Four evidence-backed habits topped Dr. Kunal Sood’s latest sleep advice, with low-dose melatonin, magnesium checks, chamomile tea and a warm pre-bed shower highlighted as practical fixes.
0.5 mg of melatonin is often more effective than higher doses, he said, because larger amounts can desensitize receptors or shift circadian rhythm; he advises taking it 1 to 2 hours before bed.
Magnesium deficiency can worsen insomnia by disrupting neurotransmitters such as GABA, and Sood said glycinate and citrate forms are better absorbed than oxide, especially for older adults or people under high stress.
104 to 108°F water about 90 minutes before bedtime may help trigger sleep onset, he said, while chamomile’s apigenin may shorten sleep latency, though results vary and the article notes the claims were not independently verified.