Natural Sleep Product Use |Dr.Steve’s Bottom Line

Dr.Steve’s BOTTOM LINE: Ever use natural sleep aids?  Wonder if anyone else is using them and how well they work?  This Quebec study looked at how often they are used, but I added in some comments about the one which turned out to be the most popular choice…just in case you were wondering.

Despite serious lack of data about effectiveness, it turns out that 20% or one out of five adults  shy away from  drugs and prefer more natural herbal approaches. In this study, the favorite was Chamomile. Is it effective for insomnia? Although it has a long history of use as an intestinal  calmative, anti-anxiety and sleep-aid, the short answer is probably not.  If you’re searching for an herbal to try there is preliminary but conflicting scientific evidence suggesting Valerian may fit the bill better, although its effect kicks in after 2-3 weeks of use.  Not a jet lag kind of solution.   The only other one that you might read about that has evidence to support its calming effects is kava-kava.  The problem is that kava-kava can be so toxic (yes, “natural” herbs and substances can be toxic like drugs) to the liver that it has been banned in most countries.

The use of natural products for sleep: A common practice?

Sleep Med. 2009 Oct;10(9):982-7

Authors: Sánchez-Ortuño MM, Bélanger L, Ivers H, LeBlanc M, Morin CM

BACKGROUND: Despite a paucity of data on efficacy and safety of natural (herbal and dietary) products, their use appears to be widespread. This study aimed at examining the frequency of natural products’ use for sleep and their correlates in a population-based sample. METHODS: A randomly selected sample of adults (n=997; 59.9% women) from the province of Quebec completed a postal survey on sleep, use of sleep-promoting products (natural products, prescribed medication, over-the-counter medication and alcohol), physical and mental health, lifestyle habits and demographics. RESULTS: A total of 18.5% of participants reported having used natural products as sleep aids in the past 12months, with chamomile being the most popular product. Participants who exclusively used natural products as sleep aids (10.3% of the sample) were predominantly females, younger and had a higher educational level than those using prescribed medications. Natural products users reported engaging in more health-promoting behaviors than the nonusers of sleep aids and, despite the presence of subthreshold insomnia symptoms (mean Insomnia Severity Index score=9.33), they tended to perceive themselves as healthier when compared with prescribed medication users and nonusers of sleep aids. CONCLUSIONS: The use of natural products as sleep aids is a common practice. Often associated with a general health-promoting lifestyle, it may reflect the common perception that natural products are necessarily beneficial for sleep and without risks.

PMID: 19427262 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]