Plants That Help You Sleep: What You Need To Know

Today’s culture is all about doing more. Hustling. Grinding. Spending. More...everything. Even the health and wellness industry has fallen victim to this mindset, too. With everything from more intense workout routines and even harder-to-follow diets, everything feels a bit extreme. This is why I think it's time for humankind to take a collective break and focus on getting better, deeper rest. What's the secret to this though? Finding plants that help you sleep well.

Since sleep is the single best way to rest, recover, and regenerate — it's also the best way to boost your immune system and ward off aging, too. So, let's take a look at how natural plant compounds can help transform your sleep routine.

Why World Sleep Day is an important holiday

One of my favorite wellness days happens to be World Sleep Day.

Every March 17, this fitting holiday exists to "celebrate sleep and call [people] to action on important sleep issues." In fact, World Sleep Day deep dives into the importance of regular sleep. According to its website, regular sleep is critical and the studies back it up: "Studies have demonstrated that stable bedtimes and rise times are associated with better sleep quality in young, middle-aged adults, and seniors. Regular sleepers have better mood, psychomotor performance, and academic achievement,” the organization explains."

This is no surprise to me though — sleep is so important, and this is why I want to help you find natural properties and plants that help you sleep.

Why is sleep so important?

Before getting into how plans that help you sleep could drastically benefit your sleep schedule, let’s zoom out a little and look at why sleep is actually so important. 

To begin, part of it has to do with the way humans produce energy. We humans are high-maintenance creatures — it takes lots of energy to keep our bodies and minds in motion all day! This is why sleep is that critical time of the day when we recharge our batteries and renew our hormones. 

Sleep is also what anchors our brain’s internal clock (the suprachiasmatic nucleus) onto a healthy circadian rhythm, allowing us to feel wakeful and energized during the day. 

Pretty cool, right?

Yes, it's true — your brain needs sleep (and lots of it)

Since sleep is critical to pretty much all the brain’s functions, it’s really no surprise that not sleeping enough can wreak havoc on your brain’s delicate balance of neurotransmitters, signaling molecules, and hormones. 

Even mild sleep deprivation has been tied to weight gain, chronic inflammation, gut health problems, and premature aging. Not good.

According to the Dana Foundation, this is why it's so important to have regular nights of sleep: "Sleep deprivation makes us moody and irritable, and impairs brain functions such as memory and decision-making. It also negatively impacts the rest of the body – it impairs the functioning of the immune system, for example, making us more susceptible to infection."

Sleep deprivation is no joke.

Supercharge your health with plants that help you sleep

Improving your sleep naturally is actually pretty simple. Just nourish your body’s endocannabinoid system! This ultra-important system, in turn, can help regulate your sleep cycles if it’s running on all cylinders.

Thankfully, a wide variety of herbs and plant extracts can assist you in your quest for incredible sleep. Learn more about these natural plants that help you sleep like a baby (and check out these additional sleep product recommendations):

Essential oils for sleep

Essential oils come in all shapes and sizes. Some are energizing, some are calming, and some can help you catch Zzz's!

When it comes to sleep-friendly oils, lavender essential oil is at the top of our list. Although lavender has been used to promote sleep for centuries, in recent years — science has started to fully back this practice up.

In fact, one study found that lavender promoted the deepest form of sleep: slow-wave sleep. Additionally, another study found that people who slept in a lavender-scented room had a 20 percent chance of better sleep than those who did not. 

CBD for sleep

CBD, or cannabidiol, is the hemp plant’s most active ingredient. Does it help with sleep? You bet it does.

Firstly, customers rave about CBD giving them some of the best sleep in their entire lives. And secondly, a 2019 research study describes CBD's most proven effects on sleep. Here's what they found:

• Large amounts of CBD may increase sleep duration
• CBD intake may decrease cortisol levels and cause a “sedative” effect
• Large amounts of CBD are more sedating than small amounts of CBD  

If you want to use CBD to sleep better, just take a little more of your favorite CBD product than you usually would a couple of hours before bed.

CBN for sleep

Meet CBN (also known as cannabinol) — it's another super-cool cannabinoid with sleepytime benefits.

While most cannabinoids have the same chemical formula as CBD, CBN has a simpler, smaller structure. This structural difference actually makes CBN more powerful. 

Users that take CBN for sleep often describe deep feelings of calmness and peace. Looking for tranquility right before getting some shut-eye? Absolutely make this your go-to.

CBN is one of the best plants that help you sleep and studies have found that, in fact, CBN improved sleep as much as THC did. The icing on this CBN for sleep cake? Unlike THC, CBN doesn't come with unwanted side effects or too much grogginess the next morning.

Delta-8 THC for sleep

Delta-8 THC is another hemp-derived cannabinoid that can help with sleep. 

How? Research has shown that Delta-8 lights up both types of endocannabinoid receptors and increases certain aspects of brain function. 

As one of the best plants that help you sleep, Delta-8 truly has powerful sleep-specific benefits (all while keeping you a little more clear-headed than THC).

A win-win? You betcha.

Functional mushrooms for sleep

Functional mushrooms provide yet another natural way to dial in your sleep patterns. One of the best natural plants to help you sleep, functional mushrooms offer a variety of sleep-promoting properties. These are some of the best sleep-friendly mushrooms:

• Chaga
• Lion's Mane
• Reishi

Most of these mushrooms are known adaptogens, which means they can help your body adapt and overcome stress — all while helping you get better sleep.

Want to level up with functional mushrooms? Lion's Mane has the unique ability to stimulate the brain’s production of BDNF, or brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which means it might help with both nighttime sleep cycles and daytime energy levels. To learn more about functional mushrooms, check out this article. 

Valerian root for sleep

Valerian root has been called “nature’s valium.” That might be true in a sense — but we think it’s unfair to Valerian!

Why? Because Valerian root contains compounds that may promote sleep without unwanted side effects. These compounds include valerenic acid, isovaleric acid, and many other antioxidants. 

Valerian root can be taken alone or combined with CBD for some extra synergy. Either way, we think it’ll help you unwind and get the rest you need. 

Prioritize sleep

Getting a good night of sleep is a non-negotiable for me. It has to happen because not only does my mind, body, and spirit need the rest but because if I'm going to hustle, grind, move, and shake on a daily basis — I truly need the rest. Whether you're new to trying plants that help you sleep or you already have a helpful nighttime routine, my advice is this: don't compromise sleep, no matter what.

Ready to catch some ZZZs? Check out these helpful rest-inspired products.