Relaxation is important to your health. Being able to relax not only helps you sleep better, it also helps you to reduce stress, be more mindful and deal with everyday situations better. If you have problems relaxing, then you may want to try some natural supplements to help you relax before you turn to medication.

Following are a few supplements that you can try.

Valerian Root

The valerian root has been used as a sedative for a long time. This is another supplement that will not put you to sleep, but promote relaxation throughout the mind and body instead. Many people use it to relieve muscle cramps and menstrual cramps because of its relaxation properties. It has a tonic effect on the nerves, which helps to relieve tension and promote relaxation.

L-Theanine

This is an amino acid that you can find in green tea leaves. It is known to reduce stress, anxiety, and improve relaxation. It has even been shown to improve the quality of sleep in children who have ADHD. It is important to note that supplementing with L-Theanine can promote relaxation, but does not induce sleepiness.

“L-theanine’s effect on the brain can be visualized on an EEG. Brain waves are actually smoothed out—but not flattened out—by supplemental L-theanine.” – Life Extension

Melatonin

This is a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland. It does have many uses, but its primary use is to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. It is normally released into the body between 8 and 10 at night, and it promotes relaxation.

If you are someone who works evening or night shifts, or who sleeps with various forms of light around you, then you may not be experiencing the benefits from natural melatonin and could benefit from supplementation.

Kava

You will find this ingredient in many different anxiety supplements on the market. This is because it has been shown as an excellent supplement for controlling anxiety and relaxation. It has mild sedation effects, promotes muscle relaxation, reduces pain, and improves cognitive performance. You can take this as a supplement or drink it as a tea.

This one was an important supplement to mention here because even though it has the ability to work as well as anti-anxiety medication, this supplement comes with some health warnings, such as liver damage and death. While it may be a popular ingredient in anxiety supplements, you may want to try something else first if you have liver or kidney problems or if you are concerned.

Magnesium

You will find that a lot of holistic doctors will recommend magnesium for relaxation. Too many people do not get enough magnesium in their diet. In fact, it is one of the supplements that we are most lacking in (along with vitamin D). Thanks to soil depletion, change in diet, and stress that depletes magnesium in the body, most people simply cannot get enough of it through our diet. Because diet is not always enough, there are some great, natural magnesium supplements like EASE that are available to help keep levels where they should be.

Magnesium has a hand in over 300 chemical reactions in the body, and while there are many issues that occur from a lack of magnesium, anxiety is often the most noted. Studies have found that supplementing with magnesium can help reduce anxiety by relaxing the mind and slowing down random thoughts. It can also decrease cortisol in the body, which keeps you tense and unable to sleep. And, magnesium can help relax muscles, which is essential for feeling relaxed and calm.