Poor sleep and insomnia

What helps

Hot Bath

• Helps you fall asleep faster — Benefit, grade B: Moderate
• Improves sleep efficiency — Benefit, grade B: Moderate
• Improves sleep quality — Benefit, grade B: Moderate

Melatonin

• Helps children with autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders fall asleep — Benefit, grade B: Moderate
• Reduces time to fall asleep — Benefit, grade B: Moderate
• Improves sleep quality in adults aged 55 and older with insomnia — Benefit, grade C: Limited

Music

• Helps you sleep better — Benefit, grade B: Moderate

Sleep

• A warm bath or shower before bed helps you fall asleep faster — Benefit, grade B: Moderate

Aromatherapy

• Helps you sleep — Benefit, grade C: Limited

Walking

• Helps people with cancer sleep better — Benefit, grade C: Limited
• Helps relieve insomnia symptoms — Benefit, grade C: Limited
• More daily activity goes with better sleep — Benefit, grade C: Limited

Morning Light

• Bright light (often in the morning) helps you sleep better — Benefit, grade C: Limited

Breathing Exercises

• Helps you sleep — Benefit, grade C: Limited

Tai Chi

• Improves sleep quality — Benefit, grade C: Limited

Yoga

• Helps you sleep better — Benefit, grade C: Limited

Ashwagandha

• Improves sleep quality — Benefit, grade C: Limited

Chamomile

• Helps you sleep better — Benefit, grade C: Limited

Meditation

• Helps you sleep better — Benefit, grade C: Limited

Tart Cherry

• Improves sleep duration and quality — Benefit, grade C: Limited

Mixed evidence

CBD

• Helps you sleep — Mixed results, grade C: Limited

Napping

• Helps you cope with a sleepless night — Mixed results, grade C: Limited

Magnesium

• Helps you fall asleep and sleep better — Mixed results, grade C: Limited

Chamomile

• Helps with insomnia — Mixed results, grade C: Limited

Lion's Mane

• Improves sleep — Mixed results, grade C: Limited

Walking

• Exercise, including walking, may improve sleep — Mixed results, grade C: Limited

Doesn't seem to help

Melatonin

• Causes physical dependence or rebound insomnia — No effect, grade C: Limited

Journaling

• Does not clearly improve sleep in advanced illness — No effect, grade C: Limited

Morning Light

• Bright light (often in the morning) improves sleep in dementia — No effect, grade C: Limited

Walking

• Walking during pregnancy reduces insomnia — No effect, grade C: Limited

Risks and things that may make it worse

Coffee

• Can disrupt sleep — Harm, grade B: Moderate

Caffeine

• Disrupts sleep — Harm, grade B: Moderate