Best ingredients for sleep

A chelated form of magnesium bound to the amino acid glycine.

Typical: 200–350 mg

A branded, root-only ashwagandha extract standardized to at least 5% withanolides.

Typical: 300–600 mg

Melatonin is the hormone the pineal gland releases in darkness to signal night to the body clock.

Typical: 0.5–3 mg

A generic, non-branded ashwagandha root extract standardized to at least 5% withanolides.

Typical: 300–600 mg

Magnesium bound to citric acid, one of the best-selling magnesium forms because it is inexpensive, dissolves readily, and has shown good bioavailability in comparison studies.

Typical: 150–350 mg

An amino acid found naturally in green tea that promotes a calm, focused state without sedation.

Typical: 100–200 mg

The simplest amino acid and a major building block of collagen, glutathione, and creatine.

Typical: 3–5 g

Reishi is a woody polypore used for centuries in East Asian herbal traditions and now sold mainly as a hot-water or dual extract of the fruiting body.

Typical: 1,000–1,500 mg

The predominant protein in milk, which forms a gel in the stomach and releases amino acids slowly over several hours.

Typical: 20–40 g

A branded water-extracted ashwagandha made from both leaf and root and standardized to a minimum of 10% withanolide glycosides, which lets it work at a smaller dose than root-only extracts.

Typical: 125–250 mg

The immediate precursor to serotonin, extracted commercially from Griffonia simplicifolia seeds.

Typical: 50–300 mg

An extract of German chamomile flowers standardized to apigenin, the flavone behind much of its calming reputation.

Typical: 220–1,100 mg

The brain's main inhibitory neurotransmitter, sold as a supplement for relaxation and sleep.

Typical: 100–500 mg

An essential amino acid and the dietary precursor to serotonin and melatonin.

Typical: 500–2,000 mg

A magnesium salt of L-threonic acid, a vitamin C metabolite, developed at MIT as a form that raises brain magnesium in animal models.

Typical: 100–144 mg

A root extract of valerian standardized to valerenic acids, one of the oldest and most widely sold herbal sleep aids.

Typical: 300–600 mg

Black cohosh is a North American herb whose root and rhizome have been studied for decades in women going through menopause.

Typical: 20–40 mg

A leaf extract of lemon balm, a mint-family herb with a citrus aroma, used in calming, sleep, and focus formulas.

Typical: 300–600 mg

Magnesium paired with malic acid, an intermediate of the Krebs cycle.

Typical: 100–350 mg

A branded saffron stigma extract standardized to 3.5% Lepticrosalides, a marker fraction of crocins and safranal, developed for low-dose mood formulas.

Typical: 28 mg

An extract of the aerial parts of Passiflora incarnata, a climbing vine used in calming and sleep formulas.

Typical: 250–500 mg

An extract of the root of a Pacific Island pepper plant, traditionally prepared as a ceremonial drink and now used in relaxation and stress formulas.

Typical: 120–240 mg

A non-protein amino acid central to the urea cycle, where it helps clear ammonia produced during exercise and protein metabolism.

Typical: 400–2,000 mg

A highly soluble magnesium salt sold as the hexahydrate, which is about 12% elemental magnesium.

Typical: 100–300 mg

A complex of magnesium with the amino acid taurine, chosen for cardiovascular and calming formulas because both components are studied in relation to blood pressure and nervous-system excitability.

Typical: 100–300 mg

An extract of the cone-like flowers of the hop plant, the same botanical used to flavor beer, included in sleep formulas for its sedative tradition.

Typical: 100–300 mg

Apigenin is a flavone found in chamomile, parsley, and celery and is considered the main calming constituent of chamomile tea.

Typical: 50 mg