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What is Sleep Support Plus supplement?
The early bird might get the worm, but I am a stubborn night owl.
Somewhere along the line, my late nights became less of a conscious choice and more of a habit I
couldn’t shake. It only happens sometimes, but boy, when I cannot sleep, it can seriously disturb my
week.
I decided to find a natural aids for supporting my sleep. Chamomile tea and yoga only took me so far.
This is why I was thrilled to find Sleep Support Plus, a vegan sleep support supplement that is packed
full of herbal extracts.
We spend about a third of our life sleeping – and it really blows when this sleep isn’t quality. In fact,
sleep is often considered as essential to survival as food and water. Sleep helps you form the pathways
in your brain that let you learn and create new memories while concentrating and being alert during the
day.
Our bodies have something very intelligent called the sleep-wake cycle. The body’s internal clock
(circadian rhythm) works like a pacemaker. This pacemaker is responsible for when and how you feel
tired.
Nerve cells in the brain release neurotransmitters to communicate with the brain, keeping it alert while
you are awake. Other nerve cells stop the messages that tell you to stay awake, causing you to feel tired.
This internal clock is guided by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), an area of the brain. This area of the
brain is sensitive to light and dark. When the optic nerve in the eyes senses the morning light, the SCN
triggers the release of cortisol and other hormones that help you wake up. When darkness sets in, the
SCN essentially messages the pineal gland, which in turn releases melatonin.
The frustrating thing about the sleep cycle is that it is terribly easy to offset. Even losing just one hour of
sleep over a few days can make you feel less awake and refreshed during the day. It can also prevent
you from feeling relaxed and sleepy at night, causing a derailed sleep cycle. Thankfully, this kind of
occasional sleeplessness can be supplemented!
Benefits of Sleep Support Plus sleeping pills
Sleep Support Plus claims several benefits for night owls like me. Below are the two key benefits.
Support for that mid-afternoon slump.
Reading this while experiencing an afternoon lull? It’s probably not just in your head. Most
adults tend to feel sleepiest between 2am and 4am, as well as between 1pm and 3pm. The good
news is that sleeping better can cause you to feel more energized and alert, supporting drive
and productivity during a typical downtime.
Positive Mood Support sleeping aids
I was surprised to see many of the ingredients in Sleep Support Plus can also contribute to
mood. St John’s Wort is an herb that is believed to support healthy serotonin and noradrenaline,
two mood chemicals in your body. Serotonin is the key hormone that stabilizes our mood,
feelings of well-being, and helps with sleeping.
Sleep Support Plus is worth trying if you experience sleeplessness from time-to-time. Discover how the
key ingredients work together.
How does Sleep Support Plus work?
Sleep Support Plus has been formulated with potent botanicals and minerals. It is also a vegan product
that is free from common allergens which is a huge win. Most of the exciting ingredients are found in
the proprietary blend, comprising 1071mg of the formula.
Ingredients
Tryptophan
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that serves many important purposes within the body.
This amino acid is converted into a molecule called 5-HTP, which is used to make serotonin and
melatonin.
Serotonin, lovingly known as the ‘happy chemical’, influences sleep, cognition, and
mood in the brain.
One study of available data for nearly 30,000 US adults found daily use of tryptophan is
positively associated with sleeping longer.
Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone that is most notably involved in influencing the sleep-wake cycle. The
way melatonin works is truly fascinating to me. It is secreted depending on the length of night
time to convey information to the brain and body on the daily cycle of light and darkness.
Ever noticed you feel more tired during winter? Alongside the lack of sunny days, the shorter
length of days also communicates to your body functions that sleep time is to start earlier.
Amazing!
Sleep Support Plus also contains a proprietary blend of extracts to support the natural
production of melatonin within your body. This blend includes goji berry, lemon balm, passion
fruit extract, chamomile, and valerian.
Vitamin B6
Sleep Support Plus includes 90% of your daily value of Vitamin B6. Based on this, I figured it
must be related fairly heavily to sleep.
As it seems, Vitamin B6 supports healthy production of serotonin and melatonin, our two key
hormones mentioned throughout this review. Both of these hormones are important for sound,
restful sleep. As a bonus, they are also linked to mood.
As an interesting side effect, taking vitamin B6 immediately before bed can enhance dream
vividness and recall. It is believed that people who recall their dreams are prone to
daydreaming, creative thinking, and introspection. I definitely wouldn’t mind remembering my
dreams a bit more!
Magnesium
Have you ever tried to get a kid to sleep when they weren’t interested?
If she is feeling energetic, it really doesn’t matter how much you beg, barter or grovel; she won’t
fall asleep unless her body and mind are both at peace. You may have experienced a similar
sensation. Whether it’s your brain or body that is feeling overly energized, both need to be
relaxed for sleep to occur.
This is where magnesium may step in. Magnesium nutritionally supports the body by activating
something called the parasympathetic nervous system. This system is responsible for making
you feel calm and relaxed.
Magnesium regulates neurotransmitters, which send signals throughout the nervous system, as
well as regulating the hormone melatonin. That’s right, the same melatonin that influences the
sleep-wake cycle.
The Herbals
I’m a big fan of using herbal remedies where possible, so the fact that the Sleep Support Plus
formula reads like an herbal tea blend caught my attention. The proprietary blend of gorgeous
botanical ingredients and compounds includes goji (wolfberry), chamomile, lemon balm,
passionflower, St. John’s-Wort, ashwagandha, skullcap, and hops.
Hops? As in beer?
That’s right. Hops are what gives beer its signature aromatic and hoppy taste. Hops have
another effect which can be beneficial for sleep. Ever feel snoozy after a cold one? It’s not just
the alcohol acting as a depressant that may be causing you to feel this way; hops is a mild
sedative, meaning it has a calming effect.
Funny story, the sedative effect of hops was first discovered when field workers who cultivated
hop plants tended to fall asleep on the job more often. Harvesting hops wasn’t any more
physically straining than other fieldwork, causing people to wonder if hops was a sedative.
Another ingredient that intrigued me was the chamomile. I enjoy a mug of chamomile tea
before bedtime; actually, now that I think about it, I’ve seen chamomile included in many sleep-encouraging tea blends.
Chamomile contains the flavonoid apigenin, a compound that binds to certain receptors in the
brain areas involved in sleep and wakefulness. Chamomile is widely accepted as a mild
tranquilizer.viii
Many of the ingredients in Sleep Support Plus are also found in stress support supplements. For
For example, chamomile is commonly used to support stress. Lemon balm has been shown to support stress
relief.
5-HTP is a natural amino acid, the immediate precursor to serotonin, lovingly known as the
“happy” neurotransmitter.
From my research, I could see the importance of a calm mindset for sleep. While some supplements
focus only on the tryptophan and melatonin, Sleep Support Plus takes more of a holistic approach.
Serving Size and Cautions
Take two capsules a day with food. For best results, take 20-30 minutes before bedtime or as directed
by your healthcare professional.
Sleep Support Plus doesn’t require any lifestyle changes to be made, however, some changes may
positively affect your sleeping patterns. It is recommended that you maintain a balanced diet with
regular exercise.
Many formulas contain CBD from hemp, an ingredient that has shown potential as a natural therapy for
sleep improvement. However, not everyone agrees with the use of hemp, and Sleep Support Plus is one
of the rare formulas that I found that doesn’t include CBD oil.
Always talk to your healthcare professional before using any dietary supplement.
Sleep Support Plus isn’t intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. This includes insomnia.
This supplement is intended to be used for occasional sleeplessness. If you’re experiencing long-term
sleeplessness, please talk to your healthcare professional.
References:
i Naseem M, Parvez S. Role of melatonin in traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. ScientificWorldJournal.
2014;2014:586270. doi:10.1155/2014/586270
ii Berger M, Gray JA, Roth BL. The expanded biology of serotonin. Annu Rev Med. 2009;60:355-66. doi:
10.1146/annurev.med.60.042307.110802. PMID: 19630576; PMCID: PMC5864293.
iii Friedman M. Analysis, Nutrition, and Health Benefits of Tryptophan. International Journal of Tryptophan
Research. January 2018. doi:10.1177/1178646918802282
iv Claustrat B, Leston J. Melatonin: Physiological effects in humans. Neurochirurgie. 2015;61(2-3):77-84.
doi:10.1016/j.neuchi.2015.03.002
v Aspy DJ, Madden NA, Delfabbro P. Effects of Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) and a B Complex Preparation on Dreaming
and Sleep. Percept Mot Skills. 2018;125(3):451-462. doi:10.1177/0031512518770326
vi Wienecke E, Nolden C. Langzeit-HRV-Analyse zeigt Stressreduktion durch Magnesiumzufuhr [Long-term HRV
analysis shows stress reduction by magnesium intake]. MMW Fortschr Med. 2016;158(Suppl 6):12-16.
doi:10.1007/s15006-016-9054-7
vii Franco L, Sánchez C, Bravo R, Rodriguez A, Barriga C, Juánez JC. The sedative effects of hops (Humulus lupulus), a
component of beer, on the activity/rest rhythm. Acta Physiol Hung. 2012;99(2):133-139.
doi:10.1556/APhysiol.99.2012.2.6
viii Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Mol Med Rep.
2010;3(6):895-901. doi:10.3892/mmr.2010.377
ix Scholey A, Gibbs A, Neale C, Perry N, Ossoukhova A, Bilog V, Kras M, Scholz C, Sass M, Buchwald-Werner S. AntiStress Effects of Lemon Balm-Containing Foods. Nutrients. 2014; 6(11):4805-4821.
x Weeks BS. Formulations of dietary supplements and herbal extracts for relaxation and anxiolytic action:
Relarian. Med Sci Monit. 2009;15(11):RA256-RA262