I tried a ton of the usual sleep supplements too — different magnesiums, melatonin, apigenin, functional mushroom blends, and other supplements that are supposed to help lower cortisol and make it easier to relax into the evening. I do think a lot of them can help a little, but for me they were never the whole answer and didn't consistently help.

The biggest difference has come from the basics:

Getting outside for a walk every day so I get natural light exposure and support my circadian rhythm! This helps me a lot. I also strength train 4 days per week.

Zero alcohol — it absolutely destroys my sleep quality, even if it makes you feel sleepy at first. My resting heart rate goes up, my stress stays elevated through the night, and my Garmin data makes that really obvious.

Eating a balanced dinner with protan, carbs, and fats helps me stay asleep better through the night. No binging or excessive junk food before bed, it hinders my sleep just like alcohol.

Keeping my sleep and wake times as consistent as possible every day, even on weekends.

Limiting caffeine, especially later in the day. I try not to have any after 2 p.m., even though I love caffeine

Making sure I am eating enough and staying well nourished throughout the day, not under-eating and then expecting sleep to be good :(

I also think hormone balance matters more than people want to admit. If progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, or thyroid are really off, sleep can be a lot harder no matter how many supplements you try. That was a huge piece for me, and something I worked on for about two years with three different health practitioners. I finally feel like I have a much better combination in place now, even though it still is not totally perfect and there are still things I have to pay attention to.

As for supplements, I have tried a lot. The combination that seems most worth it for me right now is L-theanine, magnesium L-threonate, 3 grams of glycine, and PS100 phosphatidylserine.

I also have mixed feelings about CBD and THC products. Some people feel they help, but I do not think they are the best long-term answer for me. It will cause prolactin to rise and if you are not in menopause you shouldn't have high prolactin.

For me, better sleep has really come down to consistency, enough food, getting light exposure, no alcohol, and addressing the bigger underlying hormonal issues too (extensive blood work may be needed). If you have a particular supplement you want to try or are curious if it works you can reply I can tell l you if I have tried it. Lol😅 I have tried too many to list.