The Best Natural Sleep Aids

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had trouble falling asleep. Insomnia can be caused by a multitude of things, including stress, irregular sleep schedules, illness, mental health disorders, other sleep disorders, or, in the case of my own insomnia, unknown causes.

Most nights I resort to using over-the-counter (OTC) medicines like ZZZQuil or Unisom for assistance, although it’s pretty generally agreed upon that you shouldn’t rely on sleep meds for everyday use, only occasional insomnia. Most OTC sleep aids contain antihistamines, and tolerance to their sedative effects can develop quickly, meaning that the more often you take them, the less likely they are to be effective. Not to mention that I’m no stranger to the “hangover effect,” where sleep aids can make you feel groggy and just “out of it” the next morning.

After years of dependence on OTC medications, I wanted to try some ...