Chamomile
This beverage is a mild sleep inducer and its calming effects may be attributed to an antioxidant called apigenin. This antioxidant binds to specific receptors in your brain that may decrease anxiety and initiate sleep. A study involving people with chronic insomnia found that those who received 270 mg of chamomile extract twice daily for 28 days fell asleep about 15 minutes faster than participants who did not receive the extract. So, drinking chamomile tea may help improve your quality of sleep.
Valerian root
It has been used for centuries to treat issues like nervousness, headaches and insomnia. Researchers are not entirely sure how valerian root works to improve sleep, but one theory is that it maximizes levels of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). When this acid is present in abundance, it can increase sleepiness. In fact, many medications that fight anxiety work like this.
