They are sold over-the-counter, without the need for a prescription.Generally, they have the following characteristics: There is no universally accepted clinical definition of a natural sleep aid. In this article, we’ll look at a wide range of natural sleep remedies and help you figure out if they’re a good fit for your own sleep needs. Just because something claims to be natural doesn’t mean it is either safe or effective. The catch? The FDA does not regulate these over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aids, and the word “natural” isn’t defined by the government - therefore, it can mean just about anything that a company’s marketing team wants it to mean. Natural sleep aids are usually available without a prescription and may be plant- or mineral-based. As we return to work and school and adjust to our “new normal,” it’s likely that 30%-35% of the population will continue to experience short-term insomnia.Īlthough roughly nine million Americans - many of them older adults - took prescription sleep aids even before COVID-19, there is growing interest in natural sleep aids that offer a better night’s sleep with fewer side effects or dependency concerns than prescription medicines. For many people, however, sleep difficulties were a problem long before the pandemic. The number of people suffering from sleep loss has increased over the last year and a half, and there’s even a name for it: coronasomnia. For more information, please see How we make money.ĭebra Rose Wilson, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT All information is presented without any warranty or guarantee to you. And the advertised offers may be subject to additional terms and conditions of the advertiser.

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