7 Supplements That Help You Sleep Better and For Longer

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As you grow older, you may notice that you do not sleep as well as you used to. Older adults tend to find it harder to get to sleep and spend less time sleeping during the night. The quality of this sleep is also reduced: sleep becomes more fragmented and more easily interrupted, while the amount of time spent in slow wave sleep (a deep sleep phase thought to be important for memory consolidation) is shortened.

Poor sleep quality appears to accelerate ageing at the cellular level: sleep loss is associated with shorter telomeres and possible increased cellular senescence, both of which are key mechanisms underlying the ageing process. Changes in sleep patterns in old age may also include a propensity to fall asleep during the day.

It is still not entirely clear whether older adults simply need less sleep, or whether they find it harder to get the sleep that they need. There is no doubt that sleep deficits lead to physical and cognitive impairments. Many studies have found impaired sleep to be associated with poorer performance in memory tasks in both younger and older adults. Furthermore, interventions aimed at improving sleep quality have been found to benefit memory, suggesting that sleep disturbance may cause cognitive impairment rather than the other way around.

Minimising your exposure to blue light in the evening, avoiding late caffeine consumption and maintaining regular sleeping and waking times are all ways in which you can help maximise your sleep quality. There are also many supplements that research suggests can help you to sleep better. What follows are 7 such supplements and the research behind them.

1. Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone secreted by the brain, and is well known for its role in regulating sleep. Light suppresses melatonin production, while in the absence of light melatonin levels rise and promote sleep.

How Does Melatonin Benefit Sleep?

Melatonin supplementation improves sleep quality, mainly by decreasing the time taken to fall asleep and increasing total sleep time. Melatonin also appears to be highly effective in treating insomnia.

• A meta-analysis of 19 trials including 1683 subjects with primary sleep disorders (sleep problems not caused by another medical condition or drug) found that melatonin reduced sleep latency by an average of 7.06 minutes. Sleep duration was increased by 8.25 minutes on average.
• The same meta analysis also concluded that melatonin significantly increased sleep quality.
• Another meta-analysis of 10 studies found melatonin to be effective at preventing or reducing jet-lag if taken close to the target bed time. Melatonin may be beneficial to nocturnal shift workers for this reason.

Forest plot depicting reduction of sleep latency in melatonin compared to placebo. Meta-analysis demonstrated a significant benefit of melatonin in reducing sleep latency. WMD = weighted mean difference; CI = confidence interval.

Ferracioli-Oda, E., Qawasmi, A., & Bloch, M. (2013). Meta-Analysis: Melatonin for the Treatment of Primary Sleep Disorders. Plos ONE, 8(5), e63773. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0063773

Melatonin may have further protective effects in the brain due to its potent antioxidant properties. It may also carry a number of other benefits that are being investigated, including anticancer and anti-obesity properties.

• In test tube studies, melatonin appears to be a powerful antioxidant, outperforming resveratrol and vitamin C in preventing DNA damage from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress and the resulting damage and inflammation is theorised to be a driver of the ageing process.
• Some studies suggest that melatonin can promote significant weight loss in obese patients. One study in diabetic rats also found melatonin supplementation to be associated with an increase in brown fat, a tissue that burns fat to produce heat.
• Melatonin appears to protect against stomach ulcers caused by aspirin or helicobacter pylori infection.
• In a meta analysis, supplementation of various daily doses of melatonin was associated with reduced mortality in cancer patients with solid tumors, with a risk ratio of 0.66 after a year.
• Taking 3 mg of melatonin was associated with improved memory retention during periods of stress.

In summary: Melatonin supplementation has been well studied and is effective in promoting sleep onset, extending sleep duration and improving sleep quality. Melatonin may also have a wide range of additional health benefits.

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral present in many foods, and is the 4th most abundant mineral in the body. Studies suggest that almost 50% of people in the USA and Western Europe have below ideal magnesium intake. In the central nervous system, magnesium has a calming effect, and low magnesium levels are highly associated with stress.

How Does Magnesium Benefit Sleep?

Magnesium supplementation appears to reduce the time it takes to reach a sleep state, increase total sleep time, and reduce sleep disturbances.

• One study found that older adults taking magnesium for 8 weeks had reduced sleep latency, were less likely to wake prematurely, and spent more time asleep over the course of the night.
• An animal study found that rats placed on a magnesium-deficient diet showed decreased levels of melatonin in their blood during the dark cycle.
• In elderly subjects, a creeping magnesium dose of up to 30mmol/day for 17 days was associated with a significant increase in slow wave sleep, a sleep phase associated with memory consolidation. 

Magnesium also appears to have multiple additional benefits aside from sleep promotion, most notably a reduction in blood pressure and blood sugar.

• A 2012 meta-analysis of 22 trials including 1173 participants concluded that magnesium supplementation produced a small but clinically significant reduction in blood pressure. On average, systolic blood pressure fell by 3-4 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 2-3 mm Hg. A later meta-analysis supports these findings.
• A meta-analysis of 18 trials found that magnesium supplementation significantly improved blood sugar levels in diabetics, and also improved insulin sensitivity in those at high risk of diabetes.

In summary: Magnesium appears to induce relaxation and sleep. It may also protect against high blood pressure and diabetes.

3. GABA

GABA, or gamma-Aminobutyric acid, is the body’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter. GABA reduces the activity of neurons throughout the nervous system to produce a calming effect. 

How Does GABA Benefit Sleep?

Scientific studies suggest that GABA can have stress-reducing and sleep-enhancing effects. Supplementation with GABA may both help people to fall asleep quickly and increase the duration of slow wave sleep. The benefits of GABA seem to be geared more towards the early stages of sleep.

• A recent meta-analysis of 14 studies suggests that oral GABA supplementation is effective at reducing biomarkers of stress and inducing relaxation.
• The same meta-analysis suggested that oral GABA supplementation for a week or longer can reduce the time it takes to get to sleep, and may also increase the duration of slow wave sleep. GABA does not appear to be particularly effective at maintaining sleep.
• There are, however, some reports of improved objective sleep quality with GABA supplementation. In one study, taking 300mg of GABA daily was associated with improved sleep efficiency (the amount of time in bed spent asleep) in insomnia patients.
• Several small studies suggest that various doses of GABA (ranging from 25mg to 100mg) may reduce physical and cognitive fatigue during problem-solving tasks.

In summary: GABA appears induce relaxation, help you get to sleep faster and reduce stress and fatigue overall. While more evidence is needed to better understand the effects of GABA supplementation, existing research seems promising.

4. L-Tryptophan

L-tryptophan is an amino acid used in the synthesis of the neurotransmitters melatonin and serotonin. As already discussed, melatonin promotes sleep in response to low light levels. Serotonin, while best known for its role as a ‘happiness neurotransmitter’, also appears to be necessary for sleep.

How Does L-Tryptophan Benefit Sleep?

Tryptophan is used to treat insomnia and sleep apnea, and its sleep promoting effects are well established.

• Multiple studies suggest that L-tryptophan is effective for accelerating sleep onset in those with insomnia. In younger individuals experiencing short bouts of insomnia, a single dose 1g – 15g was effective in accelerating sleep onset. For more established insomnia, dosing for longer periods was sometimes needed.  
• One study looked at data for 29,687 individuals in the NHANES study to assess the effects of natural daily tryptophan intake on sleep. They found that a higher daily tryptophan intake was associated with longer self-reported sleep duration.
• The same study also found that L-tryptophan intake was associated with lower self-reported levels of depression. 

In summary: L-tryptophan appears to accelerate sleep onset and improve sleep duration. As L-tryptophan boosts serotonin levels, it may have the added benefit of improving mood and aiding weight loss (as serotonin suppresses appetite).

5. 5-HTP

5-HTP, or hydroxytryptophan, is a naturally occurring amino acid. Like tryptophan, it is used to synthesise the neurotransmitters serotonin and melatonin.

How Does 5-HTP Benefit Sleep?

Studies in both humans and animals suggest that 5-HTP can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and improve sleep quality. 5-HTP appears to be particularly effective when combined with GABA.

• In a small trial of patients with insomnia, GABA + 5-HTP accelerated sleep onset by around 10 minutes on average – significantly more than placebo. Treatment also significantly increased sleep duration by nearly 2 hours.
• A review of treatments for sleep disorders concluded that 5-HTP may be beneficial in treating disorders such as sleepwalking and sleep terrors.

In Summary: The existing evidence for the sleep-promoting effects of 5-HTP are encouraging, especially when combined with GABA. Unfortunately, there is a lack of human trials investigating the benefits of 5-HTP.

6. Valerian Root

Valerian is a herb that has been used since ancient times to promote relaxation and sleep. It inhibits the breakdown of GABA, the body’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter, and thereby produces a calming effect.

How Does Valerian Root Powder Benefit Sleep?

Research suggests that valerian is an effective and safe supplement for improving sleep quality.

• According to meta-analysis, the available evidence suggests that valerian root could accelerate sleep onset, increase sleep duration and improve sleep quality, though more human studies would be welcomed.
• One study suggested that taking valerian allowed adults with insomnia to reach slow-wave sleep 36% faster and to remain in slow-wave sleep for longer. As previously mentioned, slow-wave sleep is a deep sleep phase thought to be important for memory consolidation.

In addition to its effects on sleep, valerian root may also help you relax. 

• In one study, a combination of valerian and lemon balm powder was associated with reduced anxiety ratings in adults taking challenging mental tests.
• Valerian was associated with reduced anxiety in individuals with generalised anxiety disorder.

In summary: Valerian root powder inhibits the breakdown of GABA and may promote relaxation and sleep. While there is anecdotal evidence for the benefits of valerian, more robust human studies are needed to confirm its effects.

7. Chamomile

Chamomile is a herb that has been consumed for centuries as a remedy for several health conditions. Its tea is a caffeine-free alternative to green or black tea that appears to offer a variety of health benefits, which include improved sleep quality. Chamomile contains apigenin, a compound that binds to GABA receptors and may thereby produce a calming effect.

• One study found that elderly patients taking 8400mg of chamomile extract twice per day slept significantly better than study participants who did not take chamomile extract.
• In another study, individuals who consumed 270mg of chamomile extract twice per day spent 1/3 less time awake at night and fell asleep 15 minutes faster than those who did not consume the extract.

In addition to its effects on sleep, chamomile also appears to have a wide range of additional health benefits due to its high content in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds.

• Chamomile is associated with reduced incidence of stomach ulcers and protection against diarrhea in rodents. More evidence is needed to confirm these benefits in humans.
• In one study of 537 people, drinking chamomile tea 2-6 times a week was associated with lower incidence of thyroid cancer.
• Drinking chamomile tea was associated with a significant reduction in blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes.
• The same study also noted reduced total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL (‘bad cholesterol’) in those who drank chamomile tea.

In Summary: Chamomile activates GABA signalling and may thereby promote relaxation and sleep, but this needs to be confirmed with more human studies. Chamomile is rich in antioxidants which may provide a variety of health benefits.