What Supplements Help You Sleep Naturally, And Which Ones Truly Help You Get Better Sleep (Deep And REM)?
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Obtaining high-quality sleep is not as simple as just falling asleep for eight hours and then automatically waking up refreshed. An abundance of published scientific studies indicate that it is the quality of sleep, in particular the amount of time spent in deep (slow-wave) and REM sleep, that is crucial to obtain high-quality sleep. This is because deep and REM sleep are vital for memory, cognition, immune health, tissue and muscle regeneration, mood, and recovery. In this article, we'll explain which nutrients play essential roles in sleep, why some popular sleep aids do more harm than good, and where CBD + terpenes (like the method behind Defined Sleep) fall in, supported by data from published human trials that you can read for yourself.
Why do our bodies need nutrition to be able to sleep restfully?
Sleep is an actively regulated process. Neurochemicals and nutrients contribute to the development of the signals that allow your brain to flow through the various stages of sleep. Still, conversely, they can also hinder the smooth flow of those signals. For example:
- Amino acids such as glycine and tryptophan are the building blocks for neurotransmitters that regulate sleep (serotonin -> melatonin).
- Glycine plays a crucial role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle by lowering core body temperature and acting as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.
- Minerals like magnesium promote the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is the so-called "calm" chemical in the brain. See NIH: Magnesium fact sheet -
- Plant compounds (terpenes) and cannabinoids (CBD) may tip the scale of regulatory systems, including the endocannabinoid system, to assist in the regulation of stress, inflammation, and sleep timing.
When you fall asleep easily but don’t obtain sufficient deep and REM sleep, it may be due to the fact that you are low in one of these building blocks (such as low magnesium or poor dietary tryptophan). That is the reason why not all supplements work by putting you to sleep (like anti-histamines), but some help with the underlying biology of restful sleep.
How does the body control the deep sleep and REM sleep?
There are four main stages of sleep: light sleep (N1, N2), deep sleep (N3 / slow-wave), and REM sleep. Deep sleep is when the brain/body repairs tissues, clears away the waste of metabolism, and consolidates certain types of memory. The REM sleep stage is a crucial process for emotional processing and other systems of cognition and memory.
A good sleep aid should ideally promote time in those sleep stages that are so restorative, as opposed to just increasing sleep time by sedating the brain. That is the significant difference between sedatives (they knock you out) and nutrients/modulators (which help promote standard architecture).
What are the top natural nutrients that may help with better sleep?
Below are the nutrients that have clinical data suggesting that they might help with better sleep in humans..
Magnesium reduces nervous system activity.
Magnesium helps in regulating nerve and muscle activity and helps with the relaxing neurotransmitter called GABA. In some instances, poor sleep is linked to low levels of magnesium, and individuals with low magnesium often take it as a supplement to improve their sleep. The NIH has a clear overview:
Glycine is a simple amino acid that has measurable benefits
Human trials show that 3g of glycine before sleep could shorten the time to fall asleep, enhance the effectiveness of sleep, and reduce daytime sleepiness. One of the mechanisms of glycine is to decrease body temperature. It may also increase deep and REM sleep and improve sleep efficiency. L-theanine Soothing without sleepiness
The amino acid L-theanine, which is found in green tea, has been shown to boost calming neurotransmitters, inhibit excitatory neurotransmitters, induce alpha brain waves (which are associated with a state of "wakeful relaxation" and drowsiness), and reduce stress and anxiety. Reviews indicate mixed results, but overall beneficial effects on stress and sleep when L-theanine is used at reasonable dosages (usually in the range of 100-400 mg). L-theanine is attractive because it decreases stress with no next-day drowsiness.
B vitamins (esp. B6) help in the production of melatonin.
Vitamin B6 helps convert tryptophan -> serotonin -> melatonin. It is an essential cofactor in the melatonin synthesis pathway. Some research has shown that providing cofactors for B6-deficient patients can help the body produce more melatonin.
Don't want to use sedative drugs such as melatonin or antihistamines? Figure out what is so different about Defined Sleep -
What is the CBD, and can it help with lethargy?
To begin with, the basics: CBD (cannabidiol) is non-psychoactive (it does not make one feel high, like THC). It is not a hormone like melatonin, and it does not act as a direct tranquilizer. Instead, CBD appears to modulate the regulatory mechanisms that mediate stress, inflammation, and sleep-wake homeostasis, and especially the endocannabinoid system. CBD may also help alleviate lethargy by addressing its underlying causes, such as poor sleep, chronic pain, and anxiety.
The endocannabinoid system and sleep
The endocannabinoid system assists in maintaining balance in numerous systems, including the stress response, immune signaling, appetite, and sleep. CBD can indirectly affect the endocannabinoid system, such that it can decrease anxiety or the physiological arousal that counteracts deep sleep.
For a good review on CBD, please see Harvard's summary: "Cannabidiol (CBD): What we know and what we don't."
Does CBD actually induce deep and REM sleep?
New human studies have suggested that some combinations of CBD + terpenes have the potential to enhance slow-wave (deep) sleep and REM sleep in insomniacs. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover study showed that CBD + terpenes can significantly increase percentages of deep + REM sleep, and some patients showed nearly 2x additional restorative sleep per night.
See the Defined Sleep clinical trial page for their summary of the trial:
What do Terpenes Do, and why are they included in some sleeping formulas?
Terpenes are aromatic molecules that are present in plants (lavender, hops, citrus, etc.). In addition to scent, someterpenes can affect mood, relaxation, and nervous system signaling:
- Linalool (lavender): may lower anxiety.
- Myrcene (hops, mango): associated with sedative and muscle-relaxing properties.
- β-caryophyllene: works on cannabinoid receptors and has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Defined Sleep's formula is a blend of CBD and eight terpenes, which were included for their ability to assist CBD with pathways of relaxation rather than force sedation.
Which supplements should you avoid for long-term healthy sleep?
Not all "sleep aids" are equal. Some over-the-counter and prescription medications inhibit restorative sleep, even if they help you fall asleep.
Melatonin is helpful in the short term but not always a long-term solution. Melatonin has been proven to be beneficial in resetting the circadian clock (jet lag, shift work) and in helping some people fall asleep faster. However, the excessive use or higher doses may affect the natural patterns of sleep and result in brain fog the next day.
Antihistamines and OTCs that are potent sedatives (e.g., diphenhydramine). These may cause daytime sleepiness and often have the side effect of cutting down the time spent in deep sleep and REM sleep. Why is an alternative solution safer?
Sleep aids that have a scientific basis in sleep biology (Magnesium, Glycine, L-theanine, and specific CBD+Terpenes formulas) are meant to lower the underlying causes of poor sleep, anxiety, high arousal, and inflammation instead of suppressing the sleep system by knocking you out. Defined Sleep's product is non-sedative, melatonin-free, THC-free, and is backed by published clinical trial evidence to improve restorative sleep.
- Does the product sedate you or assist with the sleep architecture?
- Openness concerning ingredients, dosage, and safety
- Contains no habit-creating ingredients or secret additives.
See product Page and clinical pages:
Natural Sleep Supplements: Frequently Asked Questions.
Q: Can you take CBD for sleep without being groggy?
A: CBD does not cause grogginess; it may lower arousal and increase a feeling of calmness, rather than just knocking you out.
Q: Does CBD get you high??
A: No, CBD has no intoxicating or euphoria-inducing effects.
Q: Is it safe to consume glycine or L-theanine regularly?
A: Yes, at recommended doses (e.g., ~3g glycine; up to ~200-400 mg (L-theanine), but always check with your provider if you have medical issues.
Q: What makes us "boost" REM in particular (what nutrients increase REM)?
A: REM is multifaceted and is related to sleep architecture. Better REM can be promoted indirectly by nutrients that balance the neurotransmitter systems (glycine, adequate protein to have good levels of tryptophan, and healthy levels of magnesium).
A novel formulation of CBD + terpenes was also shown clinically to increase REM: Clinical trial registry:
Q: Can plant-based sleep aids work in the absence of melatonin?
A: Yes, many different nutrients and botanical compounds promote restorative sleep, which are not a hormone like melatonin, including Defined Sleep, which supports restorative sleep and does not act like a hormone.