Natural Sleep Remedies from Around the World

As with many aspects of health and well-being, if you travel around the world then you’ll notice that methods and beliefs vary wildly, especially when it comes to natural sleep remedies. If you’re wondering “what can I do to help me sleep?”, wonder no longer, as we’ve scoured the globe for all the 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 for sleep supplements to your diet or lifestyle, especially if pregnant or on a course of medication.

China’s jujube is a small tree bearing sleep remedying oval fruit, which, when dried, look like dates. These fruits are most effective in their dried form, although some believe that it is the seeds that can help promote better sleep. Jujube contains two critical phytochemicals, saponins and flavonoids, which can trigger changes in neurotransmitters, helping to quieten brain activity. See this study for a more detailed explanation of the biochemistry involved. The sweet smell produced from the tree is also said to make teenagers fall in love!

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 enhance the effect of GABA at the GABA_A receptor, resulting in sedative effects. Studies in the Journal of Neuropharmacology found magnolol decreased sleep latency and increased non-rapid eye movement sleep and rapid eye movement sleep too.

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 – especially for sleep remedies. It contains several vitamins which 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.

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. Check out our list below for some of the most important biochemicals for sleep.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral for sleep remedy present in many foods including dark chocolate and avocados. It is used in over 600 cell reactions. Magnesium has long been accepted as helpful for those who suffer from insomnia. Magnesium aids the parasympathetic nervous 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 also found to improve sleep quality as the participants were found to have higher levels of renin and melatonin, two hormones that regulate sleep.

Melatonin

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 sleep. 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 helped people who struggle to sleep at conventional times and also 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

Commonly found in plant and fungal species, l-theanine is an amino acid with known qualities for remedying sleep. It’s commonly found in green and black tea, as well as several mushrooms. It 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 through anxiolysis. 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.

Tryptophan

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 taken to fall asleep in those with mild insomnia and those with long sleep latency. Despite the body not producing this chemical, it is found in nature and is therefore considered one of the most effective natural sleep remedies.

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 up 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 routine around the world. It’s particularly popular in African countries such as Rwanda. In these countries, 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 too, 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.