20 Best Sleep Supplements in 2022 [Science-Backed]

• chamomile
• energy
• insomnia
• L-theanine
• melatonin
• sleep
• stress relief
• Supplements

Not getting enough sleep is horrible. You feel like you have no energy before the day has even started and you’re in a bad mood.

Sure, you can handle 1 or 2 sleep-deprived days. But if this turns into a long-term condition then you might unlock more serious health problems. For example, people who get 7+ hours of sleep are 4.2 times less likely to get sick than people who are sleep deprived.

One of the most common reasons why you can’t fall asleep is that you’re dealing with a lot of stress and that prevents your body from functioning normally. Even the food you consume can impact your ability to fall asleep.

To get back to your normal sleep routine, you might have considered some over the counter medications. But these are short-term solutions that leave you feeling drowsy and disoriented the next morning.

Luckily, there are natural sleep supplements that calm you down so you can ease into your blissful, much-needed 8 hours of sleep.

And since there are many different natural remedies out there, we’ve assembled a list of the top 20 on the market.

So read on to find out the best natural supplements that will help you sleep like a baby.

20 Best Sleep Supplements

#1. Namastay in Bed

Pros:	Cons:
Contains 7 herbs and active ingredients that promote long restorative sleep Helps you fall asleep quickly Leaves you refreshed and energized in the morning	Might need time for the ingredients to build up in your system Not recommended to use during pregnancy or breast-feeding

With this natural sleep supplement, you get to fall and stay asleep with ease and feel refreshed when you wake up the next morning.

The premium selection of herbs and ingredients contribute to a feeling of relaxation, balanced sleep cycle, improved mood, and reduced stress and anxiety symptoms.

The supplement is made with 100% non-GMO ingredients and no additives or fillers, so you get the most out of every serving.

#2. Valerian Root

Pros:	Cons:
Reduces anxiety symptoms Improves insomnia symptoms and helps with falling asleep Treats sleep problems related to menopause	Might cause dizziness, stomach aches, and headaches Not recommended to use during pregnancy or breast-feeding

Valerian root is one of the most ancient natural remedies with a relaxing effect on your body. When you take valerian, you stimulate the production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This is one of the neurochemicals that promotes sleep and relaxation.

Valerian alleviates symptoms of anxiety, stress, and menopause. If you want optimal results, take valerian 1 hour before going to bed. This will soothe you into a restful sleep for the whole night.

But if you’re not planning on at least 8 hours of sleep, you might want to reconsider taking valerian since it will make you feel drowsy the next morning.

#3. Passionflower

Pros:	Cons:
Improves quality of sleep Reduces anxiety symptoms Contains GABA - the chemical that promotes sleep	Might cause sleepiness or drowsiness the next morning Not recommended to use during pregnancy or breast-feeding

Passionflower is a well-known natural remedy that alleviates insomnia and anxiety symptoms.

Passionflower increases the levels of GABA - the neurochemical that promotes sleep, calmness, and improves your sleep quality. And you can take it in the form of herbal tea, liquid extract, or even as tablets or capsules.

#4. Melatonin

Pros:	Cons:
Naturally increases the levels of melatonin in your body during the night Helps with jet lag and other sleep inconsistencies Regulates your sleep-wake cycle	Might cause tiredness and headaches Might result in a short-term feeling of depression in the morning

Melatonin is a hormone produced by your body. It’s also known as the “sleep hormone” since it signals your body when it’s time to sleep. Its levels are naturally higher in the night and lower in the morning.

But sometimes you’re exposed to factors like jet lag, sleeping disorders, excessive caffeine consumption, or bright light. This leaves you with insufficient amounts of melatonin during the night and disrupts your sleep.

Taking a melatonin supplement can help you balance the production of the hormone and fix any short-term irregularities in your sleep pattern.

#5. L-Theanine

Pros:	Cons:
Promotes relaxation Improves sleep quality Boosts mood and cognitive abilities	Not recommended if you have low blood pressure Might cause headaches and nausea in larger doses

L-theanine is an ingredient naturally found in tea leaves. This supplement helps you stay relaxed during the day without making you sleepy.

It also stimulates the production of GABA. This helps you fall asleep quicker and have better sleep during the night. L-theanine also boosts the production of serotonin and dopamine which improves your mood, creativity, and memory.

If you’re a tea drinker, you already get about 8 mg of L-theanine per cup of tea. But if you want to get the optimal dose of 100-400 mg that will get you to a calm, non-drowsy state during the day, you can try taking L-theanine supplements.

#6. Chamomile

Pros:	Cons:
Decreases anxiety and depression symptoms Improves sleep quality Reduces the symptoms of chronic sleep disorders	Might cause allergic reactions Can lead to nausea when taken in larger amounts

Chamomile is an herb that contains the antioxidant apigenin. This ingredient is exactly what gets you in a relaxed mood after a cup of chamomile tea.

It also helps with falling asleep and improving the overall sleep quality especially in people with insomnia and other sleep disorders.

You can get chamomile in the form of herbal tea or as a pure extract.

#7. Magnolia Bark

Pros:	Cons:
Reduces the production of the stress hormone adrenaline Alleviates symptoms of anxiety and depression Boosts the production of GABA and promotes sleep	Not recommended to use during pregnancy or breast-feeding Might slow down blood clotting

Magnolia bark has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for hundreds of years to promote sleep and reduce anxiety symptoms.

But that’s not all. Magnolia bark can help improve your mood, reduce the production of adrenaline, and boost your memory and learning abilities.

Some of its compounds act as antioxidants and have an anti-inflammatory effect on your body. This protects you from various heart diseases, prevents tumor growth and reduces inflammation in the brain . And magnolia bark also activates your cannabinoid receptors, which alleviate pain and boost your immune system.

#8. Hops Flowers

Pros:	Cons:
Increases sleep time Regulates high blood sugar levels Balances weight and cholesterol levels	Might cause excessive sleepiness Might worsen depression symptoms

Hops flowers are an essential ingredient in the making of beer. But they’re also used as a sleep supplement that can help you have a longer, uninterrupted sleep.

Hops are an effective sedative that lowers your body temperature, which in turn makes you drowsy and kicks off the sleeping process.

Hops also have a beneficial effect on your overall health. They have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and help with the regulation of your weight, cholesterol, and blood sugar.

#9. 5-HTP

Pros:	Cons:
Balances your sleep cycles Boosts mood Improves fibromyalgia symptoms	Might cause nausea and headaches Not recommended to take if you’re on antidepressants

5-HTP is naturally made in your body as a byproduct of the amino acid L-tryptophan. This supplement increases the production of serotonin which in turn is required to make the sleep hormone melatonin.

So, if you want to both balance the levels of melatonin and relieve stress and depression symptoms, 5-HTP is a good choice since it fixes both of these issues.

5-HTP is known to help relieve symptoms of fibromyalgia, like tiredness, pain and anxiety.

This supplement is also helpful for weight control since it suppresses your appetite. And it can reduce pain and symptoms related to migraines and headaches.

#10. Magnesium

Pros:	Cons:
Regulates your sleep cycles and melatonin levels Improves anxiety and depression symptoms Helps with insomnia and other sleep disorder	Might cause upset stomach, bloating, nausea Can lead to low blood pressure and unstable heartbeat if taken in larger amounts

Magnesium is a mineral that your body needs for over 300 internal functions and processes. Apart from being a crucial element in your cells’ reactions, heart health, and bone density, magnesium is important for the production of melatonin.

When you're magnesium deficient, your body can’t produce enough of the sleep hormone melatonin and you experience sleep disturbances and worse quality of sleep.

So, making sure that you have your daily dose of magnesium on a regular basis is essential for maintaining good sleep quality, bettering your mood, and improving any sort of sleep disorder symptoms.

#11. Lavender

Pros:	Cons:
Lowers your heart rate and blood pressure Increases the duration and quality of sleep Promotes relaxation and improves anxiety symptoms	If taken as a supplement, it might cause nausea and stomach aches As a spray or oil, it might cause skin irritations

The soothing scent of lavender calms your nervous systems and slows down your body’s rhythm. This makes lavender a great way to ease yourself into sleep.

Lavender is very effective if used as aromatherapy. It improves mild insomnia symptoms in young people. It is also as helpful as more serious sleep medications with elderly people.

You can use it as a fragrance that you can spray around in the room you'll sleep in. Or you can add a few drops of it directly on your pillow. Using it as a spray is safer since taking lavender oil extracts and pills might cause stomach aches and nausea.

#12. Glycine

Pros:	Cons:
Increases serotonin levels Helps you fall and stay asleep Improves memory and attention abilities	Might cause nausea, diarrhea and upset stomach Not recommended to use during pregnancy or breast-feeding

Glycine is an amino acid produced by your body, but you can also get it from foods like cabbage, beans, eggs, and poultry.

Glycine helps you fall asleep faster and improves sleep quality. This happens because glycine lowers your body temperature which makes you naturally sleepy.

It also increases the levels of serotonin which is directly involved in the production of the sleep hormone melatonin in your body. This helps if you’re suffering from insomnia or if you wake up often during the night.

#13. Moon Juice Dream Dust

Pros:	Cons:
Reduces stress and tension Promotes better sleep Increases the feeling of relaxation	On the pricey end Bitter taste

The supplement comes in powder form and it’s a mix of 5 different herbs, including chamomile and jujube.

You can mix a spoonful of the powder into warm milk, herbal tea, or hot water and drink it before sleep. The supplement will give you a sense of tranquility after a stressful day and improve your sleep quality.

#14. Perricone MD Sleep Booster

Pros:	Cons:
Reduces stress and promotes better sleep No morning drowsiness No additives and fillers	On the pricey end Not recommended to use during pregnancy or breast-feeding

The mix of magnesium, melatonin, L-theanine, and ashwagandha will help you get relaxed at the end of even the most stressful days. These ingredients will help you cope with tiredness and reduce the feelings of stress and anxiety.

This way you will start snoozing before you even know it. And you don’t have to worry about feeling drowsy the next morning. This supplement will leave you with the feeling of being well-rested and refreshed after a night of good sleep.

#15. Hush & Hush MindYourMind

Pros:	Cons:
Calms your mind and body Melatonin-free Reduces stress	On the pricey end Not free from additives

This natural sleep supplement is a good way to opt for a melatonin-free sleeping aid. Taking melatonin in the long-term will only get your body used to it and weaken its effects.

So, if you want to prevent increased melatonin tolerance, you can go for a natural remedy that contains other sleep-friendly ingredients like valerian, chamomile, and holy basil.

#16. SugarBear Sleep

Pros:	Cons:
100% vegan and gluten-free Helps you fall and stay asleep Provides you with restful uninterrupted sleep	Contains added sugar Might cause drowsiness the morning after

This sleep supplement is like a tasty treat you take right before you doze off. This supplement from SugarBear is packed with all the sleep-boosting ingredients you’ll ever need.

It contains magnesium, melatonin, valerian, and the mood booster 5-HTP. The product is suitable for anyone aged 13 years and above. The only possible downside for some will be the feeling of drowsiness in the morning.

#17. Olly Sleep Melatonin Gummies

Pros:	Cons:
Improves your sleep cycle Good flavor Affordable price	Might contain traces of soy, gluten and/or peanuts Not vegan-friendly

The Olly sleep supplement contains natural sleep-promoting ingredients like passionflower, valerian, and melatonin. The gummies have tasty blackberry flavor and each of them contains only 1.5 mg of melatonin. This makes it easy to track and regulate your melatonin intake.

However, the gummies are produced in a factory with soy, gluten, and other non-vegan ingredients. This might make it a no-go for vegans and people with allergies. On the bright side, this is one of the more affordable natural sleep supplements on the market.

#18. HUM Nutrition Mighty Night Supplement

Pros:	Cons:
Supports restful sleep Improves skin health Vegan-friendly capsules	On the pricey end Not free from additives and fillers

If you’re searching for a product that will improve both your sleep and your skin health, then this might be a good option.

The combination of melatonin, valerian, ceramides, and CoQ10 (among other ingredients) will provide you with restful and restorative beauty sleep that will make you feel and look good the next morning.

Keep in mind that taking melatonin long-term is not recommended due to possible built-up resistance.

#19. Dr. Barbara Sturm Sleep Food

Pros:	Cons:
Improves sleep quality Supports healthy skin look Contains vitamin B-complex	On the pricey end Not recommended to use during pregnancy or breast-feeding

This sleep and beauty supplement will leave you with a feeling of relaxation and will revive your skin health. This happens with the help of active ingredients like 5-HTP, St. John's Wort, and the vitamin B-complex.

With this set of ingredients, you will get peaceful sleep, improved mood, and better-looking skin. And you wake up well-rested and energized. But despite the effectiveness of this sleep supplement, it is priced much higher than other natural sleep remedies.

#20. The Beauty Chef Sleep Inner Beauty Powder

Pros:	Cons:
Has a relaxing effect and eases you into sleep The added probiotic restores your gut health Prevents your skin from premature aging	On the pricey end Has a turmeric flavor to it

This is a multifunctional sleep supplement, probiotic, and skin health booster all in one. All you have to do is mix a spoonful in some water or warm milk an hour before you go to sleep and the rest is taken care of.

The sleep-promoting ingredients, probiotics, and antioxidants help you get rejuvenating sleep that helps you feel healthy inside and out.

Some people might be turned off from its turmeric taste. But if that’s no bother for you, go for it!

Conclusion

A good night’s sleep makes you more productive, improves your health, balances your hormones, and increases your cognitive abilities.

If you suffer from mild sleep inconsistencies, going for natural ingredients and herbs is a healthy way of stabilizing your sleep schedule.

So, if you found something that you like on our list, go ahead and give it a try!

But, keep in mind that if the issue keeps persisting or worsening, it’s better to consult a doctor who might prescribe you more serious medication.

Sweet dreams!