Say Goodbye to Sleepless Nights with These Natural Sleep Aids

Brad Pillow
4 min readDec 11, 2022

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This is my current recipe for supplements to make for a restful and energizing night of sleep.

When I passed age 55, I suddenly found myself sleeping nowhere near as well as I used to. Getting up in the middle of the night for a bathroom visit, lying back down, and then tossing and turning for what seemed forever before falling back to sleep, had become a regular occurrence. After many different “recipes”, I came up with the above, which seems to work well for me. I.e. it may or may not work for you. All of these are natural supplements.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor play one on TV, so always check with your doctor before starting with any supplement routines!!

Along with the above recipe, I also keep my bedroom at 67 degrees, have a background noise generator, blackout curtains, and an Eight Sleep bed to help monitor my sleep and keep me cool and temperature adjusted throughout the night.

Note: if you start with the above supplement, always start with the lowest dose and work your way up. What you are looking for is the “minimum effective dose” that helps you get better sleep. “More” is not always necessarily better.

If you’re looking for a natural way to improve your sleep, you may want to consider incorporating the above supplements into your routine. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some common sleep-promoting supplements on my list and why they may be beneficial for a restful night’s sleep.

If you’re looking for a natural way to improve your sleep, you may want to consider incorporating the above supplements into your routine. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some common sleep-promoting supplements in my list and why they may be beneficial for a restful night’s sleep.

First, let’s start with glycine. Glycine is an amino acid that is naturally found in the body and is commonly taken as a supplement to help improve sleep quality. It is thought to work by activating certain receptors in the brain that help promote relaxation and calmness, leading to a better night’s sleep.

Next, we have L-ornithine. Like glycine, L-ornithine is an amino acid that is naturally found in the body. It is commonly taken as a supplement to help improve sleep quality and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. L-ornithine is thought to work by increasing the production of a hormone called growth hormone, which is involved in regulating sleep and promoting relaxation.

Then there’s SamE. SamE, or S-adenosylmethionine, is a compound that is naturally produced in the body and is involved in various chemical reactions. It is commonly taken as a supplement to help improve mood, alleviate depression, and promote better sleep. SamE is thought to work by increasing levels of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are involved in regulating sleep and mood.

Inositol is another supplement that may be beneficial for sleep. Inositol is a type of sugar that is naturally found in the body and is involved in various processes, including the regulation of mood and sleep. It is commonly taken as a supplement to help improve sleep quality and reduce feelings of anxiety and stress.

5-HTP, or 5-hydroxytryptophan, is a compound that is naturally produced in the body and is involved in the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is involved in regulating sleep and mood. It is commonly taken as a supplement to help improve sleep quality and alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Additonally, melatonin is one of the most prevalent “natural” sleep aids in use today. Typically, my routine involves consuming 1–2 tablets each night, each containing 3mg of the supplement. There exists some concern, however, that overconsumption could potentially inhibit the body’s innate melatonin production, thus resulting in a dependence on increasingly larger doses — a precarious cycle. Some specialists propose implementing a “cycling” system where the supplement is occasionally skipped to mitigate this risk.

Together, these supplements may help improve sleep quality and promote a more restful night’s sleep. Glycine and L-ornithine help to promote relaxation and calmness, while SamE and inositol can help regulate mood and sleep. And 5-HTP can help increase levels of serotonin in the brain, which may help improve sleep and mood.

In addition to these supplements, it’s also important to maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to promote better sleep. This includes getting regular exercise, avoiding caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime, and creating a relaxing bedtime routine. By incorporating these supplements into your routine and making other healthy lifestyle changes, you may be able to improve your sleep and feel more rested and energized.

Sleep well!

Note: This story includes affiliate links. I earn some small income from purchases through these links, but it costs you nothing extra to use the links.

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Brad Pillow
Brad Pillow

Written by Brad Pillow

Developer, volunteer, dancer, singer, kayaker, father, baker, photographer, armchair physicist, sci-fi lover…can one have too many hobbies?

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