Author:
February 16, 2023
mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor
mbg Spirituality & Relationships Editor
Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Editor, and a registered yoga instructor. She received her bachelor’s in broadcasting and mass communication from SUNY Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.
Image by AsiaVision / iStock
February 16, 2023
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Sleep is essential to everything from optimal energy to focus to cellular repair, and when we don’t get enough of it, our bodies and minds feel the difference. As such, many people turn to hormonal sleep supplements like melatonin in an effort catch more zzz’s—but according to integrative nutrition expert Neda Varbanova M.A., that’s not such a great idea.
“Melatonin is something a lot of people take for sleep, but did you know that melatonin is actually a hormone? And it’s not so good for your other hormones like estrogen1,” she says, adding that she actually has bad dreams when she takes melatonin supplements.
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Instead, Varbanova leans on a different supplement for better sleep: mindbodygreen’s sleep support+ formula. Here’s why.*
Why this nutrition expert trusts sleep support+ over melatonin.
So, why sleep support+ over melatonin? For one thing, as of 2017, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine updated its clinical practice guidelines to actually recommend against2 the use of melatonin as a nightly sleep aid, because the overall evidence available for its effectiveness is weak.
Not to mention, melatonin is a hormone, and taking supplemental melatonin nightly has the potential to impact your body’s natural release of melatonin as well as other hormones. As Varbanova says, “mindbodygreen’s sleep support+ is a great alternative.”
With sleep support+ you get all the benefits of a good night’s sleep—without the hormones, nightmares, or grogginess often associated with melatonin. This formula has a rock star trio of research-backed ingredients, including 120 mg of magnesium bisglycinate, along with relaxing jujube seed extract and PharmaGABA®, to promote deep and restorative sleep.*
Varbanova isn’t the only one who has found luck switching from melatonin to sleep support+. As one happy reviewer, Amy M., writes of the product, “I fall asleep faster and sleep longer on nights I take sleep support+. I can’t take melatonin (makes my dreams super vivid and exhausting), so this has been so helpful.”*
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The takeaway.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.