Latest news with #ShelbyHarris
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The best sleep aid for 2025: Get better sleep without a prescription
According to the CDC, more than a third of Americans aren't getting the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night — and in some parts of the country, that number jumps to nearly half of adults. That's a big deal. Not getting enough sleep doesn't just make you feel tired the next day; it can also affect your mood, ability to focus, heart health and gut health and even increase your risk of having a stroke or developing type 2 diabetes. If you're struggling to fall or stay asleep, you're probably wondering what the best sleep aid is to help you finally get some rest — and, lucky for you, we have answers. "Simple changes like sticking to a regular bedtime, reducing screen time before bed and avoiding caffeine in the afternoon can help," says Shelby Harris, a clinical psychologist and director of sleep health at Sleepopolis. "Focusing on these lifestyle changes often leads to better sleep than relying on over-the-counter or supplement sleep aids," she adds. However, for those who've tried making lifestyle adjustments without success or face persistent sleep issues, sleep aids could help. Whether it's herbal supplements, over-the-counter medications or sleep-enhancing devices, sleep aids are best suited for individuals who need extra support to fall asleep or stay asleep due to ongoing disruptions. The best sleep aid for you ultimately depends on what's keeping you up at night and what you're comfortable with. To help you figure out what to try, we consulted five experts — including doctors, mental health pros and sleep specialists — to get their take on what actually works. Using their insights, we identified the top natural sleep aids on the market and put 23 different products to the test, evaluating each on how well they worked, how easy they were to use and any standout features. Read on to see our picks of the best sleep aids in 2025. A note on supplements Some of the products included on this list are dietary supplements. Statements about these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Dietary supplements are not appropriate for everyone and may interact with other supplements or medications, so talk to your health care provider before adding a dietary supplement to your routine. Best overall sleep aid More sleep aids we like in 2025 Types of sleep aids Factors to consider when purchasing sleep aids How we chose the best sleep aids Other sleep aids we tested FAQs Meet our experts Related: If you struggle to get to sleep without being in total darkness, we've rounded up lists of the best blackout curtains and shades and the best sleep masks. Or, if you prefer background sounds while you sleep, check out our lists of the best headphones for sleeping and the best white noise machines. On the flip side, if too much noise in your bedroom is your issue, we've found the best earplugs for sleeping to help you out. You can also track your sleep hygiene with one of the best sleep trackers to see what works for you. We've also rounded up lists of the best alarm clocks, including alarm clocks for heavy sleepers, and a list of the best sunrise alarm clocks that help you wake up more naturally. Looking for a tea for sleep or melatonin supplement? We've rounded up the best options for those too. Updated March 7, 2025: We checked all prices and availability. Our pick for the best overall sleep aid remains unchanged. Updated July 1, 2025: We checked all prices and availability. Our pick for the best overall sleep aid remains unchanged. (back to top) (back to top) When it comes to improving sleep, various approaches and products are available, each tailored to different types of sleep challenges. Whether you're dealing with occasional sleeplessness or chronic insomnia, finding the right solution depends on understanding your specific needs. As Dr. Monique May, a family physician and medical adviser at Aeroflow Sleep, explains, "The type of sleep aids or lifestyle changes will vary based on the severity and duration of sleep issues." From behavioral adjustments and sleep-enhancing devices to over-the-counter and natural remedies, many methods help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Here's a breakdown of some of the most effective sleep aids: Sleep hygiene tools: Sleep masks, blackout curtains, supportive pillows and bedding that keep you cool or warm, depending on personal preference, can help create an environment conducive to sleep. Consider what enables you to relax and incorporate it into your bedroom. Exercise: Studies show that regular physical activity improves sleep quality and duration. Guidelines recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly. Meditation: Practicing mindfulness and deep-breathing techniques can help reduce stress and promote relaxation before bed. Using a meditation app can help guide you through a bedtime routine and create consistent habits. Antihistamines: Many over-the-counter sleep aids include antihistamines, typically used to treat allergies. These medications can induce drowsiness and help you fall asleep more easily. However, they may also cause side effects such as dry mouth and dizziness. Melatonin: Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate the body's sleep-wake cycle. Some people find that taking melatonin before bed helps them fall asleep faster. Teas: Blends that contain soothing herbs like chamomile, valerian root and passionflower can help promote relaxation. Just be cautious of teas containing caffeine, which can interfere with your sleep patterns. CBD (cannabidiol): CBD is a compound found in the hemp plant that's been studied for its potential sleep-promoting effects. Some CBD sleep supplements contain melatonin or other natural ingredients to enhance its impact. Look for products tested by a third-party lab that contain no more than the legal limit of 0.3% THC. Essential oils: Lavender, chamomile and other essential oils can be diffused before bed to create a calming atmosphere. You can also apply them topically using a carrier oil like coconut or jojoba, but do a patch test first and verify you're using a skin-safe oil. White noise machines: These devices produce a steady sound like soft rain or white noise to help drown out other noises that could disturb your sleep. Light therapy devices: These are designed to omit an artificial light that mimics natural daylight and can help regulate your body's sleep-wake cycle. This is an active area of research, but some studies have shown promising results for mood disorders and improved sleep. Sleep-tracking apps: Besides the RISE app, many other sleep-tracking apps are available on Android and iOS devices. Some offer mindset exercises, journaling prompts and other tools to help improve sleep habits. Wearable sleep trackers: Sleep trackers, worn on the wrist or finger, monitor your sleep patterns and provide detailed data about your sleep stages and habits. They can also sync with apps to provide more comprehensive insights about your sleep behavior. (back to top) When choosing the best sleep aid for your needs, our experts recommend considering the following factors: Cost: How much are you willing to spend on a sleep aid? Keep in mind that some may require additional purchases, such as wearable devices or subscription fees for apps. Underlying cause of sleep problems: Stress, anxiety, illness, mental health disorders and other chronic disorders can affect your sleep, says Ed O'Malley, an integrative sleep medicine and dynamic neurofeedback specialist. Sleep aids aren't a cure for long-term sleep disturbances; in fact, they could worsen them. If you have a medical condition or are taking medications that may interfere with your sleep, talk to your doctor before trying a sleep aid, particularly one you need to ingest. Severity and duration of sleep issues: Don't use a sleep aid without consulting your doctor if you have severe or persistent sleep problems. Chronic insomnia — difficulty falling or staying asleep for at least three nights per week for three months — requires professional treatment. Potential side effects and interactions: Even natural or herbal products have potential side effects and interactions, says Dr. Gil Lichtshein, a clinical psychiatrist. Always read the label and talk with your pharmacist if you have questions about potential health risks. Personal preferences: You don't have to spend much money on fancy gadgets or supplements to get a good night's rest. The key to finding the right sleep aid is to listen to your body. Bedroom not dark enough? Try a sleep mask or blackout curtains. Stressed out before bed? Give meditation or a warm cup of tea a try. (back to top) To determine the best sleep aids, we tested 22 products and evaluated each based on factors such as usability, features and overall experience. We consulted with sleep experts, including a clinical psychologist, a clinical psychiatrist, two integrative medicine specialists and a board-certified licensed physician. Each expert shared details about factors contributing to sleep issues and what to look for when choosing a sleep aid. We also factored in expert recommendations and customer reviews. (back to top) Ritual BioSeries Melatonin: This dissolvable capsule contains three smaller tablets, each designed to release melatonin at different stages throughout the night. After taking it, I slept more soundly and didn't experience any morning grogginess. However, at $28 per bottle, it's pricier than Thorne's Melatonin-3, which we found to be just as effective. Sealy Posturepedic Plus: This mattress has fantastic edge support and minimal motion transfer, but the medium feel is firmer than expected. Turonic PH950 Air Purifier and Humidifier: I love the design and multi-functionality of this product, but the set-up process posed some challenges. GuruNanda Sleep Essential Oils (out of stock): The scents are pleasant, not overwhelming, and great for diffusing before bed. But it wasn't as helpful as some other options. Sleep Number TruTemp Sheets: These are a great option if you have trouble regulating your body temperature throughout the night, but they aren't as soft as other sheets I've tested. Traditional Medicinals Organic Nighty Night Tea: Though it's not a miracle cure for sleep issues, it tastes delicious and is a great way to unwind. That said, it's slightly more expensive than our top pick. Nature Made Valerian Root: I experienced a noticeable improvement in my overactive mind after taking this supplement, but it didn't help me stay asleep throughout the night. Mega Food Relax + Calm Magnesium Chews: These individually wrapped chews taste great and are convenient for consuming magnesium. However, you need to take them consistently to reap the benefits. Manola Sleep Contour Latex Pillow: This pillow is made with natural materials, has a washable cover and offers excellent neck support, but it may not be firm enough for some. ThisWorks Sleep+ Pillow Spray: This pillow spray includes lavender, chamomile and vetivert essential oils to help restore normal sleep patterns. I found the spray smells nice, to create an inviting sleep atmosphere, but I couldn't say whether it improved my sleep. (back to top) It depends. Some sleep aids, like melatonin supplements and herbal teas, are generally considered safe. However, some prescription and OTC sleep aids can have side effects and may interact with other medications, says O'Malley. Consult with a doctor before using any sleep aid, especially if you have underlying health conditions or take other medications. Some sleep aids can cause dependence or withdrawal symptoms when used long-term. Herbal products generally have less risk of dependency when used for a short time, but they may not be as effective for severe sleep issues. Some sleep aids begin working within 30 minutes, while others may require consistent use over a few weeks to see results. It's essential to follow the product's recommended usage, as many OTC sleep aids and supplements aren't meant to be a long-term solution to chronic sleep issues. (back to top) Shelby Harris, PsyD, licensed clinical psychologist, clinical associate professor and director of sleep health at Sleepopolis Gil Lichtshein, MD, PA, board-certified clinical psychiatrist Ed O'Malley, PhD, FAASM, integrative sleep medicine specialist, dynamic neuro-feedback specialist and co-founder of Your Optimal Nature Monique May, MD, board-certified licensed family physician and medical adviser at Aeroflow Sleep Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, integrative medicine physician, researcher and author of From Fatigued to Fantastic Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health. (back to top)
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Is Your Constant Fatigue Actually a Sign of This Common Sleep Disorder?
All products featured on Self are independently selected by Self editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Condé Nast may earn an affiliate commission. FrancescoThere's a mountain of reasons why you might feel fatigued or tired on any given day, many of which are easy to brush off. You probably just didn't sleep well or properly fuel yourself, or you're on your period or coming down with a virus. Or maybe you're feeling supremely overwhelmed and stressed out—let's not forget the mental load of existing in the US in the year 2025. But what you may not realize? Feeling like you're trudging oh so lethargically through the day is also an especially common sign of sleep apnea in women. It's not exactly the stereotypical picture of the sleep disorder, which involves repeated pauses in breathing throughout the night. 'When people think of sleep apnea, they often think of older, overweight men who have loud snoring and choking or gasping [while they sleep],' Shelby Harris, PsyD, a sleep psychologist and the author of The Women's Guide to Overcoming Insomnia, tells SELF. A big part of why has to do with the research: It was first discovered in men with these symptoms and initially thought to be a 'male disease'—bear in mind that research tends to conflate sex and gender identity—so no studies on sleep apnea included women until 1993. And once they did, researchers had no reason to suspect the condition would manifest any differently in women versus men. But this turned out to be a misconception that hasn't allowed us 'to capture the disease accurately,' Christine Won, MD, medical director of the Yale Centers for Sleep Medicine and director of the Yale Women's Sleep Health program, tells SELF. We now know that sleep apnea is far from rare in women—it just gets missed in them a lot more often. It's estimated that nearly one in five women have the condition, but 90% of those who do aren't aware that they have it. That major gap is due to both biological differences in how the condition shows up (in symptoms and test results), plus gendered dynamics that shape who seeks help—and gets taken seriously when they do. Read on to learn about the unique signs of sleep apnea in women, the array of gender norms that create the perfect storm for underdiagnosis, and why it's so important to seek care if you suspect this condition may be lurking beneath the surface. The classic profile of sleep apnea typically involves loud snoring, waking up choking or gasping for air, and excessive daytime sleepiness—as in, feeling like you could nod off at any moment, Andrea Matsumura, MD, a board-certified sleep specialist in Portland, Oregon, tells SELF. But in women, the symptoms can be a lot more subtle. 'They tend to just feel like they're fatigued, or as if something isn't quite right, and experience irritability, headaches, anxiety, or depressed mood.' And in terms of nighttime signs? Women are more likely to point to frequent awakenings or restless sleep, Dr. Won says. The reasons behind the differences aren't totally understood, but research has surfaced a few theories. One is that people who menstruate get some protection against the worst of sleep apnea from the hormones estrogen and progesterone, 'which support the soft structures of the back of the throat,' Dr. Matsumura says, 'so the symptoms may not be as prominent.' (That changes with menopause—more on this in a sec.) Another explanation is that women have 'a lower arousal threshold, meaning they're more easily awoken,' Dr. Won says. So even a little snore or gap in breathing could be enough to jerk them into wakefulness, leading those with sleep apnea to spend the night tossing and turning—whereas 'men may go longer with their airway obstructed without waking up,' Dr. Won says. The result? Men with sleep apnea may have more obvious snoring as they sleep, while women with the condition often struggle to stay asleep…and wind up feeling constantly unrested. The resulting array of symptoms in women—insomnia, irritability, daytime fatigue—aren't exactly dead giveaways for sleep apnea, so they may not push a doctor toward that diagnosis. After all, any number of other things (like stress, poor sleep hygiene, and mental health conditions like anxiety and depression) can mess with your ability to doze off and stay asleep at night, and leave you feeling like utter crap throughout the day. It doesn't help that a couple other key causes of daytime fatigue and sleep issues also occur specifically in people with female anatomy: pregnancy and menopause. It may be easy for a doctor to blame hormonal changes for things like mood swings, crankiness, insomnia, restlessness, and headaches in pregnant or perimenopausal folks, and in plenty of circumstances, they might be right. But that also means providers are more likely to overlook sleep apnea in these groups—which is doubly problematic, given that both pregnancy and menopause make you more susceptible to the condition. (The hormone fluctuations of pregnancy can trigger swelling in your respiratory tract that ups your risk for breathing issues at night, Dr. Won points out. Same goes for both the dip in estrogen and progesterone and the natural shift of weight toward the midsection during menopause, Dr. Matsumura says.) Even if a doctor suspects a woman may have sleep apnea, they still have to rely on tools for screening and diagnosis that might not offer an accurate result—because they were designed around the symptoms initially spotted in men. For example, take the main screening device for evaluating sleep apnea risk, the STOP-Bang questionnaire. It's an acronym for eight questions (related to symptoms and demographics); each 'yes' is a point, with higher scores linked to greater risk. 'One of the questions asks if you're a man, so you're already minus a point if you're a woman,' Dr. Matsumura points out. The main test for diagnosing sleep apnea, called a polysomnogram or sleep study, may also fail to capture all cases in people with female anatomy because of some nuances around when in the night they tend to experience the condition. Research suggests women with the disorder usually have clusters of apneas, or pauses in breathing, specifically during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is the key sleep stage when we consolidate emotions and process memories, Dr. Matsumura says, whereas men tend to have episodes more evenly across sleep stages. (That particular loss of REM in women with sleep apnea might also play a role in their greater experience of fatigue and irritability, she points out.) A polysomnogram involves getting hooked up to a bunch of sensors that track these apneas as you sleep. But here's the tricky part: A diagnosis of sleep apnea is currently based on your average number of apneas per hour throughout the night—more than five, and you have a mild form of the disease; above 15, and it's considered moderate; and if you surpass 30, you're in severe territory. REM sleep, however, is only about 20% of an eight-hour night, Dr. Won points out. So if women are usually just having apneas during REM (and not in non-REM), their average will be skewed lower. 'You could be having a hundred [apnea] events during REM sleep, but because it's diluted by having none in non-REM, the end result looks 'mild,'' Dr. Won says. And yet, experiencing a ton of apneas during REM can certainly leave you feeling fatigued and restless; plus, research suggests REM-related apneas, in particular, increase your risk for cardiovascular issues down the road (more on this below). The way REM-only apnea can get mischaracterized as NBD means that women—who, again, tend to have this type—may be denied insurance coverage for the treatment they clearly need, Dr. Won says. It isn't just biological differences and bias in medicine that cause sleep apnea to fly under the radar in women; it's also cultural norms that might make it less likely for women to seek out care in the first place. That's one reason why cis and trans women may both face disparities in diagnosis and treatment regardless of anatomical differences. 'It's normalized in our society that women should be chronically sleep deprived and that we're also supposed to suffer more,' Dr. Matsumura notes. 'We start menstruating, and it's like, 'Well, you're going to have cramps,' and you might not sleep because of these hormonal changes. Or, 'You're pregnant, so it's normal not to get good sleep.' And then you have a baby, and it's the same thing.' There's also all the cultural messaging that equates womanhood with pain and inconvenience—whether it's the suggestion that you jump through hoops to meet gendered beauty standards or that you should be willing and able to 'do it all' (housework, family work, work work). It's no wonder so many women pushing through fatigue might not suspect they could have a medical condition worthy of treatment. Add to that the stigma surrounding the most well-known symptom of sleep apnea: loud snoring—which, reminder, can still be a sign in women, even if it's less common. The harmful misconception that snoring is a 'masculine' thing to be ashamed of might lead some women to avoid bringing up sleep apnea with their doctor. Research also suggests men who share a bed with a woman might be less apt to tell them about nighttime snoring or gasping (and suggest they seek care) versus the other way around, Dr. Won says. More proof of that point: Data show women are more likely than men to show up solo to doctor's appointments for sleep apnea than with their bed partner. Going undiagnosed with sleep apnea doesn't just mean dealing with more fatigue, irritability, and restless nights (though that's reason enough, in our book, to seek out care). It could also put you at greater risk for serious health issues affecting your heart and brain. Those little episodes of struggling for air trigger the release of hormones like adrenaline that stress your heart and ramp up your blood pressure over time, raising your chances of a cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke, Dr. Won says. And the dip in oxygen levels caused by apneas may also damage small blood vessels in your brain, putting you at greater risk of cognitive decline and perhaps even dementia. Not to mention the risks, more broadly, of getting consistently poor quality or insufficient sleep, like brain fog, mental-health issues, and a not-so-effective immune system, for starters. All to say, if you feel like you're never quite fully rested despite getting enough sleep, or you're more groggy, irritable, or headache-y than usual, it's worth bringing up sleep apnea with your doctor, especially if you identify as a woman or have female anatomy. This way, you can get to the bottom of what's triggering your symptoms, sleep apnea or otherwise—and you can reduce your chances of going undiagnosed. Related: The Truth About Popular Sleep Supplements, From Magnesium to Melatonin Is Sleep Apnea Genetic? 5 Things to Try If Sharing a Bed Is Completely Ruining Your Sleep Get more of SELF's great service journalism delivered right to your inbox. Originally Appeared on Self
