There are effective natural sleep aids that can help improve the quality and duration of your sleep, and they won’t leave you with all the unwanted side effects of conventional sleep medications, reports the Observer.

According to the American Sleep Association, one in every three adults experiences occasional insomnia, while another one in 10 has chronic insomnia. While most of us crave a good night’s sleep for the short-term benefit of feeling more alert, we also realize that sleep is crucial to our health. During those nightly hours of shut-eye, our bodies experience a prolonged period of repair and renewal that can improve everything from treatment of chronic conditions to weight management.

Each person varies in their exact sleep requirements, but for most people, getting at least seven hours a night is needed for both a healthy body and a healthy mind. When we don’t sleep enough—or our quality of sleep is not optimal—our health can suffer. In fact, research has shown that regular bouts of poor sleep can shorten your expectancy and increase the risk of serious health problems like obesity, diabetes and heart disease.