Natural Good Sleep: Tips on Melatonin, Valerian, and More

We've all been there -- you're too wired to drift to sleep. Or you wake up in the middle of the night. Insomnia can be debilitating.

What's your ploy for getting a decent night's sleep? Doctors say it's important to look at your lifestyle -- whether too much caffeine, too little exercise, or too much late-night work or TV is the problem. If lifestyle changes aren't enough, medications can help. Supplements may also have a place in providing a peaceful night's sleep.

For advice on sleep supplements, WebMD turned to Sharon Plank, MD, an integrative medicine physician with the University of Pittsburgh Medical School Center for Integrative Medicine. We also spoke with Alon Avidan, MD, a sleep researcher and professor of neurology at UCLA School of Medicine.

Supplements for Natural Good Sleep

First, they note that most over-the-counter sleep aids contain antihistamine -- and should only be taken short-term because they are not helpful for long-term sleep problems.

So, what's been proven to work? What's safe? 

Plank is a big advocate of chamomile tea, as well as valerian and melatonin. "Both of those have good scientific evidence backing them up," Plank tells WebMD.

Start with low doses of any supplement, she advises. Always tell your health provider what you're doing, as some people should not take specific supplements. There may be interactions with other medications you're taking or other serious side effects. Also, keep these sleep solutions short-term.

"Any sleep aid should not be taken for long periods," Plank says. "You must address lifestyle, too. Make sure something else is not interfering with sleep."

Plank recommends:

• Chamomile tea
• Melatonin
• Valerian
• Kava

For optimal nerve health (to help you relax), she also advises 100 to 400 milligrams of magnesium. "I don't know of studies of magnesium for sleep, but in my experience it helps," she tells WebMD. 

Chamomile Tea for Sleep

For thousands of years, people have used chamomile tea medicinally. The tea and essential oil have been used for their calming effects and for insomnia relief.

One Japanese study of sleep-disturbed rats found that chamomile extract helped the rats drift off to sleep more quickly -- just as quickly as rats that got a dose of benzodiazepine (a tranquilizing medication). Better research of chamomile is needed, experts agree. The FDA considers chamomile to be safe with usually no side effects.

"Chamomile is safe as a tea," Plank says. "But the trick is to make sure you are brewing it properly. Use two or three teabags. Then put a lid on the pot to keep oils in the water -- so you get the medicinal effects of the tea."

A few cautions: If you have an allergy to ragweed, don't use chamomile. Also, don't take chamomile tea if you are pregnant as chamomile may act as a uterine stimulant. Plank also suggests you avoid chamomile when breastfeeding because its effect on nursing babies hasn't been well studied.  And, obviously, you shouldn't use chamomile when driving as it may cause drowsiness.

In addition, chamomile may increase the risk of bleeding so people on blood thinners should exercise caution. Chamomile may also increase blood pressure.