Making sure you get a good night's sleep is vital to keep your body healthy and help your brain function at a high level. Unfortunately, sleep disorders are all too common and research suggests issues like chronic insomnia are at an all-time high, with older adults being at even greater risk of developing them than most.

The occasional sleepless night or bout of daytime sleepiness is no major cause for concern, but you need to take action if you are experiencing poor sleep quality for a longer period of time. A common option in this case is to speak to a doctor about obtaining prescription sleep aids, but this is not always the best choice.

Certain natural sleep aids can improve sleep quality just as well as prescription sleep aids, while being far safer and easier to obtain. The only issue is, without guidance from a doctor, many people will have trouble knowing the difference between different natural sleep supplements and picking the best one for them.

That is why we have created the following list of the 6 best OTC sleep aids on the market today, to ensure that everyone can find the right sleep medication to help them enjoy a full night's sleep of a high quality.

The 6 Best Natural Sleep Aids For Adults

RestAgain - The Best Sleep Supplement Overall

Produced by FA Nutra Ltd, RestAgain has been an extremely popular sleep aid in the United Kingdom for a while now, but it has recently seen its popularity soar to new highs since it was launched in the United States.

It is designed with optimal doses of only high quality, natural ingredients, to make it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep, while simultaneously improving your overall sleep quality and helping you to enjoy a regular sleep schedule, all while not causing any side effects.

The RestAgain formula consists of ashwagandha root, l-theanine, magnesium, valerian root, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), 5-htp, calcium, melatonin, vitamin b6, vitamin b12, and vitamin d.

A natural hormone, melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland in the brain of every human. Its primary job is to regulate your sleep wake cycle, which it achieves by helping you fall asleep more easily, enter the most restful sleep type, REM sleep (rapid eye movement sleep) faster, and then wake up feeling totally fresh (1).

Ashwagandha and 5-htp are both known to have the ability to help you feel calm and relaxed, and studies have shown that they work particularly well in OTC sleep aids that pair the two together.

Ashwagandha is one of the top herbal supplements for sleep. Extracted from the roots of the evergreen winter cherry plant, it can help manage stress and anxiety levels, improve sleep quality, concentration, focus, memory, and your mental health, and lower your blood sugar levels (2).

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An amino acid, 5-htp can cross the blood brain barrier far easier than most other chemicals. This allows it to stimulate the pineal gland and boost your natural serotonin production, to help improve sleep latency and quality, make you feel calm and happy, and reduce stress, anxiety, and the impact of sleep disorders (3).

The other amino acid in the formula, l-theanine, is found in green tea leaves. It is well known to promote feelings of calmness and relaxation, improve brain and immune system health and functions, make you feel more rested, and even combat many of the side effects that are commonly linked to the use of stimulants (4).

The neurotransmitter GABA then interacts with the brain's melatonin receptors, making it easier for the hormone to boost relaxation and reduce anxiety and stress (5). Valerian root extract then boosts your natural GABA production, meaning it can make its effects far more potent when the two are used together (6).

Calcium and magnesium are a pair of minerals that can both help you get better quality sleep.

They can make you feel calm, happy, and relaxed, soothe the muscles, boost, sleep onset and REM sleep, and prevent you from developing mineral deficiencies, health problems, or sleep problems caused by things like cramps, dehydration, dry mouth, jet lag, and low blood pressure (7)(8).

The two b vitamins, b6 and b12, will enhance neurotransmitter biosynthesis, cognitive health, metabolism, circadian rhythm, recovery time, and testosterone production, combat depression and mental health issues, and boost your overall health, all of which will help you to stay asleep much longer (9)(10).

Finally, vitamin d will boost your mood, improve nutrient absorption and your recovery time, help you relax, and prevent you from becoming vitamin d deficient or your body being damaged. This will prevent sleep problems before they begin, stop you having trouble falling asleep, and ensure you wake up feeling fresh (11).

By combining so many natural sleep remedies in a single OTC sleep aid, RestAgain can promote sleep improvements from every angle. It will target the root of the problem to stop you having trouble sleeping, improve sleep quality once you have fallen asleep, and make sure that you wake up feeling totally rested.

You combine these effects with a very decent price tag and serving size, the quality and doses of all the ingredients used, and the fact it's formula is designed with ingredients that support each other, like valerian root and GABA, and RestAgain is easily the best over the counter sleep medicine on the market today.

Pros

• One of the strongest natural sleep aids available without a prescription
• No side effects or adverse reactions have ever been reported
• Contains ingredients that support each other, like valerian root and GABA
• All of its ingredients are high quality, optimally dosed, proven natural remedies for sleep
• Very reasonably priced
• Can help you fall asleep and stay asleep while boosting sleep quality and combatting sleep problems

Cons

• As one of the newer natural sleep aids on the market there are a limited number of reviews available from past customers

Swanson Melatonin Ultra Triple Strength - The Best Pure Melatonin Sleeping Pills

Unlike most sleep aids on this list that contain a variety of ingredients or essential oils, Swanson Melatonin Ultra Triple Strength contains only one hundred percent pure melatonin in every serving, which they say is ideal for people at an increased risk of experiencing sleep issues, such as shift workers and older adults.

It is marketed as the ideal sleep drug to support your natural melatonin production, improve your sleep wake cycle, prevent excessive daytime sleepiness, reduce the impact of the top causes of sleep issues, such as jet lag, and ensure that you wake up feeling fully rested and refreshed each morning.

Each dose of Swanson Melatonin Ultra Triple Strength contains 10 mg of melatonin, which studies on complementary and integrative health suggest is the optimal dosage, as it provides maximum efficacy, without putting you at an increased risk of experiencing any side effects.

It also contains no gluten, GMOs, or artificial flavors and sweeteners, which means it can be used and obtained by virtually everyone, while its price tag is also reasonably affordable as well.

The only issue with Swanson Melatonin Ultra Triple Strength is that studies on sleep medicine found melatonin supplements work best when they also include additional ingredients, as a single ingredient dietary supplement will only be able to help you get better quality sleep from one angle.

However, if you specifically want a sleep aid that only contains melatonin, then Swanson Melatonin Ultra Triple Strength is one of the very best dietary supplements that you will find.

Pros

• Has a potent dose of melatonin in every serving
• Very reasonably priced
• Contains no GMOs, gluten, or artificial additives
• A great choice to help you fall into a deep sleep quickly

Cons

• Using only one ingredient means it offers a narrower range of effects than most sleep aids
• Neither the cheapest nor most effective melatonin supplement on the market

Olly Sleep Gummies - The Best Gummy Sleep Aid

Olly Sleep Gummies are a perfect option for people who do not like or have trouble swallowing sleeping pills or capsules. With a gummy design and pleasant flavour that make them both easy and enjoyable to use, they can improve sleep quality, latency, and duration in the most convenient way possible.

The Olly Sleep Gummies formula uses only natural ingredients and contains the active ingredients melatonin, l-theanine, chamomile flower extract, lemon balm extract, and passionflower extract.

Melatonin and l-theanine were both present in RestAgain and they will again stop you having any trouble sleeping by promoting rest, relaxation, and REM sleep, boosting immune and central nervous system health and functions, preventing daytime drowsiness, and optimising your sleep wake cycle.

Chamomile flower extract is used in sleep aids as it contains the chemical apigenin. This can be used for treating insomnia, anxiety, stress, sleep disturbances, and inflammation, and promoting calmness, relaxation, and improved sleep onset, duration, and schedules, without causing side any effects (12).

Lemon balm extract is produced from a plant in the mint family with a high mineral and vitamin c content that can help you relax, improve your mood and cognitive functions, and reduce anxiety and stress (13).

Lastly, passionflower extract is added to sleep aids as it is said to improve your natural production of the neurotransmitter GABA, which produces sedative effects that will combat anxiety, hysteria, chronic insomnia, and seizures, and make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep (14).

The active ingredients are then supported by numerous colours, flavors, sweeteners, and stabilisers, all of which are used to create the bulk, texture, and Blackberry Zen flavour of the gummies.

Olly Sleep Gummies are not without their flaws though.

While lemon balm extract and passionflower extract have no conclusive proof to support the claimed sleep benefits linked to them, the dosages of chamomile flower extract, l-theanine, and melatonin present are all also much lower than what you will find in the very best sleep aids on the market as well.

Some older adults have even complained about the gummies getting stuck in their teeth.

Despite these issues though, if you are shopping for over-the-counter sleep aids that are fairly priced, enjoyable to use, and don't cause side effects or require you to swallow pills or capsules, then Olly Sleep Gummies are one of the best options you have at your disposal.

Pros

• Three of its ingredients are proven to be beneficial in sleep aids
• An ideal choice for people who can't or don't like swallowing sleeping pills or capsules
• Gluten free and very fairly priced
• Highly unlikely to cause side effects

Cons

• Some of the ingredients have no conclusive proof to support their use in sleep aids
• All the proven ingredients are used in doses far lower than you'll find in the most potent sleep aids
• Some older adults have complained about the gummies getting stuck in their teeth

Spruce Rest - The Best Essential Oil Sleep Aid

While most sleep aids come in pill form, Spruce Rest is an essential oil supplement that can help with the pharmacological treatment of insomnia and various sleep issues, without requiring you to swallow anything solid.

Spruce Rest features a blend of natural essential oils that includes things like coconut oil, which are rich in MCTs (medium chain triglycerides), a type of healthy fatty acid.

These oils and fatty acids can help you improve your sleep quality by lowering your body temperature and suppressing your appetite, which the National Sleep Foundation says will enhance your sleep quality, duration, and latency all at the same time (15).

MCTs can even offer additional benefits too, including reducing your risk of heart disease and high blood pressure, boosting your metabolic rate and energy levels, fighting bacteria, and enhancing your brain, gut, and nervous system health and functions, many of which will also benefit your sleep quality.

Third party tested and made in the United States with natural, organic, plant based, gluten free, lab grade ingredients, it boasts a high level of both quality and efficacy. Meanwhile, its delightful vanilla flavour makes it a joy to use for many people.

Admittedly, this is far from the strongest sleep supplement on the market and probably not the best option for people suffering from chronic insomnia.

However, for people who don't want to swallow pills or older adults that struggle to chew gummies, Spruce Rest is one of the very best options that you have available.

Pros

• Uses only organic, plant-based ingredients
• Has a wonderful vanilla flavour and does not require you to swallow any pills
• Treats sleep issues while boosting your physical and mental health
• Third party tested to guarantee quality and efficacy

Cons

• Some people have complained about both the taste and texture of the oil
• Not the most potent or well-rounded sleep aid on the market

Nuun Rest - The Best Dissolvable Sleeping Pills

Nuun Rest is a unique sleep aid, in that it is designed to be dissolved in water and consumed as a drink, rather than eaten or swallowed as a pill. Its goal is to induce feelings of calmness and relaxation and reduce restlessness, to help you quickly fall into a deep sleep.

The Nuun Rest formula contains two active ingredients, magnesium and tart cherry juice powder, which are then joined by many flavours, colours, sweeteners, and preservatives, which make it nicer to use.

As we saw in RestAgain, magnesium relaxes the brain, body, and muscles, calms the central nervous system, promotes recovery, and prevents issues like dehydration and cramping, to help create ideal sleeping conditions and prevent certain health issues.

Tart cherry juice powder is claimed to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that allow it to improve melatonin production, sleep quality, physical recovery and performance, and muscle function, and relieve muscle soreness, inflammation, and even issues like gout (16).

This mix of effects will allow it to help the body rest, repair any damage, and optimise your sleep schedule.

Being keto friendly, dairy, gluten, GMO, soy, and artificial additive free, and sold in a choice of Blackberry Vanilla and Lemon Chamomile flavours also means it is suitable for use by the vast majority of people.

There are, again, a couple of issues with Nuun Rest that we do need to mention though.

Low ingredient dosages and minimal evidence to prove some of the effects of tart cherry juice both bring its true efficacy into question. Meanwhile, the recommendation that you take it right before bed for optimal results may lead to you waking up to pee in the night, causing some sleep disturbances of its own.

These issues aside though, if you are seeking a safe, mild sleep aid that is enjoyable to use and which does not require you to swallow any pills or capsules, Nuun Rest is among the very best options for you to try.

Pros

• Improves sleep quality by relaxing both the mind and body
• Contains only natural ingredients
• Reasonably priced and sold in a choice of flavours
• Keto friendly and dairy, gluten, GMO, soy, and artificial additive free

Cons

• There have been complaints about it having a chalky taste, not dissolving well in cold water, and leaving a residue in your cup
• Drinking too much liquid right before bed can lead to sleep disturbances
• Tart cherry powder needs to be researched more extensively to prove all of its claimed benefits

REMfresh - The Best Budget Sleep Aid

Much like the Swanson dietary supplement that we looked at earlier, REMfresh features the sleep hormone melatonin as its only active ingredient.

They say the idea behind this is because melatonin supplements can help you fall asleep and enter REM sleep faster, enjoy better sleep quality, optimise your sleep wake cycle, and ensure that you wake up feeling totally fresh and rested each and every morning, all of which is true.

Where REMfresh really shines though, is its price, as it is one of the most affordable sleep aids on the market today

There are, admittedly, a couple of issues that we do need to mention though. While we have already seen that using melatonin on its own will make a product less well rounded than other sleep aids, are fairly low dose has been used here as well, meaning it will be less potent that other pure melatonin supplements too.

Pros

• The low price tag makes it one of the best sleep aids for people on a budget
• Contains only pure melatonin, which is proven to have potent sedative effects
• Highly unlikely to cause any side effects
• The small serving size is ideal for people who can't or don't like swallowing sleeping pills or capsules

Cons

• Using only one ingredient makes it less well rounded than other sleep aids
• The low melatonin dosage means its efficacy will be reduced
• Contains many non-active ingredients that aren't sleep aids but which may cause side effects or allergic reactions

Final Thoughts On The Best OTC Sleep Aids To Help Adults Fall Asleep Faster

Using prescription sleep aids is unnecessary for most people, as many OTC sleep aids can do the same job while being much safer. However, while there are a number of great sleep supplements on sale today, the research suggests RestAgain is far and away the best natural sleep aid to help you get a good night's sleep.

Reasonably priced and packed with nothing but optimal doses of top-quality ingredients, it can prevent you having trouble sleeping and promote high quality sleep from almost every angle. This makes it an ideal sleep aid whether you are looking to treat insomnia or simply want to prevent any daytime drowsiness.

If, for any reason, it does not sound like the right natural sleep medication for you, then one of the other 5 options on our list of the best OTC sleep aids surely will be. For everyone else though, we highly suggest that you give RestAgain a try and see how its sedative effects can help promote better sleep for yourself.

resources:

1. https://www.endocrinology-journals.org/Best-Melatonin-Supplements.html
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8462692/#:~:text=A%20total%20of%20five%20randomized,%3B%20I2%20%3D%2062%25
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8181734/#:~:text=5%2DHydroxytryptophan%20(5%2DHTP,in%20older%20adults%20is%20unclear
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9017334/#:~:text=It%20is%20commonly%20used%20to,brain%20(11%E2%80%9313)
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7527439/#:~:text=Gamma%2Daminobutyric%20acid%20(GABA)%20is%20a%20non%2Dproteinogenic,enhancing%20effects%20have%20been%20established
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4394901/
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3866235/
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3703169/
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6727359/
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8123316/
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912284/#:~:text=Growing%20evidence%20has%20demonstrated%20that,13%2C14%2C15%5D
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/
13. https://examine.com/supplements/lemon-balm/
14. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/passionflower#:~:text=Scientists%20believe%20passionflower%20works%20by,making%20you%20feel%20more%20relaxed
15. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9613426/
16. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3133468/

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