Supplement Spotlight: Sleep
As a Motivity patient, you may not be aware that I have a background in nutritional supplementation. In fact, prior to becoming a chiropractor I worked in the natural foods and supplements field. Patients often ask me what supplements they can take for “X”. I figured it might be helpful if I periodically pick a nutritional supplement topic to talk about.
Before we start → If you have ANY health conditions, or are taking any prescription drugs be SURE to confirm with your primary care provider that these supplements are safe for you to take.
Today I’ll talk sleep.
Supplements That Are Helpful for Sleep
I have a lot of personal experience here. There are 2 main types of sleep challenges: difficulty FALLING asleep and difficulty STAYING asleep. There are far more options available for helping you fall asleep, but options exist for the latter.
Supplements Helpful for Falling Asleep:
Valerian Root
This stinky herb is pretty powerful for getting you drowsy and helping you fall asleep. Its probably the most powerful over the counter option I’ve found for slowing things down on the front end. I recommend Standardized Valerian Extract by Nature’s Way
5-HTP
This compound is a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, 2 hormones that your body uses to help with sleep. If you’ve ever experienced sleepiness after eating turkey its because it has a higher proportion of the amino acid tryptophan than most meats. Tryptophan is broken down into 5-HTP and then used to make serotonin and melatonin. You can get tryptophan as a supplement as well. Try both, because some people do better with one or the other. I recommend Source Naturals or Pure Encapsulations for 5-HTP (start with 50mg 5-HTP, you can work up to 100mg if needed).
Melatonin
You’ve probably heard of this one. Melatonin is the main hormone that your body produces to signal that its time to sleep. My advice here is start with the smallest dose possible. Many people develop a tolerance to this one. I, personally, have also found that if I take a bigger dose of melatonin, I will be more likely to wake up in the middle of the night. I like the Nordic Naturals Gummies or Quicksilver Liposomal Pump.
Magnesium Glycinate
If you only try one of these, pick magnesium first. Most people, especially those over 40, are deficient in magnesium. Magnesium is vital for over 300 processes in the body. So its tough to beat Magnesium as a bang for the buck health enhancer. Use Glycinate for sleep, as Glycine is also helpful in the sleep process. Magnesium in general boosts production of GABA, a neurotransmitter that helps with stress and relaxation. (You can also try taking GABA!). I like Pure Encapsulations for Mag Glycinate. They even have econo sizing available. NOW for GABA.
Supplements for Staying Asleep:
Magnesium Glycinate
This one is good for both!
Melatonin
Same! EXCEPT…get a time-release version. This will help keep a low-dose going for 8 hours. I like Pure Encapsulations.
L-Theanine and/or Ashwagandha
Both of these supplements help you handle stress and anxiety. AKA Stress adaptogens. They are most effective if you take them long term, but L-Theanine can be taken on an as needed basis. Try Natural Factors Suntheanine for L-Theanine and Gaia Herbs for Ashwagandha.
As with most supplements, I recommend rotating your sleep supplements to help reduce the risk of developing a tolerance. Again, what works in low doses may be counterproductive in high doses, so don’t assume if one is good, 6 is better :)
Again again → If you have ANY health conditions, or are taking any prescription drugs, be SURE to confirm with your primary care provider that these supplements are safe for you to take.
If you are interested in trying any of these or other supplements, we have a full selection of top quality products available in our online dispensary. We offer a 10% everyday discount to our patients. If you’d like more information, just get in touch via email or text, or inquire at your next appointment!
