Lately, I have been struggling to fall asleep and stay asleep. After a few restless nights, I made a mad dash to the internet and discovered that I was not alone. According to the CDC, 1 in 3 adults do not get enough sleep! I then scoured the web to find the best natural sleeping supplements because I wanted a sleep aid to help me fall asleep naturally. I also looked for sleep aids that are non-addictive. I tried four different sleep supplements, and I’m sharing my thoughts below!
Please speak with a doctor before taking any supplements. This article is not meant to provide medical advice.
Olly Sleep Blackberry Zen – Best Natural Sleeping Supplement For Falling Asleep
I picked up Olly Sleep Blackberry Zen at Target, the packaging was cute, and I liked that this sleep supplement came in gummy form. It’s effortless to take, and I ate two about thirty minutes before bed. It tastes decent, is not too sweet, and is not artificial; blackberry is the primary flavor with a mint aftertaste. The base ingredients are clean, including beet sugar and coconut oil, and the coloring is from carrot and blueberry juice. The sleep aids included in these gummies are melatonin, l-theanine, and chamomile.
- Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by the pineal gland (located in the brain). It helps control the sleep cycle.
- L-Theanine is an amino acid found in tea. It promotes relaxation by reducing stress and anxiety levels. It is not a sedative and does not cause drowsiness but promotes a relaxing state.
- Chamomile is particularly effective at inducing drowsiness because of its chemical structure. This plant extract contains apigenin, a chemical compound that causes sleepiness when it binds to the brain’s GABA receptors.
My Thoughts: I felt drowsy after taking Olly’s Sleep Aid. Although it made me sleepy and helped me fall asleep faster than usual, it didn’t help me stay asleep or provide much relief for reaching deep sleep. I also gave some to my husband, and he felt the same way. Because of my experience with Olly Sleep, I recommend this to those that have problems falling asleep but are fine once they are asleep.
Garden of Life Magnesium – Stress, Sleep, & Recovery
I discovered the Garden of Life Magnesium Gummies while perusing the aisles of Sprouts. I picked up their Berry gummies, and when I emptied a bottle of those, I bought their Peach gummies. These taste decent, are colored with paprika extract, and included no added sugars. The Garden of Life Gummies are Dr. Formulated. They aren’t just Magnesium supplements, but also pre & probiotics. They promote stress reduction, sleep, bone support, and digestive support.
This magnesium supplement includes:
- 400mg magnesium citrate per 4 gummy serving
- Prebiotics and 1 Billion CFU Bacillus subtilis DE111® probiotics
A study by the NIH concluded: A Supplementation of magnesium appears to improve subjective measures of insomnia such as ISI score, sleep efficiency, sleep time and sleep onset latency, early morning awakening, and likewise, insomnia objective measures such as concentration of serum renin, melatonin, and serum cortisol.
My Thoughts: I can’t speak much for the sleep-promoting qualities of these Magnesium Gummies. But, they are an excellent prebiotic and probiotic! My digestion has never been better, but they do cause me to be a bit gassy. On the days I stopped taking them, I noticed I didn’t have this issue. I solved the gassiness issue by spreading the gummies throughout the day instead of taking all four at once. Overall, I did not have a more restful slumber while on these.
Find Garden of Life Magnesium Gummies, HERE!
Prima Sleep Tight – Best Natural Sleeping Supplements
I discovered the Prima Sleep Tight gel capsules in a Beauty Heroes Discovery Box. I didn’t think much of them then, but I was struggling with sleep and decided to give them a go. These are melatonin free. I am not against melatonin in moderation, but I wanted to mention if others are looking for a supplement like this. The ingredients are very natural (it’s Beauty Heroes vetted, so I’d expect nothing less!). Also, it is a capsule meant to be swallowed, while the previous two are gummies to eat. The main sleep aid ingredients are California Poppy, Chamomile, Hemp, and Passion Flower.
- California Poppy has a long traditional use history as an analgesic, anxiolytic, and sedative. According to historical use, the time it takes to fall asleep is reduced, and sleep quality is improved when used as a sleep aid.
- Chamomile is particularly effective at inducing drowsiness because of its chemical structure. This plant extract contains apigenin, a chemical compound that causes sleepiness when it binds to the brain’s GABA receptors.
- Whole Hemp Extract (naturally occurring CBD): Supports the body’s Endocannabinoid System, which helps regulate the natural inflammatory response, stress response, immune function, and sleep cycle.
- Passion Flower is a traditional herbal sedative, anxiolytic, and a popular sleep aid used to treat sleep disturbance.
My Thoughts: This is one of the best natural sleeping supplements I’ve tried for a restful night’s sleep! It doesn’t make me sleepy initially, but I have the best night’s sleep once I am asleep. I liked it so much that I used a whole container to empty and purchased Prima’s Sleep Tight Bundle off of the Beauty Heroes website to have enough for the coming months!
Find Prima’s Sleep Tight, HERE!
ZzzQuil Nighttime Sleep Aid FREE OF
When my parents visited for the holidays, my mom had some ZzzQuil in her bag. I saw it and did a bit of research. I discovered that ZzzQuil has a “FREE OF” version and decided to get it to cure my insomnia. The FREE OF stamps means that this formulation of ZzzQuil does not include: high fructose corn syrup, alcohol, dyes, and artificial flavors. I purchased the liquid ZzzQuil FREE OF, and it isn’t as thick as the regular version (no corn syrup) and has a soothing berry flavor. I’m not too fond of the taste as it’s too sweet, but it is drinkable. The sleep aid in this is Diphenhydramine HCI.
Diphenhydramine HCI is an antihistamine and sedative mainly used to treat allergies, insomnia, and common cold symptoms.
A study published in The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology concluded, “Diphenhydramine hydrochloride thus appears to be effective in the treatment of insomnia, but the appropriate dosage will depend on previous medical treatment of insomnia. No symptoms suggestive of drug dependence were evident.”
My Thoughts: This one takes the cake for falling asleep AND staying asleep, but it tastes the worst. I could get over that because it is so effective, and I have repurchased it. I try to alternate and have nights off of using ZzzQuil, so I don’t get addicted. I know that drug dependence is not developed, but I don’t want to create mental dependence. Still, I make sure to have one of these in my medicine cabinet at all times!
Find ZzzQuil Nighttime Sleep Aid FREE OF, HERE!
Resources
- 1 in 3 Adults Don’t Get Enough Sleep. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/p0215-enough-sleep.html
- Clinical Evaluation of Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride for the Treatment of Insomnia in Psychiatric Patients: A Double-Blind Study. https://accp1.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/j.1552-4604.1990.tb03592.x
- CBD as a Sleep Aid. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-aids/cbd-for-sleep
- L-theanine, a natural constituent in tea, and its effect on mental state. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18296328/
- Melatonin. https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/melatonin/
- Night Pain – Vital Functions (Sleep & Pain) Interact: Use of a California poppy agent to improve restorative sleep. https://www.multibriefs.com/briefs/icim/poppy.pdf
- Sleep Blackberry Zen. https://www.olly.com/products/sleep
- The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3703169/
- Yes, chamomile tea does make you sleepy — here’s how it can help you fall asleep. https://www.insider.com/guides/health/does-chamomile-tea-make-you-sleepy
FTC: I do have affiliate links in this, Best Natural Sleeping Supplements 2023 (non-addictive), blog post. If you purchase something from my link, I will receive a small commission from the sale. This comes at no cost to you, but is paid by the company. I do not take becoming an affiliate with any company lightly. If I am, it’s because I believe in the company and their product.
