15 Natural Sleep Aids and Home Remedies

If you’re wondering, ‘What can I do to help me sleep?’ Wonder no longer, as we’ve scoured the globe for herbs and natural aids that are believed to help us get a better night’s sleep.

Medicinal Note: It’s advised to speak with your GP before adding herbs or sleep supplements to your diet, especially if you are pregnant or on a course of medication.

China’s jujube is a small tree bearing oval sleep-inducing fruit that, when dried, looks like dates. These fruits are most effective in their dried form, although some believe that the seeds can help promote better sleep, too.

Jujube contains two critical phytochemicals, saponins and flavonoids, which can trigger neurotransmitter changes and help quieten brain activity. See this study for a more detailed explanation of the biochemistry involved. The sweet smell produced by the tree is also said to make teenagers fall in love!

Chamomile is a rich source of apigenin, a known antioxidant that can aid insomnia. Native to countries such as Croatia and Serbia, chamomile is another very popular sleep remedy, particularly when made into tea. It acts as a sedative and has become common in many countries around the world.

In a meta-review of 12 studies, Hieu et al. concluded that chamomile significantly improved sleep quality. You can buy chamomile tea from supermarkets or use the plant’s flowers loose. You can also add milk, honey and lemon to enhance the taste.

A common ingredient in Chinese herbal medicine, magnolia bark has been used to remedy sleep for centuries. The two main compounds used in dietary supplements from magnolia bark are magnolol and honokiol, which affect levels of GABA in the brain, resulting in sedative effects.

Studies in the Journal of Neuropharmacology found that magnolol decreased sleep latency and increased non-rapid eye movement sleep and rapid eye movement sleep.

One of the most common natural sleep remedies, especially for children, the lime flower is known for its relaxing properties. Used widely in a number of herbal teas for sleep, one of the active ingredients in lime flowers is farnesol, a sedative that helps prevent muscle spasms, relieves tension and lowers blood pressure, which in turn helps to curb stress. It’s been used as a sleep remedy for centuries to help limit the amount of nightmares children experience and was also used in World War 2 to help calm soldiers.

Often mixed with milk and honey, ashwagandha has a long history of use for remedying sleep. With the first recorded use around 6000 years ago, ashwagandha is considered a “Rasayana”, one of the eight branches of medicine in Sanskrit literature.

Recent studies, however, have proved ashwagandha’s efficacy in helping remedy sleep. One study found a 72% increase in self-reported sleep quality, with a separate study highlighting its benefits to sleep latency. Moreover, studies note that the active ingredient triethylene glycol found in Ashwagandha is a major component in inducing non-rapid eye movement sleep with a slight change in rapid eye movement sleep.

Oatstraw is the term given to the stem of the oat plant. It’s harvested before common oats and has several uses – one of which is promoting sleep. It contains several vitamins that promote good health but it’s most widely used to relieve anxiety and stress. Infusing oatstraw into a hot drink or even a bath before bed can boost your relaxation and help counteract sleeplessness.

Magnesium is an essential mineral for sleep. It is present in many foods, including dark chocolate and avocados, and is used in over 600 cell reactions. Magnesium has long been accepted as helpful for those who suffer from insomnia. It aids the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for “rest and digest”, helping you become calm and relaxed.

Magnesium also binds to GABA receptors responsible for reducing nerve activity. In human studies, magnesium was found to improve sleep quality as it increased the levels of renin and melatonin in participants, two hormones that regulate sleep.

Melatonin is a naturally forming hormone in the body. It responds to darkness and is the chemical your body uses to send you to a state of sleepiness. It’s a bio-time regulator and helps your body achieve a strong sleep-wake cycle and circadian rhythms.

Higher melatonin levels help you get to sleep faster and are therefore considered one of the key aids for sleep. Studies have found that melatonin supplements help people who struggle to sleep at conventional times, and a pool of studies have also found it helps reset sleep cycles after jet lag. To increase your melatonin levels through diet, try to eat more tomatoes, rice, and ginger.

L-theanine is an amino acid commonly found in plant and fungal species; it is known for remedying sleep. It’s commonly found in green and black tea, as well as several mushrooms. L-theanine helps balance serotonin, dopamine, and cortisol, making it a great natural chemical for sleep.

L-theanine promotes relaxation without drowsiness. Unlike conventional sleep inducers, l-theanine is not a sedative but promotes good quality of sleep by reducing feelings of anxiety. A study of Japanese students found that 200 mg of l-theanine led to increased brain relaxation-related alpha waves and a subjective sense of relaxation, along with decreased stress-related beta waves. A separate study found that the same l-theanine dose made participants fall asleep faster and with fewer sleep disturbances.

This amino acid is not formed in the body, and it’s therefore imperative to include it in your diet. The good news is there are plenty of foods that contain tryptophan, including salmon, poultry, eggs, spinach and milk, that can act as a sleep remedy. Put simply, tryptophan helps the production of serotonin, which is used by your body to create melatonin, which, in turn, helps you get to sleep.

Tryptophan decreases the time it takes to fall asleep in those with mild insomnia and long sleep latency. Although the body does not produce this chemical, it is found in nature and is, therefore, considered one of the most effective natural sleep remedies.

Cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD and derived from hemp, has gained attention as a potential natural sleep aid all around the world. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology suggests that CBD might help with insomnia, while THC (the psychoactive part of cannabis) could help people fall asleep faster but might make sleep quality worse over time. However, the research is still in the early stages, meaning more studies are needed to understand how cannabis affects sleep fully.

If you’re considering CBD as a sleep remedy, it’s best to consult with a healthcare professional—especially if you’re taking other medications.

Nearly all-natural sleep remedies have properties that help you sleep better. These range from vitamins and amino acids which help boost serotonin (a mood stabilising hormone) and dopamine (a pleasure hormone) whilst controlling cortisol (a stress-related hormone).

Others are more about the psychology of sleep and helping indicate to your brain that it’s time to wind down. There are also plenty of naturally forming chemicals that help reduce brain activity and help you get a good night’s rest.

While the most popular natural aids are definitely amino acids, herbs for sleep and other naturally formed chemicals, there are plenty of cultures and demographics that use alternative methods. Take a look at our mini-selection below:

Poems (China)

In China, if a child is struggling to sleep, their parents will write a poem, which is then tied to a lamppost. They believe that every person who reads the poem transmits a prayer to God to help the child sleep. This is an age-old Chinese sleep remedy custom.

Worry dolls (Guatemala)

Most children in Guatemala own a ‘worry doll’. They tell the doll all their worries before they go to bed and place it under their pillow. By morning, the doll has taken away their worries. Obviously, there’s no scientific background to this, but it may well have a psychological effect as it helps children feel more relaxed before bedtime.

Warm milk (Rwanda)

Having a glass of warm milk before bed is a common sleep remedy around the world. It’s particularly popular in African countries such as Rwanda, where milk is a staple for all diets as other resources are limited. Milk contains tryptophan, which can cause drowsiness, but some believe that it’s mostly the psychological effect that helps calm you before bed. Either way, it’s a great way to help induce sleep.

The most important natural sleep remedies are those that help your body balance hormones. Consider herbs and foods which increase levels of serotonin and melatonin. If they also help regulate cortisol, it’s even better. Look out for herbal teas with chamomile and valerian, as well as foods that are high in magnesium and tryptophan. For something a little more out there, consider alternative methods for sleep, like the Guatemalan tradition of eradicating worries via conversation before bed.