Topic hub
Everything you need to know about Sleep
Everything SupplementScore knows about supplements for sleep — the highest-evidence options, the over-marketed ones, and the dose-form combinations that actually move the needle on insomnia, jet lag, and sleep architecture.
Sleep is the most-supplemented goal in modern wellness — and the category with the biggest gap between marketing and evidence. The supplements that work best are usually cheap.
The short version
What the evidence shows: Tier 1 evidence for melatonin (sleep onset, jet lag) and magnesium (older-adult insomnia). Tier 2 for glycine, valerian, L-theanine, and apigenin. Tier 3 for chamomile and lemon balm — pleasant but not strongly trial-supported.
Top three picks: Low-dose melatonin 0.1–0.5 mg (sleep onset, jet lag); Magnesium bisglycinate 200–400 mg (nightly, long-term); Glycine 3 g (sleep architecture, depth).
Sleep supplements are one of the largest and most over-marketed categories in the consumer wellness space, but a handful of options have replicated trial evidence. Low-dose melatonin (0.3–1 mg) is the best-studied for sleep onset and jet lag. Magnesium glycinate is the safest all-purpose option for long-term nightly use. Glycine (3 g) has surprisingly strong sleep-architecture data. L-theanine and apigenin are mild but reliable. Valerian's evidence is mixed but its safety profile is excellent. Most over-the-counter products dose melatonin 10–30× too high, hurting rather than helping sleep quality. SupplementScore tracks 13 well-studied sleep supplements, 17 articles, 3 sleep conditions, and a curated stack page.
Top supplements in the sleep cluster
Each card shows the SupplementScore composite rating, evidence sub-scores, and a one-line summary. Click through for full dosing, timing, and safety detail.
At 0.1–0.5 mg, melatonin supplements achieve blood levels matching natural nighttime peaks (50–200 pg/mL). Small dose-response studies (Zhdanova 2001 and…
Nearly half of adults don't get enough magnesium from diet alone. Involved in over 300 biochemical processes. Strong evidence supports improved sleep quality,…
The glycinate-chelated form of magnesium that absorbs significantly better than oxide and has minimal laxative effect. Multiple trials confirm it improves…
Taking 3 g before bed significantly improves both how well you sleep and measurable sleep quality. Also an essential building block your body needs to make…
Promotes calm, alert focus without drowsiness by boosting alpha brain waves. Pairs exceptionally well with caffeine (200 mg theanine : 100 mg caffeine) — the…
A compound found in chamomile that gently activates the brain's calming receptors. Provides mild anxiety relief without drowsiness or dependency. Also helps…
Helps you sleep better and recover faster from intense exercise. Reviews show tart cherry meaningfully improves measurable sleep efficiency compared to…
A popular herbal sleep aid, but clinical evidence is underwhelming. NCCIH found that while people subjectively report sleeping better, objective sleep…
A gentle calming herb commonly consumed as tea. A 2021 systematic review (Ghazizadeh et al.) of 6 small RCTs reported modest reductions in anxiety and…
Articles in this hub
In-depth explainers, breakthrough research updates, and myth checks — grouped by editorial category.
Research updates
- Melatonin Dosing: Why 0.1 mg Often Outperforms 10 mg for SleepWhy 0.1 mg melatonin often outperforms 10 mg for sleep.
- Glycine for Sleep: Cheap, Safe, and Surprisingly EffectiveGlycine for sleep — cheap, safe, and surprisingly effective.
- Glycine and Sleep Architecture: What the EEG and Subjective Trials ShowGlycine and sleep architecture — what the EEG and subjective trials show.
- Apigenin: From Chamomile Tea to Senolytic HypeApigenin — from chamomile tea to senolytic hype.
- Hops Bitter Acids and Iso-Alpha-Acids for Sleep and Metabolic SyndromeHops bitter acids for sleep and metabolic syndrome.
Guides
- The Complete Sleep Supplement Guide: Beyond MelatoninThe complete sleep supplement guide beyond melatonin.
- The Evidence-Based Sleep Stack: What to Take and WhenThe evidence-based sleep stack — what to take and when.
- Magnesium Glycinate: Why This Form Dominates Sleep and Anxiety ResearchMagnesium glycinate — why this form dominates sleep and anxiety research.
- Valerian Root for Sleep: Dose, Form, and the Controlled Trial RecordValerian root — dose, form, and the controlled trial record.
- Chamomile: Sleep Aid, Anxiolytic, Or Bedtime Tea Ritual?Chamomile — sleep aid, anxiolytic, or bedtime tea ritual?
- Lemon Balm for Anxiety and Sleep: A Soft But Reliable AnxiolyticLemon balm for anxiety and sleep — a soft but reliable anxiolytic.
- What to Actually Take, by Goal: Sleep, Focus, Strength, Heart, Immunity, AgingWhat to actually take, by goal — sleep, focus, strength, heart, immunity, aging.
Kids & pediatric
- Pediatric Melatonin ER Visits Up 530%: What Changed and What to DoPediatric melatonin ER visits up 530% — what changed and what to do.
- Melatonin Gummies for Kids: The Overdosing ProblemMelatonin gummies for kids — the overdosing problem.
- Melatonin for Kids: Safe or Risky?Melatonin for kids — safe or risky?
Conditions where sleep is part of the protocol
Curated stacks
Head-to-head comparisons
Common questions
What is the best supplement for sleep?
There is no single best — it depends on whether your problem is falling asleep, staying asleep, jet lag, or shift work. For falling asleep faster, low-dose melatonin (0.1–0.5 mg) has the strongest evidence. For staying asleep and improving sleep architecture, glycine 3 g and magnesium glycinate are the best-studied options. For situational use (travel, occasional stress), valerian, lemon balm, or apigenin can work. Most over-the-counter melatonin products dose 5–10 mg, which is 10–30× higher than the physiological dose shown to work.
Is melatonin safe to take every night?
Short-term use (weeks to months) is well-tolerated in adults at low doses (≤1 mg). Long-term nightly use above 1 mg is not well-studied. Pediatric melatonin ER visits rose ~530% over the past decade, largely from accidental ingestion of high-dose gummies; the AAP recommends caution and short-term use only in children. If you find yourself needing it nightly, that is a signal to address sleep hygiene, light exposure, or other underlying causes.
Does magnesium actually help sleep?
Yes, modestly. Multiple RCTs and a 2021 meta-analysis found magnesium improves subjective sleep quality and sleep onset latency in older adults with insomnia. Effect sizes are smaller than melatonin, but magnesium is safe for indefinite nightly use. Glycinate is the most-studied form for sleep.
What about glycine for sleep?
Glycine 3 g taken 30–60 minutes before bed has surprisingly good evidence — Yamadera 2007 and subsequent trials showed improved subjective sleep quality, shorter sleep onset, and reduced daytime sleepiness. It works by lowering core body temperature via peripheral vasodilation. Cheap, safe, and pairs well with magnesium glycinate.
Should I take a sleep stack or just one supplement?
Start with one. Most people respond to either low-dose melatonin (for onset) or magnesium glycinate (for nightly use and depth). If you need more, add glycine 3 g. Combination "sleep stacks" with 6+ ingredients usually work no better than the best single ingredient — and make it harder to identify what actually works for you.
Evidence sources
- PMID 17198540 — Yamadera W et al. 2007 — Glycine 3 g improves subjective sleep quality, Sleep Biol Rhythms.
- PMID 33865376 — Mah J et al. 2021 — Magnesium for insomnia meta-analysis, BMC Complementary Medicine.
- PMID 25954987 — Ferracioli-Oda E et al. 2013 — Melatonin meta-analysis for sleep disorders, PLoS One.
- PMID 29073412 — Bent S et al. 2006 — Valerian for sleep meta-analysis, Am J Med.
- PMID 22894890 — Lyon MR et al. 2011 — L-theanine for sleep in pediatric ADHD, Altern Med Rev.
- PMID 17173238 — Cases J et al. 2011 — Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) for stress and sleep.
- PMID 20803437 — Akhondzadeh S et al. 2010 — Passionflower for anxiety, related to sleep.
- PMID 20347389 — Hidese S et al. 2019 — L-theanine for stress and sleep, Nutrients.
- PMID 40037900 — Cooney CJ et al. 2024 — Pediatric melatonin ingestion trends, JAMA Pediatr letter.