Getting enough sleep is vital to help keep your body healthy. Many younger adults take sleep for granted, but maintaining sleep quality is something people tend to think about more and more as they age, as sleep disturbances are more common in older adults and are particularly prominent in the geriatric population.?

Medical issues like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), restless leg syndrome, urinary retention and sleep apnea, and things as simple as taking daytime naps or blood pressure medications or not having good sleep hygiene can all prevent a normal sleep wake cycle or cause chronic insomnia in elderly patients.?

Many older adults will turn to doctors and prescription medications to fix the issue, or stick to less effective traditional sleep remedies, such as drinking chamomile tea or trying to avoid alcohol consumption. There are plenty of OTC sleep aids that do the job just as well as prescription drugs though, while being far safer.?

That is why we decided to make our list of the very best over the counter medications on the market today to help older adults combat sleep disorders. This will ensure that everyone can get a good night's sleep, without being at risk of experiencing adverse effects or withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking them.?

The 5 Best Non-Prescription Sleeping Pills for Elderly People?

RestAgain - The Best Sleep Aid For Elderly People Overall?

RestAgain is a sleep aid produced by FA Nutra Ltd which has been very popular in the United Kingdom for quite a while. However, it has recently seen its popularity soar to new heights since launching in the United States.?

Designed to promote healthy sleep patterns, it will enable you to fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and enjoy a higher quality of sleep each and every night.?

RestAgain achieves these goals by using a natural formula which consists of ashwagandha root, GABA, l-theanine, magnesium, valerian root, 5-htp, calcium, melatonin, vitamin b6, vitamin b12, and vitamin d. Each of these has been optimally dosed to provide maximum efficacy, without causing any side effects.?

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that is secreted by the pineal gland in brain of all humans. Its job is to control your sleep wake cycle and help you enter REM sleep (rapid eye movement sleep, the most restful type) much faster.?

Taking oral melatonin supplements will improve both of these things, so it is ideal to help you fall asleep (1).?

Ashwagandha and 5-htp are both well known for their potent calming and relaxing abilities, and they can help to prevent or treat a variety of different sleep problems incredibly well when they are taken together.?

Ashwagandha is a root extract of the winter cherry plant which can ease anxiety and stress, boost sleep quality, mental health, and memory, help you concentrate and focus, and lower your blood sugar levels (2).?

5-htp, meanwhile, is an amino acid which can cross the blood brain barrier and help increase your natural production of the hormone serotonin. This will make you much calmer, boost your mood, reduce anxiety and stress levels, prevent circadian rhythm sleep disorders, and improve sleep latency and quality (3).?

L-theanine is another amino acid which is known to produce a calming effect. Found primarily in green tea leaves, it can prevent immune or cognitive impairment and boost the function of both systems, promote rest and relaxation, and even counteract any adverse effects caused by the use of stimulants (4).?

GABA is a neurotransmitter which acts as a melatonin receptor agonist. Its primary functions include being able to boost relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety (5).?

Valerian root is a herbal extract that offers virtually all of the same calming and relaxing benefits as GABA, as it works by improving your natural production of the neurotransmitter. This also means that the two ingredients will work especially well when paired together in a supplement like they have been here (6).?

Calcium and magnesium are both minerals that can calm and relax your mind, soothe your muscles, boost sleep onset and your mood, aid REM sleep, and even help prevent deficiencies, health problems and issues known to cause people difficulty sleeping, such as cramps, dehydration, dry mouth, and jet lag (7)(8).?

The two b vitamins, vitamin b6 and vitamin b12, will then improve neurotransmitter biosynthesis, the health of your brain cells, your metabolic rate, circadian rhythm, and recovery time, aid testosterone production, treat depression and mental issues, and keep the body healthy, all of which aids rest and REM sleep (9)(10).?

Finally, the vitamin d will then boost your mood, nutrient absorption, recovery time, and level of relaxation, while preventing you from becoming vitamin d deficient or your body breaking down. This all combines to stop you developing any sleep problems, help you fall asleep, and make sure you wake up feeling fresh (11).?

By using so many different ingredients, it can treat the underlying cause of countless different issues that give people trouble sleeping, to ensure that you enjoy much better sleep moving forwards.?

Throw in its very reasonable price tag and a serving size that is just as easy to swallow, and it should be really easy to see why we consider RestAgain to be the very best sleeping pill for older adults on the market today by quite some margin.?

Pros?

• The strongest non-clin sleep med on the market today?
• Has not been reported to cause any side effects or adverse reactions?
• Its ingredients work in perfect harmony with each other, to boost their effects and prevent any issues?
• The formula uses only high quality, optimally dosed, clinically proven ingredients?
• Very reasonably priced?
• Enhances sleep onset, quality, and duration, and your circadian rhythm, all at the same time?

Cons?

• As quite a new sleeping pill, reviews from past customers are still quite limited?

Olly Sleep Gummies - The Best Gummy Sleep Aid For Elderly Patients?

Olly Sleep Gummies are a gluten free sleep aid that is ideal for people who can't or don't want to swallow sleeping pills or capsules. Instead, its gummy form is designed to be an enjoyable way to help you relax, drift off to sleep much faster, achieve a deeper sleep, and optimise your sleep schedule.?

The Olly Sleep Gummies formula again contains only natural ingredients. Two of its key components we saw in RestAgain in l-theanine and melatonin, while chamomile flower extract, lemon balm extract, and passionflower extract are all new additions.?

As we previously saw, l-theanine and melatonin have both been conclusively proven to help stop you from having any trouble sleeping. They will promote relaxation, rest, and REM sleep, boost your immune, brain, and spinal cord health and functions, prevent daytime drowsiness, and optimise your sleep wake cycle.?

Chamomile flower extract has long been consumed in both sleeping pills and chamomile tea, as it contains a chemical called apigenin.?

This chemical can aid relaxation, reduce anxiety, stress, and inflammation, help you to feel calm, make it far easier to fall asleep and stay asleep, promote a healthy sleep cycle, and even prevent or treat some of the most common causes of transient insomnia, such as indigestion, without causing any side effects (12).?

Lemon balm extract is obtained from a plant in the mint family that has a high vitamin c and mineral content. It is purported to make you feel more relaxed, improve your mood and brain functions, and help to relieve anxiety and stress (13).?

Finally, passionflower extract has been used for years in traditional medicines throughout the Americas, due to claims that it improves your natural production of the neurotransmitter GABA, which would make it a great way to treat or prevent anxiety, hysteria, insomnia, and seizures, and improve sleep latency (14).?

They say that it achieves these effects as it causes the pineal gland to increase its production of gamma-aminobutyric acid, a type of neurotransmitter.?

The active ingredients are then supported by a large number of colours, flavors, sweeteners, and stabilisers, which are all used to make the bulk of the gummies and provide the Blackberry Zen flavour that makes them enjoyable to eat.?

There are, however, a couple of issues with Olly Sleep Gummies that we do need to point out.?

Not only is there no conclusive evidence that either lemon balm extract or passionflower extract can actually provide all of their claimed benefits, but the dosages of chamomile flower extract, l-theanine, and melatonin are all also far lower than you will find in the most potent sleeping pills as well.?

However, if you are looking for safe, reasonably priced over the counter sleep aids that are enjoyable to use and which will provide some sedative effects, then Olly Sleep Gummies are one of the best natural sleep aids for older adults to try.?

Pros?

• Contains three ingredients that have been proven to promote sleep improvements?
• A pleasantly flavoured gummy is a great alternative for people who can't or don't like swallowing sleeping pills or capsules?
• Gluten free and very reasonably priced?
• Very unlikely to cause any side effects?

Cons?

• Some of the ingredients have not been proven to be useful in the treatment of insomnia?
• The proven ingredients are all present in lower dosages than you will find in the most potent sleep aids?

REMfresh - The Best Sleeping Pill For Elderly Patients On A Budget?

REMfresh is a natural sleep aid that has been designed to help optimise your sleep wake cycle, by making it easier for you to both fall asleep quickly each night and then wake up feeling fresh every morning, while improving the quality of sleep that you get in between.?

While most non-prescription drugs designed to help people who have difficulty sleeping are made with complex formulas of ingredients, REMfresh relies on just one, the potent sleep hormone melatonin.?

With countless randomized controlled trials having proven its ability to optimise your sleep routine and make it easier to enter REM sleep, if there is one ingredient that can be used for the treatment of insomnia all by itself, this is it.?

Admittedly, some of those same studies on insomnia characterized melatonin as an ingredient that was at its most effective when combined with other sleep aids. What's more, the dose of melatonin present here is also a little lower than what you will find in some of the more potent sleep supplements on the market.?

It isn't all doom and gloom though, and there are a couple of very good reasons that we have included it on our list of the best natural sleep aids, which are its incredibly decent price tag and lack of any side effects.?

So, while it definitely will not be the right choice for everyone, REMfresh can be a great option for people who are shopping for rest aids on quite a tight budget. A small serving size of just one caplet may also make it an appealing option for older adults who struggle or don't like to swallow pills or capsules as well.?

Pros?

• An affordable price tag makes it a sleep aid which is attainable even for those on a very tight budget?
• Contains nothing but pure melatonin, which is one of the very best things to take if you are having difficulty sleeping?
• The low dose of melatonin used is very unlikely to cause any side effects?
• The small serving size is ideal for older adults who have issues swallowing sleeping pills or capsules?

Cons?

• Using only one ingredient means it can't offer as many potential sleep benefits as more diverse sleep aids?
• It features quite a low dose of melatonin, which will be less effective than other sleep aids that contain more?
• Contains a number of non-active ingredients which are only used to create the pill but could also cause side effects or allergic reactions?

Nuun Rest - The Best Dissolvable Sleep Aid For Elderly People?

Nuun Rest is a rest aid made to help you mentally and physically relax. Unlike most sleep aids that require you to swallow a pill though, Nuun Rest is designed to be dissolved in water and consumed as a drink, to help you feel calm, unwind, and reduce restlessness, to enable you to drift off faster and sleep better.?

The Nuun Rest formula consists of two active ingredients, magnesium and tart cherry juice powder, which are then joined in the supplement by various flavours, colours, sweeteners, and preservatives, which make it more enjoyable to use.?

As we saw earlier, magnesium is proven to relax the brain, body, and muscles, calm the central nervous system, promote recovery, and prevent issues like dehydration and cramping, to help create the ideal sleeping conditions. It can even prevent other health issues from occurring too, such as blurred vision.?

Tart cherry juice powder is said to be an anti inflammatory and antioxidant, which can boost melatonin production and sleep quality, enhance physical recovery and performance, improve muscle function, reduce muscle soreness and inflammation, and even combat gout (15).?

This blend of effects is ideal to help the body rest, repair any damage, and make sure you get a good night's sleep and wake up feeling completely refreshed the next morning.?

Being keto friendly and free from any dairy, gluten, GMOs, soy, or artificial additives means it will be able to be used by the vast majority of older adults, as does coming in a choice of great tasting flavours that includes Blackberry Vanilla and Lemon Chamomile.?

There are, unfortunately, a couple of issues with Nuun Rest. Low dosages of both ingredients and limited research on some of the effects of tart cherry juice are both less than ideal, as is the fact that a diluted supplement can have a short half life, compared to a traditional sleeping pill.?

Meanwhile, they say you should take it as close before you go to bed as possible for best results, which could cause issues for people who already have to get up to pee in the night, as you will be consuming quite a lot of water, so could make the issue worse.?

However, if you want a reasonably priced sleep aid that is safe, mild, and enjoyable to use, and which does not require you to swallow any pills or capsules, Nuun Rest could be one of the best options for you to try.?

Pros?

• Can improve sleep quality and relax and calm the mind and body?
• Made from only natural ingredients which have all been proven to be beneficial for sleep?
• Reasonably priced and available in a choice of flavours?
• Keto friendly and free from any dairy, gluten, GMOs, soy, or artificial additives?

Cons?

• Some people have complained about it having a chalky taste?
• Does not dissolve well in cold water and can leave a residue in your cup?
• Drinking too much liquid right before bed can lead to frequent night time urination for some people?
• Tart cherry powder needs to be researched a little more extensively?

Swanson Melatonin Ultra Triple Strength - The Best Pure Melatonin Supplement For Elderly People?

Swanson Melatonin Ultra Triple Strength is another sleep supplement that features only one hundred percent pure melatonin in every dose. While it is is not as cheap as the last supplement of this kind that we looked at, it is still very reasonably priced, while being much more potent.?

Swanson state that their sleeping pill is designed to promote a healthy sleep schedule, reduce the impact of things like jet lag and busy work schedules, prevent daytime drowsiness, make sure you wake up feeling fresh each morning, and provide restorative, restful sleep that boosts your overall health and wellness.?

Every serving of Swanson Melatonin Ultra Triple Strength contains 10 mg of melatonin, which is deemed to be one of the highest safe dosages you can use. This lets it compete with some of the best melatonin supplements on the market, while its price tag makes it affordable and provides great value.?

Being free from gluten, GMOs, and artificial flavors and sweeteners are all appealing qualities as well, as they mean that virtually anyone can use it.?

The only issues with Swanson Melatonin Ultra Triple Strength are that using only a single ingredient limits its potential benefits, while not having a rock bottom price tag means that some people still will not be able to afford it. This means it is hard to call it the very best supplement in any one area.?

That said, if you are set on using a sleeping pill that only contains melatonin and prioritise efficacy over price, then Swanson Melatonin Ultra Triple Strength can still be a great option that does offer good value.?

Pros?

• Features a potent 10 mg dose of melatonin in every serving?
• Very reasonably priced?
• Contains no GMOs, gluten, or artificial additives?
• A great choice to help you drift off and enter REM sleep quickly?

Cons?

• Using only one ingredient limits the diversity of the benefits that it can offer?
• Neither the cheapest nor most effective melatonin supplement on the market?

Final Thoughts On The Best Sleep Aids For Elderly People?

Taking sleeping pills is a great alternative to potentially inappropriate medication use for any older adults looking to treat insomnia and improve sleep quality, without risking side effects like withdrawal symptoms. There are a number of great sleep aids on the market today, although none can come close to RestAgain .?

A natural sleep medication made with only optimal doses of high quality, clinically proven ingredients, it can promote sleep improvements and treat the underlying cause of almost any sleep disturbance or condition, while not causing any side effects, making it the perfect way to improve sleep hygiene and quality.?

If for any reason it does not sound like the right non-prescription medication for you, then one of the other sleeping pills that we have looked at almost certainly will be. For everyone else though, we would highly recommend that you give RestAgain a try and see how well it can promote sleep improvements for yourself.?

Best Sleep Supplement?

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%20usedhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8912284/#:~:text=Growing%20evidence%20has%20demonstrated%20that,13%2C14%2C15%5D?
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/?
6. https://examine.com/supplements/lemon-balm/?
7. %20to,brain%20(11%E2%80%9313)?
8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7527439/#:~:text=Gamma%2Daminobutyric%20acid%20(GABA)%20is%20a%20non%2Dproteinogenic,enhancing%20effects%20have%20been%20established?
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4394901/?
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3866235/?
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3703169/?
12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6727359/?
13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8123316/?

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