This is what most people are looking for to help them sleep, but it comes with a huge caveat. Ideally, you need to address the lifestyle issues first that are actually causing the sleep problem. If you jump to taking drugs or supplements then you’ll just be treating a symptom and increase the likelihood that you’ll develop a dependency on something that can harm you long term.

I’m going to share with you four of the more gentle-to-moderate natural sleep aids. Focus on the lifestyle stuff first, and if you want, you can respectfully add these things in too. Let’s get started with the most time tested sleep aid of all.

1. Chamomile: This herb has been used for thousands of years to treat everything from skin disorders, to heart disease, to inflammation. Today numerous studies are proving the true efficacy of this ancient plant. For example, a study highlighted in Molecular Medicine Reports showed that chamomile flavonoids have significant anti-inflammatory properties and trigger COX-2 enzyme activity that reduces physical pain.

There’s currently much more anecdotal evidence of chamomile being a safe sleep aid than peer reviewed studies. What studies do show is that chamomile can help calm the nervous system, relax muscles, and set you up for a better night’s sleep when you need it.

Chamomile is an excellent tea to have before bed. Simply have a standard size cup of tea with an organic, pre-packed chamomile tea bag and you’ll be good to go.

2. Kava kava: This is actually the national drink of the beautiful island of Fiji. Kava kava is well known to have sedative properties and is commonly used to treat sleeplessness and fatigue. A 2004 study also found that 300mg of kava kava may improve mood and cognitive performance. Several additional studies show that it’s effective for reducing the signs and symptoms of anxiety (which is definitely an anti-sleep state to be in).

The most important sleep-related data on kava kava demonstrates that it may help to improve sleep quality and decrease the amount of time needed to fall asleep. Preparing a cup of kava kava tea can be part of a relaxing evening ritual.

3. Valerian: This traditional herb is the strongest of the three and a moderate sedative. It’s indicated for individuals that have a difficult time falling asleep and also promotes uninterrupted sleep. The root of the valerian plant is used as medicine and pressed into fresh juice or freeze-dried to form a powder. For tea, pour one cup of boiling water over one teaspoon (two to three grams) of dried root, and steep five to ten minutes. There are also tinctures and dried powder supplement capsules of this and the previous two medicinal herbs.

4. 5-HTP, GABA, and L-Tryptophan: I bundled all three of these together because they are not the ideal choices, due to the fact that they’re not natural herbal preparations like the previous three. These are isolated chemicals, and can be helpful if intently monitored and used with caution.

5-HTP is a neurotransmitter precursor to serotonin. In our bodies, serotonin is converted into melatonin (the get good sleep hormone). In one study, people who took 5-HTP went to sleep quicker and slept more deeply than those who took a placebo. Researchers recommend 200-400mg at night to stimulate serotonin, but it may take six to twelve weeks to be fully effective.

GABA is an important neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. In fact, it is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Therefore, it blocks the action of excitatory brain chemicals. Some people swear by the sedating effects of GABA to help manage stress. If GABA is of interest to you, 500mg in the evening is a good place to start. Also, consider looking into the GABA precursors picamilon and phenibut.

L-Tryptophan is actually the precursor to 5-HTP. Although you can’t get 5-HTP in food, there are several foods that are rich in tryptophan like turkey, chicken, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, collard greens, and sea veggies. Although these foods can be part of a healthy diet, the trace amounts found in them may not be enough to get the effects you’re looking for. L-tryptophan is a simple, over-the-counter supplement you can use in addition to what you get from your diet. It can be taken 90 minutes before bed.

These, like all other supplements, will influence people differently. One supplement might be a miracle for one person that helps them reestablish their sleeping cycle, while for someone else it may cause them to have bad dreams or even feel more groggy in the morning. Bottom line, it’s unique to you whether something is going to be helpful or not. This goes for food, supplements, and even exercise. You’ve got to experiment to find out what works best for you with intelligence, safety, and the best results long-term.

The Melatonin Mistake

You will notice that I didn’t include melatonin. This has become a very popular supplement as of late, with all of our societies sleeping issues. Many experts agree that melatonin supplementation can be very effective for some people. But, what’s critical to understand about melatonin is that it is an actual hormone you’re taking. And just like any other hormone therapy, like testosterone therapy or estrogen therapy, it comes with a greater risk of side effects and potential problems.

One of the main issues with melatonin supplementation is that it can potentially down-regulate your body’s natural ability to produce melatonin on its own. Again, this is an actual hormone supplement, so unless you want to chance creating a dependency on this, I’d say avoid it and try other things first.

Taking precursors to melatonin can be a few degrees safer, but still, a word of caution taken here: the best way to use a supplement is in a short-term period to establish a normal sleep pattern, or to reestablish a normal sleep pattern after a time zone change from travel or a time change due to daylight savings.

Do safe, smart, natural things first, then only bring the supplements in to “supplement” the good things you’re already doing.

Supplementation Power Tip #1

It can’t be stressed enough that all the other strategies in this book are recommended before supplementation. In nature, you would not see compounds like these anywhere. They typically only have a few decades of testing (if that) versus the thousands upon thousands of years that homo sapiens have been on the planet. Think about it. Your body has an ancient, infinitely intelligent design; then in comes a chemical isolate made by Harry at the science lab last week, and things might not go according to plan. There are some brilliant scientists and innovators making progress in supplementation and medicine that can be lifesaving, but please, never mistake a product in a capsule for being real food.

Supplementation Power Tip #2

Find the right dose for yourself. Some companies recommend dosages of their product that are often too low or too high for each person. For example, if someone were to use melatonin (though it’s not recommended), 150mcg for men or 100mcg for women would be the ideal place to start. Yet, the common dosage you’ll find with melatonin providers is around 3,000mcg. Height, weight, gut health, stress levels, inflammation, and more are all factors that play into how much of a supplement would be ideal for you. The best advice is to start low and work your way up, unless you are 100 percent certain in what you are doing.

Supplementation Power Tip #3

Don’t mix sleep aids with alcohol. By mixing the two together, you can relax muscles too much, stop breathing, and find yourself waking up like Bruce Willis in The 6th Sense (Spoiler alert: he was dead and didn’t know it). Seriously, taking any sleeping aids (be it medication or supplements) along with alcohol is a really bad idea. Be smart, be safe, and don’t talk to the kid who says, “I see dead people.”