Natural Remedies for Relaxation and Sleep Support

The modern world is full of distractions and stimuli that wreak havoc on your body’s natural sleep cycles. We’re looking at artificial electronic light and screens all day, and we exist on unnatural schedules, especially for students, parents and shift workers who often can’t get a regular routine going. It’s no surprise that up to 25% of adults report feeling some degree of insomnia – the question is, what can we do about it?

The bottom line is that the more you are in sync with your natural circadian rhythms the more likely it is you will experience better quality sleep. Whilst you work on getting natural light in your eyes in the morning, avoiding caffeine within 90 minutes of waking and not looking at screens 90 minutes before bed, there are some natural sleeping aids in the form of herbal extracts that can help by supporting your body’s natural sleep mechanisms.

Here are the details on some of the most popular kinds – what they can help with, and how they work.

Boost melatonin, the natural sleep regulator

Your body controls sleep through neurotransmitter molecules. You might be familiar with serotonin, which is important for all kinds of “positive feeling” pathways. As your retina detects falling light levels, your body starts converting serotonin to melatonin, which signals to your body that it’s time for sleep. These days, with all the artificial light around, your body’s mechanisms can get all mixed up. Avoiding screens after dark helps, but you can also give your body a little extra boost with 5-HTP, the natural precursor molecule to serotonin and melatonin in the body. Magnesium also helps to support the regulation of your body’s levels of melatonin throughout the day.

Calm the central nervous system

Our bodies evolved in a completely different environment to what most of us now experience on a daily basis. The demands of city life are constantly stimulating our nervous system far more than what it is used to. As a result, people often feel wound up and find it difficult to switch off, and have trouble sleeping as a result. For centuries, people have used plants containing GABA, the primary “calming” neurotransmitter in the nervous system, to help relax and sleep. O2B’s Sleep-Easy contains a mix of these plants, like Valerian and Skullcap. It’s a natural sleeping aid that works by supporting your body’s natural cycles.

Support your depleted brain chemicals

Serotonin is one of a type of neurotransmitters called monoamines, a group which also includes dopamine, which is important for positive moods and feelings. In modern life, monoamines can become depleted by all of the stimulation we experience on a daily basis – and from a lack of sleep to recharge them. Several plants contain natural compounds which can support your natural levels of these neurotransmitters, and our Mind and Body Soother contains a combination of these, such as St. John’s Wort. It also includes extracts from Globe Artichoke to support healthy gut bacteria, impacting overall levels of health and wellbeing.

Ease up on the stress

While your body’s “feel-good” chemicals might become depleted throughout the day, your stress hormones, like cortisol, are often skyrocketing. That impacts your body physically, too, through inflammation and muscle tension. Our beautifully blended formula Perfect Sleep contains a mix of herbal extracts that supports the body’s natural stress response in different ways. Vervain is a muscle relaxant, while Borage contains omega-6 fatty acids, compounds from Valerian, Chamomile and other plants support a balanced nervous system. You can also do your bit to try and reduce your exposure to stressors (easier said than done!), and by introducing regular relaxation activities and techniques to build your resilience.

Are you fed up with being tired all the time?

When you’re well rested, you are happier, more positive and more effective in your work and personal lives. As one of the premier suppliers of natural supplements in New Zealand, O2B Healthy offers natural sleep supplements to support your needs. You can buy supplements online, and we even offer free delivery nationwide. Check us out – you’ll be sleeping better in no time.