When you have spent an hour lying on your bed with closed eyes, tired body, and active brain trying to sort through each and every thing left unattended for the day, you know how it feels. Lying in bed helps relax your muscles; it doesn’t do anything about your mind if it doesn’t want to rest.
This kind of occurrence becomes much more frequent after 40 years old not because there is anything wrong with you but because something inside your body has truly changed. Your melatonin production drops. Your cortisol levels stay higher for a longer time during the evenings. It takes more time for the nervous system to switch to a resting mode. Despite lying in bed for ten hours, you still feel tired.
And what most people tend to do at such stage is to take sleeping pills or mild sedatives or whatever the doctor or pharmacist recommends. Such medicines work in a short-term perspective. But they don’t solve the root cause of the issue. They just temporarily bypass it.
But what does work for falling asleep by yourself? In this post, you will find the treatments proven by science, kitchen hacks you should try today, and breathing exercise to perform while lying down.
If you are curious about how aging affects our ability to sleep and why we start to have problems and what science really suggests doing about it, the whole story is described in our earlier guide on why you cannot sleep after 50 and what the research says about fixing it. This article continues the story from where the previous one finished.
WHY TRYING TO MAKE YOUR BODY RELAX WON’T WORK
Before we get to discussing actual solutions, there is something important to understand. Sleep cannot be forced. Those who have ever tried can say for sure how it works. The more effort you put in to making yourself fall asleep, the more alert you become. It’s not an issue of willpower; it’s just physiology.
For your brain to fall asleep, it should switch from being under the influence of sympathetic dominance, which is an active state, to being dominated by parasympathetic dominance, which is the relaxed state. After 40 years, this process often becomes much harder. Cortisol, which causes alertness and the feeling of needing to be vigilant, stays high even late at night. While melatonin should normally increase its production after dark and make the body sleepy, its production decreases in elderly people.
What it means is that all remedies, which are actually useful, help with that transition rather than trying to force it.
HERBAL TREATMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN STUDIED
- ASHWAGANDHA
Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb from Ayurveda that has been used for thousands of years. The significance of Ashwagandha regarding sleep has nothing to do with its sedative properties. It mainly affects the cortisol level and becomes a key factor why many individuals who are older than 40 stay awake all night although being very tired physically.
A study that was published in the journal Cureus included 80 participants between the ages of 18 and 50, 40 of them suffered from insomnia. They received ashwagandha root extract for eight weeks. There were improvements in sleep quality, sleep efficiency, and sleep latency observed among those participants who had insomnia initially.
In another large study, people who took ashwagandha experienced an increase in sleep quality of 72 percent, while those in the placebo group only had a 29 percent increase as determined by a clinically validated scale.
One thing to keep in mind about ashwagandha is that its effects do not take place overnight. Clinical research has demonstrated that the effects of ashwagandha improve after six to eight weeks of daily consumption. A typical dosage that has been used for various studies involving sleep is 300 mg per day of ashwagandha extract containing 5 percent or more withanolides. - CHAMOMILE
Chamomile is one of the most widely used herbal sleep aids worldwide, and although there is not much scientific evidence supporting this, what is available backs up its use. Chamomile is known to contain a substance apigenin, which has an effect similar to sedative drugs since it attaches to the GABA receptors in the brain.
A study was conducted using 60 elderly patients from nursing homes and showed that after four weeks of taking chamomile extract the test subjects’ sleep had improved significantly compared to the placebo group. Thus, chamomile could be considered a safe alternative to sleep medication.
Chamomile tea should be taken in the dose of one cup, approximately 40-45 minutes prior to bedtime. Tea is less powerful than chamomile extract but it can be more beneficial to take it as part of a bedtime regimen rather than as a cure for restless nights. - VALERIAN ROOT
Valerian has been utilized for centuries by the Greeks as a sleep remedy. Scientific evidence available today regarding its use as a sleep aid is quite conflicting. There are some studies supporting the fact that valerian can help people fall asleep faster and improve their sleep experience, whereas there are others who say that valerian provides nothing beyond placebo.
What is apparent from the scientific evidence is that valerian works effectively when used regularly for around three to four weeks rather than when used only once. Poor sleepers are more likely to be benefited from valerian than average people having occasional problems with their sleep. Commonly used dose for valerian is 300 to 600 mg one hour prior to bedtime. Valerian does not produce hangover effect like pharmaceutical sleeping pills do. - LAVENDER
Although it is considered by many to be just another aromatherapy ingredient for spa treatments, the scientific research about lavender as a sleep aid is a lot more substantial than one might think. The chemicals linalool and linalyl acetate, which make up the active ingredients in lavender, affect GABA receptors in the central nervous system and cause a calming effect. One specific type of oral lavender extract used in treatment of anxiety and insomnia is called Silexan, and there are multiple studies proving its efficiency.
Those people who find it more convenient to use aromatherapy instead of oral treatment can resort to a randomized controlled study, published in Frontiers in Pharmacology in August 2025, which showed that the inhalation of lavender essential oil significantly increased the amount of time people slept as well as decreased the period of falling asleep, when compared to the control group.
ORGANIC DRINKS THAT ARE WORTH MAKING AT HOME
- TART CHERRY JUICE
There are only a few food products that contain natural melatonin in significant quantities – tart cherry juice is among them. According to a 2025 systematic review published in the journal Food Science & Nutrition, there were significant positive changes in such parameters as sleep quality, sleep efficiency, and melatonin levels in several out of seven interventional studies on the topic.
Dosages used in most of these studies vary from 240 to 480 ml of tart cherry juice consumed one to two hours before going to bed. Concentrate that is not sweetened can be diluted with water and, in case the taste is very intense, diluted with some sparkling water and honey. - WARM GOLDEN MILK
It is an ancient Ayurvedic beverage that acts as much a bedtime ritual as a sleep remedy. It is made from warm milk that is preferably plant-based like almond and oat; half a teaspoon of turmeric powder, a dash of cinnamon, and a dash of black pepper. The black pepper helps activate the turmeric by stimulating absorption of curcumin found in turmeric.
Turmeric has significant anti-inflammatory activity, and inflammation has been shown to affect sleep architecture negatively. This remedy should be consumed for a couple of weeks for best results. Unlike other remedies, those who use golden milk on occasion and come up with their conclusions have less chance of seeing any changes.
Another remedy to try is combining golden milk with magnesium powder, which is suggested by many sleep nutritionists nowadays.
MAGNESIUM GLYCINATE IN A WARM DRINK
Magnesium requires individual consideration because of the results of a study posted on the NIH site in 2024 where adults receiving 250 mg of magnesium bisglycinate per day achieved better sleep quality, measured by decreased insomnia scores after four weeks than those taking the placebo. Earlier, three studies of adults suffering from insomnia found that people fell asleep 17 minutes sooner and had an additional 16 minutes of sleep with magnesium supplementation.
The importance of magnesium for people older than 40 lies in the fact that magnesium is absorbed less effectively by people over 40 years old, melatonin and GABA receptors become less active too. Magnesium glycinate can cope with all those issues. Magnesium glycinate facilitates GABA effects (GABA is the principal sedative neurotransmitter in the brain), normalizes cortisol levels in the evening and, finally, the glycine component in magnesium glycinate independently lowers the body temperature, which is one of the physiological processes responsible for initiating sleep.
The best way to use magnesium glycinate powder is to dissolve it in warm water, chamomile tea or warm milk about an hour before going to bed. The powder form is absorbed more effectively than tablet form by most adults.
BREATHING EXERCISE WHICH IS DIRECTLY INFLUENCES NERVOUS SYSTEM
4 7 8 BREATHING TECHNIQUE
This breathing technique was invented by Dr. Andrew Weil based on classical pranayama breathing used in yoga. The breathing exercise is quite easy and consists of three stages: inhaling through the nose for four counts, holding the breath for seven counts, and exhaling through the mouth for eight counts.
According to a research, published in February 2026 in the scientific journal Brain and Behavior, 4 7 8 breathing technique positively affected participants’ sleep and decreased their levels of psychological stress and anxiety. According to scientists, this breathing technique lowers sympathetic nervous system activity, responsible for the wakefulness of a person, and activates parasympathetic nervous system, indicating to the body that everything is alright now.
The prolonged exhalation of eight counts is the key component of this exercise. The prolonged breathing helps reduce the heartbeat and stimulates the vagus nerve, one of the major nervous paths through which the organism reaches the state of rest. This is not the relaxing trick; it is well-known physiology of the autonomous nervous system.
It is most effective when performed on the bed, with closed eyes in the darkened room. Two or three cycles are sufficient to get some results. In contrast to most sleeping recommendations, this one will bring you at least partial effect already after the first practice.
WHAT THE RESEARCH INDICATES CONSISTENTLY
There are a few things that have consistently appeared in this list of solutions. One of the things the best ways have in common is that they aid the body in making the natural transition that the body is trying to make itself. They reduce cortisol, facilitate GABA receptor function, decrease body temperature a little bit, or increase melatonin production. They do not force something unnatural on the body but eliminate the interference.
Exercise also fits into this category of solutions. Research conducted in 2025 showed that physical activities regulate the biological clock and improve the sleep cycles at any age. Morning exercise is especially good since it stabilizes the circadian rhythm through its combination with morning cortisol surge that results in lower nighttime baseline level of cortisol.
The other thing the research seems to indicate consistently is the importance of the last hour before going to bed as a make-or-break period. News, stress-inducing discussions, and screen lights keep the sympathetic nervous system engaged. Creating the conditions for no such stimulation in that one hour before bedtime will allow those solutions to function properly.
A PRACTICAL STARTING POINT
If you’d like to begin without balancing six new behaviors at once, then start with three.
Have a little glass of tart cherry juice or golden milk with magnesium glycinate powder about an hour before bedtime. Do three rounds of the 4 7 8 breathing pattern once you’re in bed and it’s dark out. Stop looking at screens for half an hour before bed.
That accomplishes all three through one set of actions. The drink is for melatonin and GABA. The breathing changes the state of the nervous system. The lack of screens eliminates the biggest stimulus keeping the brain awake.
Most people will begin to see some kind of difference within the first week of undertaking all three practices. The herbal supplements, specifically ashwagandha, take six to eight weeks for the effect of regulating cortisol to become evident.
Sleep cannot be produced by any kind of effort. What you can do, however, is stop working against yourself and provide the body with what it requires to produce sleep on its own.
This information should be considered purely informational. If you have chronic insomnia or there might be a health issue that causes your problems with sleeping, then consult a healthcare provider before trying any supplements or herbs.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- CAN I GO TO SLEEP NATURALLY WITHOUT ANY KIND OF MEDICATION AFTER 40?
Yes, and this is done by many adults who are older than 40, by dealing with the particular biological processes that cause difficulty in falling asleep after that age. Ashwagandha, Magnesium Glycinate, and 4 7 8 breathing techniques all have documented mechanisms by which they help you fall asleep naturally. It takes time compared to sleeping pills, but the benefits last without addiction and side-effects. - IS THERE ANY TRUTH BEHIND THE SLEEP BENEFITS FROM TART CHERRY JUICE?
The research shows that yes, and in particular in the amount of sleep and its efficiency. Tart cherries contain natural melatonin, which is rarely found in other foods, and in a 2025 systematic review, there were proven positive effects on the indicators of sleep in several clinical trials with consuming tart cherry before sleep. The dose is 240 ml, taken an hour or two before bedtime. - HOW LONG BEFORE NATURAL SLEEP REMEDIES START WORKING?
It all depends on the treatment. The 4 7 8 breathing exercise yields quick effects almost immediately after performing it. It takes about two to four weeks of magnesium glycinate consumption to yield visible positive effects on sleep. It takes six to eight weeks of ashwagandha supplementation before its full effects on cortisol and sleep can be seen. Using multiple therapies is likely to yield faster results than using one therapy only. - DOES CHAMOMILE TEA REALLY WORK OR JUST PROVIDE COMFORT?
According to scientific evidence, it does more than just provide comfort. Chamomile contains apigenin which attaches itself to GABA receptors of the brain thus making people feel calm. In a randomized study conducted on older patients, chamomile extracts were shown to improve sleep and fatigue in four weeks in comparison to the control group. Chamomile tea is a milder version of chamomile extracts and its regular consumption definitely works.
• WHY DO YOU FEEL TIRED AFTER SLEEPING IN BED FOR 10 HOURS?
Since sleep quality and sleep duration are two different aspects. Sleep restoration occurs during certain stages of sleep, especially deep and slow wave sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. If the levels of cortisol are high, the nervous system is activated or if you have frequent micro awakenings at night, then despite being in bed for hours, your body and mind do not get through the process of restoring themselves. That is why it makes more sense to focus on cortisol and nervous system activation rather than spending more time in bed.
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