If you’re having trouble getting to sleep because you feel overwhelmed and stressed, royal jelly can sooth your nerves to help you fall asleep and stay asleep.
While it’s not a sedative – or known for it’s sleep induced properties, but research does show that royal jelly can impact sleep.
Royal jelly might even keep you sleeping if you’re the type of person who wakes up in the middle of the night.
What is royal jelly?
Don’t confuse royal jelly with bee pollen, while both come from bees, they are nothing alike.
Royal jelly is a honey bee milk that resembles heavy cream. It is produced by honey bees to help feed the queen bees, hence the name – royal jelly.1
Royal jelly was used in ancient times for longevity, beauty, diseases, energy, and vitality – and it’s still used today for a variety of purposes.
The reason for the continued popularity of royal jelly is that it contains a wide variety of nutrients like calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur, b-vitamins, biotin, inositol, folate, nucleic acids, gamma globulin, and 17 different amino acids, including the 8 essential amino acids that the human body cannot produce. Royal jelly is a nutrition powerhouse.2
Royal jelly stops your blood sugar dropping in your sleep
One of the reasons you wake in the middle of the night is due to a drop in blood sugar. The beauty of royal jelly is that it can help normalize your blood sugar, keeping you asleep.
In a recent 6 month, placebo-controlled, double-blind study of 61 healthy volunteers, aged 42-83 years, and taking daily doses of 300 mg of royal jelly or placebo, significant improvement in red blood cell counts, glucose tolerance and mental health was noticed for those taking royal jelly.3
Royal jelly can aid night-time anxiety and depression
Another common cause of sleeplessness is due to mental distress like anxiety, stress, and depression.
The good news is that royal honey can help calm your brain biochemistry leading to more rest.
Royal jelly contains a brain chemical called acetylcholine.
Acetylcholine enhances memory, mental acuity and cognitive function. Disruption in acetylcholine production is linked to memory loss, sleep issues, nervous anxiety and degenerative neurological conditions.4
And all it takes is a dose of royal jelly to ease these night time stresses, allowing you to fall asleep quicker.
Other benefits to royal jelly include easing symptoms of menopause, improves collagen, helps with male infertility and diabetes.
How to add royal jelly to your diet for better sleep
The beauty of royal jelly is that you can get it fresh, frozen, powdered, or in a capsule. It’s also very versatile and very therapeutic when used together with other adaptogens like ginseng.
WARNING: fresh royal jelly is extremely bitter and may not be the most convenient form. Consider mixing it with something sweet like honey. Dosage for fresh royal jelly is ½ teaspoon. However, this is the best way to fully absorb royal jelly. Simply place under your tongue and let it dissolve.
Also, make sure you keep it refrigerated to preserve the quality for long term use.
Powdered jelly is convenient for mixing into smoothies and shakes. Mix ¼ teaspoon into your favorite beverage.
Royal jelly capsules are the most popular and convenient form of jelly. Take one capsule of 1000 mg. daily with food.
If you’re using royal jelly because you wake up in the middle of the night, it’s best to take it just before retiring in the evening. Otherwise, you can take it throughout the daily with meals. 5
Is royal jelly a safe sleep aid?
Like most therapeutic herbs and supplements, you should always be cautious when taking something for the first time.6
Some people are allergic to bee products. So, it’s best to start with a very small sample size or dose such as ¼ teaspoon of fresh royal jelly or 200 mg. of the supplement.
It’s wise to take a break from royal jelly after using it for 30 days. Consider a two-week break because royal jelly does contain bacteria that can throw off the balance of flora/bacteria in your gut.7
It can also lower blood pressure and make dermatitis worse.
Lastly, avoid use if you’re pregnant, or lactating.
Where to find the best royal jelly to use as a sleep aid?
Royal jelly is made by bees. And happy bees are healthy bees. So, it’s important to buy your products from an eco friendly producer.
Y.S. Eco Bee Farms is located in Sheridan, Illinois USA. Their products can be found online and through various local health food stores. They come highly recommended.
Be well, Sleep Well
Dr. Kevin Dobrzynski
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