Best supplements for sleep: Taking this supplement could help you fall asleep at night

During these trying times getting enough shut eye is not always feasible with many minds on overdrive with constant worries. Poor sleep depletes the body’s energy, lowers productivity and could increase a person’s risk of dangerous health complications including high blood pressure and diabetes. Studies suggest taking melatonin could help for a better night’s sleep.

It’s worth noting that melatonin itself won’t knock a person out instantly to fall asleep but rather simply lets the body know when it is night-time so the body can relax easier.

The supplement is also a powerful antioxidant which provides the body with a myriad of other health benefits.

In fact, it may help support eye health, treat stomach ulcers and heartburn, ease tinnitus symptoms and even raise growth hormone levels for men.

What the studies say

In a study with the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, melatonin’s effectiveness in aiding a good night’s rest was investigated.

The study noted: “We examined effects of very low doses of melatonin or placebo, administered on sleep latency and duration, mood, performance, oral temperature and changes in serum melatonin levels in 20 healthy male volunteers.

“Subjects completed a battery of tests designed to assess mood and performance.

“The sedative-like effects of melatonin were assessed, and subjects were asked to hold a positive pressure switch in each hand to relax with eyes closed while reclining in a quiet darkened room.”

The study concluded that all melatonin doses tested significantly increased sleep duration, as well as self-reported sleepiness and fatigue, relative to placebo.