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I’ve never been a good sleeper. I kept my parents up at all hours of the night in the early years and tossed and turned my way through my youth and adolescence. As an adult, I often lie awake for an hour or more after bedding down. If I wake up in the middle of the night, I often see the clock tick from two past three and on toward four. But on some glorious nights, I remember to take my melatonin supplements, and I finally get peaceful rest through the night. While adding melatonin to my nightly ritual hasn’t magically made my sleeping woes disappear entirely, they have helped me fall asleep faster just about every evening and stay asleep through the night better than I have since... well, ever. And, it turns out, I’m not alone.
According to Dr. Susan Hazels Mitmesser, Pharmavite VP of Science & Technology, melatonin is a relatively safe and effective treatment for occasional sleepiness on a short-term basis. “Sleep hygiene methods like consistent routines, developing good habits, and controlling your environment can help promote restful sleep, but if you’re still experiencing occasional sleep difficulties, including jet lag, traveling to different time zones, or working night shifts, melatonin products may help,” she tells us. Unfortunately, as with all supplements, not all melatonin is created equal, and dosing will vary from person to person.
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As a general rule of thumb (aside from consulting with your physician or preferred healthcare provider, of course), Dr. Mitmesser, who is also affiliated with the vitamin and supplement brand Nature Made, suggests starting slow and sticking to trusted brands backed with ample research. “It’s best to start with a small dose and work your way up to higher doses only as needed—higher is not always better,” she explains. “Seeking out high-quality products that are backed by science is also important. For example, Nature Made’s 2.5mg Melatonin Gummies are gluten-free and do not contain artificial flavors, synthetic dyes, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial sweeteners. They’re also USP Verified, meaning they’ve been independently verified and meet the United States Pharmacopeia’s (USP) stringent quality criteria for purity and potency.”
If you ask Google whether or not melatonin “works,” you’ll see medical professionals and non-medical professionals singing its praises, experts claiming there’s too little clinical evidence to make any claims for or against it, and a bevy of non-expert opinions on both sides of the issue. Because melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in the body—not just a vitamin or supplement—it makes sense that there is confusion, but there’s a reason why it’s one of the most popular sleep aids on the market. “While we all produce melatonin throughout our lives, production rates are highest in childhood and decline over time due to aging, diet, stress, and other factors,” says Dr. Mitmesser, reiterating that sleep hygiene practices should be your first place to make adjustments before adding supplements into your routine. However, if you do need some extra help, she says melatonin is a great drug-free sleep aid that is relatively unproblematic, and the potential side effects are relatively mild.
So, if you’re convinced melatonin may be right for you and you got the OK from your doctor to proceed, you may be overwhelmed with the number of options on the market as you search for the best one for you. As Dr. Mitmesser says, everyone is different, and starting with a smaller dose is best, but if you need some extra suggestions, I’ve got you covered. After trying dozens of brands and formulas, including gummies, tinctures, and pills, I can tell you the products below are the only melatonin supplements that help me fall and stay asleep every time I take them. Hopefully, they’ll help you level up your slumber game, too. Sweet dreams!
Not only are these fast-acting melatonin gummies Dr. Mitmesser-approved (even for beginners), but the strawberry-flavored treats are delicious. The only issue is that they taste so good you may be tempted to take more than one—resist the urge! The melatonin gummies are also high fructose syrup and gluten-free and get their berry-hued color from natural sources—not dyes and chemicals you can’t even pronounce. Take this bedtime treat an hour before you hit the hay, and prepare for a dreamy night’s sleep.
There are two things I love about the gummies from this company: first, they help me fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Second, they cost less than $20 per bottle, making Golí’s melatonin gummies the most affordable per-serving option featured here by far. That two-gummy dose contains five milligrams of melatonin along with several other ingredients, including 50 milligrams of magnesium, which can help with circadian rhythm regulation, per the Sleep Foundation, and 90 milligrams of lemon balm, which can help reduce anxiety and make it easier to fall asleep, per Mount Sinai. When I pop two of these gummies about 30 minutes before the end of whatever show we’re binging (I know… I know… blue light), I find myself nodding off about 15 minutes into my book once in bed—bad for finishing novels, but good for being well-rested.
Much like melatonin, CBD is a substance about which there is no shortage of debate. Leaving aside all the other potential benefits of cannabidiol, which may include reduction of pain and inflammation, stress relief, and memory and focus enhancement CBD can also help with sleep—especially when combined with melatonin. The 33 milligrams of CBD and five milligrams of melatonin in each serving of Peels’ CBD Night Oil gets me drowsy so quickly that I take the stuff right before getting in bed—not a half hour before. And for anyone concerned about CBD being a cannabis derivative, no worries here: while CBD can be sourced from the hemp/marijuana plant, Peels gets their CBD from orange peels, thus the brand name.
The melatonin in these gummies helps tell your brain that it’s time to wind down. The L-theanine helps relieve some of the stress or anxiety that might keep that brain wound up, while the magnesium can help your body physically relax. The gummies also contain other soothing ingredients like lavender, chamomile, and elderberry to help promote relaxation. The best part? These gummies taste delicious, so you’ll look forward not only to the enhanced sleep to come but also to a little 20-calorie sweet treat before bed. And before brushing, too, of course.
These gummies from Fleur Marché contain melatonin and magnesium, along with ashwagandha and valerian root, which can help you fall asleep faster and promote an overall sense of calm. These gummies don’t explicitly say you need to take them near bedtime, simply stating you should take two per day as needed, but I can say from personal experience that when I have taken them near bedtime, I have definitely fallen asleep faster. One note, though: keep the jar in the fridge, as they become something of a solid mass if they warm up at all.
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