Can’t Sleep? These Home Remedies for Insomnia May Help

You toss and turn, kick off the covers, then curl up underneath them again. You hoped for a good night’s sleep, but your body just doesn’t want to cooperate. Or maybe you haven’t slept well for a while and are worried about serious sleep deprivation. 

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. In the U.S., up to half of adults report having insomnia symptoms. Most people want to try natural treatments before they consider sleep medication.

Luckily, there are quite a few home remedies for insomnia you can try. Nothing is a quick fix, but the following natural remedies are some of the best ways to treat insomnia. And they’re safer than sleep medications. 

1. Improve your sleep hygiene

Sleep hygiene refers to the daytime and evening habits that can help you get a better night’s sleep.

These common tips will help improve your sleep hygiene: 

• Limit caffeinated products to the morning.

• Get exercise and sunlight during the day.

• Try not to nap later in the day.

• Use your bed for sleep or sexual activities only.

• Eat dinner or snacks earlier in the evening, not right before bed. 

• Avoid TV, computer, and phone screens at least 1 hour before bed.

• Keep the lights low before bedtime.

• Create a relaxing bedtime routine and follow it at the same time every night.

• Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet while sleeping.

• Reduce your tobacco and alcohol use.

If you have chronic insomnia, improving your sleep hygiene alone may not be enough. But combining good sleep hygiene with other techniques can be very effective.

2. Practice self-guided cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a sleep-therapy program. It uses exercises and behavioral changes to help you learn to sleep better. It’s a low-risk and highly effective treatment for insomnia.

CBT-I helps you learn to think about sleep in a positive way. It can also help you quiet any racing thoughts that keep you awake. It also trains your brain to associate being in bed with sleeping.

Some examples of CBT-I techniques include:

• Keeping a sleep diary

• Setting a consistent bedtime and wake time

• Getting out of bed if you’re not sleeping

• Making changes to your sleep environment

• Using relaxation techniques like meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, or deep breathing

Connecting with a therapist to work on your sleep issues together can be helpful, especially if anxiety or depression is contributing to your insomnia. But practicing CBT-I on your own can also be effective.

3. Build a daily meditation routine

People have used meditation and mindfulness for centuries, and these practices have become more popular in recent years. Research suggests that meditation may help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and improve sleep quality. 

Beyond these findings, meditation supports sleep by calming your mind and easing stress, making it easier to fall and stay asleep.

4. Try natural supplements

There are several natural supplements that can help with sleep:

• Melatonin: Melatonin is a hormone your body makes that controls your sleep–wake cycle (circadian rhythm). Your brain releases it when it gets dark, which helps you feel sleepy. Melatonin supplements work by copying this natural signal. They can be helpful if your sleep schedule is off, like with jet lag or shift work, because they help your body adjust to when it’s time to sleep.

• 5-HTP: 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a serotonin-like molecule that your body can convert into melatonin. 

• Magnesium: Magnesium supplements may help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up less during the night.

• L-theanine: This natural amino acid is found in some teas. It’s believed to relax your brain and help with sleep. 

• Apigenin: Apigenin is a substance in chamomile tea. It may have benefits in treating insomnia and depression. 

• Glycine and GABA: Glycine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are neurotransmitters that may treat insomnia by slowing down brain activity. 

5. Consider CBD

CBD (cannabidiol) is extracted from hemp seeds but doesn’t have any psychoactive properties like cannabis. Some research suggests that CBD can help with insomnia. It may calm your nervous system by acting on the serotonin system in your brain. This calming effect can also decrease anxiety, which may help your sleep.

Foods that help with insomnia

Some foods naturally contain melatonin or other hormones that help with the sleep-wake cycle. Eating these foods in the evening may help you fall asleep: 

• Cherries, particularly tart cherry juice

• Nuts, like almonds, walnuts, and pistachios

• Pumpkin seeds

• Milk

Some people drink alcohol to help with sleep. But it has the opposite effect. While alcohol can make you sleepy, it actually interferes with good sleep by disrupting your normal sleep cycles. It can also make other sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, worse. 

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Written by:

Nicole Andonian, MD

Nicole Andonian, MD, is a private practice anesthesiologist in Orange County, California. Her focus is in general anesthesia, regional anesthesia, and acute pain management.

Edited by:

Meredith Hoffa

Meredith Hoffa is a senior health editor at GoodRx, where she leads journalists and clinicians covering various well-being topics, particularly in diet and nutrition.

Reviewed by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

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