How to Beat Insomnia: Tips and Supplements for Better Sleep

After an intense episode of your favorite series, the last chapter of a book, or a warm evening bath, an essential process begins: leaving wakefulness behind and surrendering to the rhythm of sleep. Sleep is a daily activity we repeat to maintain both physical and mental health. It is also crucial for cognitive functions such as memory, learning, and performing complex mental tasks.

Sleep is difficult to define precisely, but it can be described as a rhythmic, periodic, and temporary interruption of wakefulness, characterized by reduced sensitivity to external stimuli and an altered state of consciousness.

The benefits of sleep for human health are numerous, and a lack of sleep can have significant negative consequences.

Interesting Facts About Sleep and Its Effect on Life Quality

• Better decision-making: Sleep helps in making accurate decisions. Studies show that first impressions are often inaccurate, but sleeping before deciding improves judgment, leading to more balanced and rational choices (1).

• Enhanced performance: Just one extra night of quality sleep can improve performance in important meetings or interviews. 7–8 hours of sleep sharpens the mind, improves articulation, and enhances reasoning and communication skills (2).

• Feeling youthful: One night of poor sleep can make you feel a quarter of a year older, while sleeping 4 hours less can make you feel up to 4.4 years older. Subjective youthfulness correlates with longer life and optimal health (3).

• Mental health: Less than 5 hours of sleep daily increases susceptibility to depressive symptoms by up to 2.5 times (4). Chronic sleep deprivation from childhood to adulthood doubles the risk of developing psychotic disorders (5).

• Dementia prevention: Maintaining deep sleep is crucial. Just a 1% annual decrease in deep sleep increases dementia risk in those over 60 by 27% (6).

• Physical health: Poor sleep affects nearly all organ systems. Sleep disorders raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, infectious diseases, and even cancer (7,8).

Insomnia

Despite being essential, sleep disorders are increasingly common. Insomnia is one of the most frequent sleep disorders and the third most common reason patients seek medical help.

• Definition: Clinically, insomnia is characterized by taking longer than 45 minutes to fall asleep, waking more than 4 times per night, and/or sleeping less than 6 hours. It is also defined by poor sleep quality, morning fatigue, daytime sleepiness, and reduced work efficiency.

• Prevalence: In developed countries, insomnia affects over 40% of the population; in Croatia, 26% of people experience insomnia. It is more common in older adults and women.

• Causes include:

  • Stress and stressful situations

  • Mental disorders (depression, anxiety)

  • Shift work

  • Time zone changes

  • Nicotine and caffeine use

  • Certain medications

  • Specific illnesses

Sleep Hygiene

Counting sheep doesn’t actually help, but proven strategies do. Sleep hygiene refers to practices and environmental factors that promote easier sleep onset, longer sleep duration, and feeling rested in the morning. Healthy sleep patterns are part of cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia and are considered the gold standard treatment. Key steps include:

1. Align your sleep schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.

2. Limit stimulants: Avoid alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine, and turn off all devices at least 1 hour before bed to reduce exposure to bright lights and noise.

3. Create a sleep-friendly environment: Ensure comfortable room temperature and humidity, quietness, and darkness. Use eye masks or blackout curtains if needed. Position the bed ideally north–south with the headboard to the north.

4. Reserve time for relaxation: Dedicate the last hour before bed to calming activities. Let sleep happen naturally and avoid forcing it. If unable to sleep, get up, read with dim light, and return to bed when drowsy.

5. Use your bed for sleep only: Avoid reading, working, eating, or watching TV in bed. Minimize time awake in bed.

6. Adjust your diet: Eat balanced meals; avoid large dinners and fast food high in saturated fats and sugar. Favor meals rich in vitamins, fiber, proteins, and low glycemic index foods. Poor long-term nutrition can trigger inflammation and disturb gut microbiota.

7. Exercise outdoors: Moderate aerobic exercise reduces sleep latency and prolongs sleep duration. WHO recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity aerobic activity weekly.

Neglecting sleep hygiene is a major contributor to insomnia.

Supplements for Better Sleep

Along with a regular wake-up schedule, 2–3 weekly aerobic workouts, and balanced nutrition, certain dietary supplements can help improve sleep:

1. Melatonin

Melatonin is an endogenous hormone regulating the sleep-wake cycle, produced by the pineal gland. Darkness triggers its release, peaking between 3:00 and 4:00 AM and continuing until morning. Exposure to light, especially blue light from devices, reduces melatonin secretion. Levels naturally decline with age, increasing insomnia risk in older adults.

• Benefits: Shortens time to fall asleep.

• Dosage: 1 mg shortly before sleep; can be used once daily for up to 13 weeks (11).

2. Plants: Valerian, Lemon Balm, Lavender, Chamomile

• Valerian: Widely researched, reduces wakefulness, improves sleep latency and duration, and eases mild stress (11,12).

• Lemon Balm: Pleasant lemon scent, reduces stress and anxiety, especially effective when combined with valerian (13,15).

• Chamomile: Calming effect, improves sleep quality (13).

• Lavender: Reduces anxiety and promotes relaxation (19).

3. Vitamins and Minerals: Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin B6

• Magnesium: Enhances GABA receptor sensitivity and GABA release, promoting longer, higher-quality sleep (12).

• Vitamin B6: Involved in neurotransmitter synthesis (5-HT, melatonin, noradrenaline, dopamine); deficiency linked to insomnia (14).

• Zinc: Cofactor in melatonin synthesis, modulates GABA and glutamate receptors, supports sleep onset (12).

4. Innovative Ingredients: Milk Protein Hydrolysate (Lactium®)

• Derived from alpha-s1 casein in milk, producing bioactive peptides that activate GABA receptors, reducing stress and improving sleep.

• Clinical results: One month of use improved sleep quality and reduced stress, with 80% participant satisfaction (16).

References

1. Sinclair, A.H., et al. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General (2024); 153(10): 2588–2604

2. Wild, C.J., et al. Sleep (2018); 41(12), zsy182

3. Balter, L., Axelsson, J. Proc R Soc B (2024); 291(2019)

4. Hamilton, O.S., et al. Translational Psychiatry (2023); 13:323

5. Morales-Muñoz, I., et al. JAMA Psychiatry (2024); 81(8):825–833

6. Jayandra J, Himali, et al. JAMA Neurology (2023); 80(12):1326–1333

7. Sejbuk, M., et al. Nutrients (2022); 14(9):1912

8. De Pasquale, C., et al. Sleep Medicine Reviews (2024); 75:101930

9. Begić, D. Medicus (2017); 26(2):209–214

10. Alanazi, E.M., et al. Cureus (2023); 15(3):e36221

11. Jablan, J., et al. Farmaceutski glasnik (2015); 71(5):215–228

12. Yeom, J.W., Cho, C-H. Psychiatry Investigation (2024); 21(8):810–821

13. Cerny, A., Schmid, K. Fitoterapia (1999); 70(3):221–228

14. Fernstrand, A., et al. European Neuropsychopharmacology (2015); 25(2):S654–S655

15. Cases, J., et al. Mediterr J Nutr Metab (2011); 4(3):211–218

16. Lim, S.E., et al. Front Nutr (2024); 11:1419978

17. Lactium. What is Lactium?

18. Kim, H.J., et al. Nutrients (2019); 11(7):1466

19. Guadagna, S., et al. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med (2020); 2020:3792390