Full moon centered against a starry night sky evoking nighttime calm and sleep

Wellness Spotlight: Sleep

Natural Solutions for Better Sleep

Do you ever have trouble sleeping? Even once in a while?

Sleep is a major pillar of wellness, and yet a whopping 68 percent of adults struggle with sleep at least once a week . Whether it’s falling asleep, poor sleep quality, or low energy, we’ve become pretty bad sleepers—and it’s not good for our health.

If you’re not getting at least a solid 7 winks a night, you’ll probably experience side effects like:

List of short-term and long-term effects of poor sleep
Short Term Long Term
  • Poor focus
  • Foggy thinking
  • Moodiness
  • Increased stress
  • Depression
  • Lowered immunity
  • Obesity

Sleep is extremely important. Americans are projected to spend over $50 billion on sleep aids in the year 2020. Unfortunately, most of these remedies don’t work all that well—they can come with serious side effects, may be habit-forming, are easily misused, and can be potentially harmful.

More than two-thirds of us shouldn’t feel the need to turn to risky OTC drugs to get a solid night of shut-eye. Luckily, we’ve found some natural solutions to help you cross over into dreamland.

Natural Sleep Solutions

Close-up of glass honey dipper with raw honey dripping and pooling on a white surface

Raw Honey

Lots of wellness professionals, including biohacker Tim Ferriss, use raw honey as their go-to solution for better sleep. It really works, and the science behind it is fascinating.

Thanks to the presence of nutrient-rich bee pollen, raw honey naturally contains small amounts of tryptophan, the sleepytime amino acid. But tryptophan can’t help you sleep on its own—it has difficulty crossing into the brain. A tablespoon of raw honey at bedtime gently raises insulin levels, allowing tryptophan to more easily enter the brain. At night, the brain converts tryptophan into melatonin, a hormone that supports sleep.

Raw honey helps your body produce its own natural sleep-supporting hormones—safely and naturally.

Hemp plant leaves in natural light

Hemp

Hemp has been used for centuries to promote relaxation and sleep. Its beneficial compounds are known for promoting overall balance in the body, making it a powerful ally in reducing stress and anxiety. Since stress and anxiety often contribute to insomnia, hemp extract may help reduce restlessness at bedtime.

Together, raw honey and hemp create a natural sleep-support combination. If you want to avoid conventional remedies, they may deserve a place on your bedside table.

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