need to function – like iron. It’s extremely important for your body for many reasons, such as:

• it keeps your blood sugar and pressure at the right level, and
• it creates proteins and strengthens your bones.

It also plays a vital role in muscle relaxation and nerve function – both of which influence sleep patterns. Research reported by Healthline found that magnesium tablets have been shown to improve sleep quality.

Specifically, magnesium tablets could reduce the time taken to fall asleep and enhance overall sleep quality when taken at doses around 250 mg.

It's worth mentioning the study’s participants were older individuals with lower blood magnesium levels. It’s uncertain whether or not magnesium tablets would be effective with young people, or those with high blood magnesium levels. 

L-theanine

L-theanine (pronounced El-Thee-A-Nin) is an amino acid found to promote relaxation and reduce anxiety. It affects neurotransmitters in the brain, increasing levels of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine, and serotonin while decreasing norepinephrine – the ‘fight-or-flight’ hormone.

Research by the University of Canberra found L-theanine supplementation can lead to improvements in sleep onset latency, total sleep time, and overall sleep quality.

It discovered the effective doses range from 50mg to 655mg, with 200mg being commonly recommended.

Interestingly, this study used adults and children as subjects. Compared to melatonin and magnesium tablets, this may be the most effective sleep vitamin for the whole family.

Valerian Root

Valerian root is a herbal supplement used for its sedative properties. It has long been touted as an effective sleep aid in Europe and North America. 

A recent study found that taking 300-600mg of valerian root by participants aged between 7 and 80 years old led to significant improvements in sleep quality. However, it also found the effects may take several weeks to appear.

Vitamin D

Finally, there’s good old vitamin D. Vitamin D has been discovered to help regulate hormones and research indicates it may also play a role in sleep regulation. A lack of vitamin D has been linked to increased instances of insomnia and poor sleep quality.

Taking vitamin D supplements for sleep could help normalise sleep patterns, although more research is needed to establish direct causation. 

A great way to naturally increase your vitamin D levels is by getting some sunshine. Our article, Hello, sunshine – how important vitamin D is for your health, has great tips on how to get more healthy rays.

Furthermore, we wrote an article on how to set yourself up for the best sleep ever. It’s jam packed full of top advice to help you off to the land of dreams.

Rest well and remember to recover

Sleep vitamins work best when they’re paired with rest and recovery. Did you know that Virgin Active offers great spaces to help you wind down? Pop in some time to your local Virgin Active club to learn more.