SLEEP is what holds us all together. Without it, we’re often left feeling groggy, unproductive and pretty moody.
Despite sleep’s importance to our overall health and wellbeing, findings from a Stada UKA study found that UK adults sleep worse than other Europeans! Why?
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More than a third of Brits report that they are anxious and one in four blame money worries.
But, we’re on a mission to sort the UK’s sleep and it seems that half of Brits are on board, as over 50 per cent would consider using sleep aids to help improve their shuteye.
So what’s what when it comes to sleep aids?
We’ve dug out the latest and greatest bedtime additions along with the expertise of Nutritionist Gail Madalena…
1. You can get a restful night with no frills
Kalms Night One A Night 21 tablets, £5, Tesco
Valerian is the main ingredient of this herbal medicinal product.
“Valerian is frequently used to aid with insomnia.
“It is thought to increase the levels of a chemical known as GABA in the brain, which contributes to a calming effect in the body, which can help you drift off to sleep naturally,”Gail.
Before you go to bed, take a tablet.
2. Pre-bed drinks
Dirtea Mushroom Cacao Super Blend, £39.99
This mixture contains Reishi mushrooms, which are said to be helpful in preparing the body for sleep.
Dirtea says Reishi “helps improve sleep quality by relaxing the nervous system, releasing feel good serotonin and GABA which have calming effects on the brain and it also regulates cortisol levels, the stress hormone, which helps to promote healthier sleep patterns”.
Gail claims that this cacao blend also contains tryptophan (serotonin) and caffeine (tryptophan), which can promote sleep.
“Reishi and ashwagandha are adaptogens, meaning they have the capacity to down-regulate our stress response by lowering levels of cortisol and promote feelings of calm,”Gail.
“Coconut milk contains high levels of magnesium and potassium, two minerals that have a relaxing effect on muscles.
“It also contains vitamin B which can modulate stress levels and higher levels of saturated fat, which is more satiating, leading to drowsiness.”
3. Clearance of the airways
Xlear Nasal Spray 45ml, £12.99, Amazon
Xlear contains a drug-free formula that clears the airway to allow you to nose-breathe in your sleep.
Are you sleeping with someone who snores? Pop this on their bedside table…
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4. For bathtime bliss
Dr Teal’s Pure Epsom Salt Soothe & Sleep with Lavender 1.36kg, £8.50, Boots
It has been proven that a bath before going to bed can help you sleep better.
StudiesThe warmth of the water can be soothing and help you relax.
Fill the tub with Dr Teal’s to help settle your body and mind before bed.
5. You can add a little calm to your life
Re:Nourish +CALM, £13.99 for 30 sachets
Add a sachet of this sleepy ingredient-rich drink to your nighttime beverage.
“Chamomile is known to have a slightly sedative quality and can therefore promote sleep,”Gail explained.
She adds that Valerian root and passion flower, lemon balm, echinacea and lemon balm can improve sleep quality and provide anxiety relief.
This can lead to you falling asleep more quickly.
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Acerola cherries also contain powerful phytonutrients that help to prevent the negative side effects of oxidative stresses.
External factors, such as smoking and pollution, can contribute to oxidative stress.
“Vitamin B12 plays a role in the production of melatonin, a key hormone that helps regulate our circadian rhythm AKA our sleep/wake cycle. It also plays a key role in energy production,”Gail is also added.
6. Juice lovers
B.fresh SLEEP Juice Shot, £19 for 7 shots
It is a small, but very powerful combination of fruits and Ltryptophan that can reduce anxiety and promote sleepiness.
“Kiwi, apple, cherry and orange all contain lots of vitamins and minerals,”Gail: “most notably vitamins C and E which are natural antioxidants that can reduce the effects of oxidative stress and down regulate our stress response.”
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Tart cherry in particular contains melatonin, the body’s natural sleep hormone, says one Study.
“Honey may promote melatonin formation due to its tryptophan content, which can help initiate sleep as well as promote the release of hormones that facilitate whole body recovery during sleep,”Gail explained.
7. For drifting off calmly
Starpowa Snooze gummies, £19.99 for 30, Holland & Barrett
These delicious black cherry flavoured gummies have been formulated to help you sleep well.
L-theanine was used.These are the resultsto influence the brain chemicals that affect mood, sleep, and stress levels.
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8. For a natural sleep…
Pukka Night Capsules, £7.45 for 30 capsules, Lloyds Pharmacy
This herbal supplement is a natural combination of valerian and ashwagandha, as well as gotu kola (a parsley-related herb), which helps restore healthy, unaffected sleep patterns.
“Being adaptogens, ashwagandha, gotu kola and valerian have properties that can improve the functioning of the endocrine and nervous system,”Gail explained.
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The body makes hormones through the endocrine systems.
“These ingredients also act as anti-inflammatories and antioxidants.
“These can help people to fall asleep faster, spend more time asleep and experience better sleep quality.
“Plus, they’ve been shown to improve symptoms of anxiety and depression, which can feed into insomnia.”
9. A total blowout
LYMA supplement, £149 a month
This is the creme de la crème of supplements.
It’s extortionate, that’s for sure and something we’ll unlikely be splashing out on.
But if you do happen to have spare funds kicking about and want to invest in the monthly fee, then expect a raft of fancy ingredients including Levagen+, the star of the show in LYMA’s formula.
Journal of Sleep Science Practice found that people can fall asleep three times quicker than with a placebo.
“Levagen+ contains fatty acids, along with curcumin (the active form of turmeric) which are both powerful anti-inflammatories,”Gail.
“This supplement also contains the adaptogen ashwagandha and nootropics which can help with energy production and feeling rejuvenated post-sleep.”
10. For pre-bed gummies
Nourish the Sleep Tight Stack, £37.99 a month
Do you have a sweet tooth Nourish has created a very slick and delicious, ‘stack’To promote sleep, chewy ingredients are used.
Gail explains how the 5-HTP amino acid in this supplement is the precursor of serotonin. ‘happy hormone’This increases the body’s ability to produce it.
“When serotonin is introduced to darkness it becomes melatonin, our sleep hormone.
“More melatonin makes us feel sleepy and encourages us to fall asleep more easily.”
She adds: “Vitamin D3 is also involved in the pathways of production of melatonin, which helps regulate circadian rhythms and overall sleep quality.
“Zinc has also been shown to be beneficial for sleep, causing less wake ups in the night and having calming and anti-depressant effects.”
These are delicious!
11. Modern sleep technology
Dragonfly CBD 500mg, £19.50 for 10ml, Boots
CBD (cannabidiol), has been a major player in the sleep industry over recent years.
Although CBD research is still ongoing, studiesIt has been shown to be helpful in the treatment of insomnia.
It may take several nights before you find the right dose.
Begin by holding a full pipette under your tongue for 2 minutes. This should be about 20 minutes before you go to bed.
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12. For a bedtime cuppa
Vitabiotics, TEA+ Sleep Vitamin Tea, £3.95 for 14 tea bags
For this blackcurrant-cherry flavoured tea, turn the kettle on.
“Rooibos is naturally caffeine free and contains high levels of antioxidants.
“It’s low in tannins and is said to have a relaxant effect on the body, without being a sedative,”Gail.
There’s also stress-relieving magnesium.
“Passion flower, chamomile and lavender are all herbs that assist in the production of melatonin, as well as modulate the stress response to increase relaxation and enhance sleep quality,”Gail is also added.
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13. The apps to try…
Sleep School app, free for 7 days, £29.99 for the year, iOs and Android
These recommendations were made by sleep experts to help you sleep longer and better.
This book is packed with guides and courses to help you get the most out of your sleep.
Calm app, Free, iOs & Android
The best meditation and sleep app that can help you fall asleep peacefully.