Sleep aids

What are sleep aids and why does your body need help sleeping sometimes?

Sleep aids are strategies or tools that help your body transition into and maintain a healthy sleep cycle. This can include everything from magnesium supplementation and herbal teas to calming routines and functional support for hormones or neurotransmitters. While occasional sleeplessness can happen to anyone, persistent sleep struggles may indicate a deeper imbalance.

Under normal circumstances, your body winds down at night as melatonin levels rise, cortisol drops, and your circadian rhythm promotes rest. But when that process is disrupted — due to stress, hormonal shifts, inflammation, gut dysfunction, poor sleep hygiene, or nutritional deficiencies — sleep can become elusive.

That’s when sleep aids come in. They don’t just knock you out (like over-the-counter sedatives). The more effective ones help regulate underlying systems like cortisol balance, GABA production, or blood sugar stability, which are crucial for long-term, restorative sleep.

What are the signs your body might need support from sleep aids?

• Struggling to fall asleep even when tired
• Waking up frequently during the night
• Feeling unrested even after 7–9 hours in bed
• Racing thoughts or anxiety at bedtime
• Waking up too early and unable to go back to sleep
• Dependence on alcohol or sleep medications to fall asleep
• Trouble concentrating or low mood during the day
• Increased sensitivity to stress or noise at night

What causes poor sleep that makes you reach for sleep aids?

The root cause of poor sleep often lies in stress system dysregulation, but there are several contributing factors:

• Stress and nervous system overload

When cortisol stays elevated into the evening, it prevents the brain from shifting into rest mode. Chronic stress can lead to hyperarousal — a state that blocks deep sleep.

• Hormonal changes

During menopause and andropause, declining levels of progesterone, testosterone and oestrogen can affect sleep quality. Low melatonin or imbalanced cortisol also interfere with sleep.

• Nutrient deficiencies

Magnesium, vitamin B6, zinc, and amino acids like tryptophan are crucial for neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA, both of which help you relax and sleep deeply.

• Blood sugar instability

Night-time blood sugar dips can trigger adrenaline spikes, waking you up suddenly or preventing deep sleep.

• Poor sleep hygiene

Screen time before bed, irregular sleep routines, and sleeping in a bright, noisy or warm environment all disrupt circadian rhythm.

How do you uncover the root cause of poor sleep using advanced functional testing?

To find the right sleep aid, you first need to understand what’s going wrong. Functional lab tests provide key insights into what’s happening in your body at night:

• Cortisol rhythm testing (via saliva) maps your stress hormone levels across the day and night
• Melatonin levels can be checked to assess your sleep-wake cycle
• Neurotransmitter testing reveals imbalances in serotonin, GABA, dopamine and others that impact sleep
• Blood sugar markers can show if dysregulation is behind night-time wakefulness
• Hormone panels (especially DHEA, oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone) help explain age-related or cycle-related sleep disruption

Working with a Functional Medicine Specialist means going deeper than symptoms — we help you uncover what’s driving your sleep problems so you can fix it at the source.

What can you do today to naturally support better sleep without reaching for sleeping pills?

Start with the fundamentals. Small but consistent shifts in your day-to-night rhythm can make a big difference.

• Keep a consistent sleep and wake time, even on weekends
• Avoid caffeine after 2pm and alcohol close to bedtime
• Eat your last meal 2–3 hours before sleeping
• Make your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet (consider blackout curtains and white noise)
• Dim lights and reduce screen time 1–2 hours before bed to support melatonin production
• Practice a calming bedtime routine: reading, stretching, breathing exercises or a warm bath
• Add gentle morning exercise and daylight exposure to anchor your body clock

These habits help regulate circadian rhythm and train your body to expect — and embrace — sleep.

How are sleep aids used to manage chronic sleep issues long-term?

Effective sleep management isn’t about taking a pill every night. It’s about creating the internal conditions that allow sleep to happen naturally. Once the root cause has been identified through testing, your plan might include:

• Targeted supplementation like magnesium bisglycinate, calming herbs (e.g., ashwagandha, valerian, passionflower), amino acids, or melatonin (short-term use)
• Blood sugar and stress regulation through food timing, quality protein intake, Metabolic Typing Diet, and adaptogenic support
• Hormonal balancing especially in andropause or menopause
• Nervous system support through breathing techniques, vagus nerve stimulation and parasympathetic practices
• Sleep hygiene optimisation and digital detox routines

This kind of support isn’t just about managing poor sleep — it helps your body re-learn how to rest properly.

How do we address the root cause of sleep issues from the comfort of your home?

At Forbes.health, we believe you deserve deep, natural sleep — without dependency on sleep medications or guesswork.

That’s why our approach starts with a comprehensive health assessment via functional lab testing from home. You’ll work with a Functional Medicine Specialist to understand what’s going on with your nervous system, hormone balance, nutrient levels, and circadian rhythm.

From there, we build a plan tailored to you, which may include:

• Advanced at-home cortisol and melatonin testing
• Personalised supplementation, delivered to your door
• Clear guidance on nutrition, evening routines, and exercise
• Ongoing coaching and support to help you stay on track
• Regular retesting to monitor your progress and fine-tune your plan
• Identifying and following your Metabolic Typing Diet

We don’t just mask symptoms. We help your body heal the root systems that make sleep possible — and we support you every step of the way.