Can Melatonin Really Help You Sleep?
Considering the current global situation, many people are dealing with new or heightened levels of stress and anxiety. A typical result of anxiety is insomnia or a general lack of sleep. As a result, many are on the hunt for the best sleep aid. Natural sleep aids, such as melatonin, can be a great resource to help you catch the z’s you need.
The Importance of Sleep
If you have problems sleeping, it’s easy to feel defeated. Sleep is essential for overall health, and a lack of sleep can cause a slew of symptoms. Aside from moodiness, irritability, and lack of focus, ongoing sleep deprivation can also lead to more severe conditions, such as depression, respiratory disease, obesity, and hormone imbalances.
While you’re sleeping, your body spends its energy to heal and recover. Sleeping is essential, as it’s the time for your body to repair blood vessels, promote tissue growth, balance hormones, and more. If you’re dealing with problems sleeping, it isn’t easy to wake up feeling refreshed or energetic. And, more importantly, your body misses that time of natural rejuvenation.
The Best Sleep Aid
Sleep deprivation feels terrible. No one wants to live a life of irritability and fatigue and deal with a lack of energy. As a result, sleeping difficulties often prompt the search for the best sleep aid. Many patients are wary of medication. Whether prescribed or over-the-counter, it can lead to reliance. Instead, it’s popular to seek out alternative sleep aids.
You don’t have to rely on a pill to sleep better. Many prefer to start with more natural remedies, such as meditation and relaxation techniques. Stretching, breathing exercises, and guided imagery are all tactics that can help reduce problems sleeping—or merely creating a nighttime routine that involves some meditation or breathing before bed can do the trick.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Another method to help sleep better while reducing stress and anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This technique goes further than relaxation. CBT can alter the way you think, develop healthy thought patterns, and encourage rational thinking. This therapy relaxes the mind to promote better sleeping.
Melatonin – A Natural Sleep Aid
Another popular natural sleep aid is melatonin, which is often called the sleep hormone. Although it naturally occurs in your body, supplementing with more melatonin can help you fully realize that it’s time for bed, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
When the hormone rises in your body, you start the natural circadian cycle. Melatonin impacts your body temperature, hormone levels, and blood pressure, helping to promote relaxation and sleep. It’s not a sleep aid that completely knocks you out. Instead, it supports the body’s natural response and encourages your sleep cycle to start.
The Best Sleep Aid for You
With so many options for natural sleep aids, it’s essential to choose which ones are right for you. If you merely need help relaxing before bed, try meditation or breathing exercises. If your mind is racing with negative thoughts, try CBT. Or if you toss and turn at night or have trouble falling asleep, melatonin could be the solution you need.