What's a good alternative for melatonin for sleep?

Tryptophan is an amino acid that can help your mood and counter anxiety. Let’s look at the common benefits of consuming tryptophan.

Benefits

• Virtually no side effects

• Can act as a natural antidepressant

• Has anxiolytic properties (anti-anxiety)

• Can promote sleep

How to consume it

Follow the directions on the label for the proper dosage. However, if you’re on any psychiatric medications, talk to your doctor before substituting with tryptophan, as it has to be a very gradual process. You also don’t want to come off of medication too quickly or add something else to the mix that could create an imbalance.

When you take tryptophan, you always want to take it on an empty stomach. Tryptophan competes with other amino acids. Any time you take tryptophan with another protein, it won’t work.

Where to get it

You can get it at a health food store or order it online.