ON SALE: Supplement Guides — take only the supplements you need. Save 33% until tonight! Learn more

Quick Navigation

Sleep

These are supplements that may affect some aspect of sleep — namely, how long it takes to fall asleep, how long you stay asleep, and how restful sleep is.

Our evidence-based analysis on sleep features 142 unique references to scientific papers.

Kamal Patel
Research analysis led by .
Reviewed by
Examine.com Team
Last Updated:

References

  1. Ebben M, Lequerica A, Spielman A. Effects of pyridoxine on dreaming: a preliminary study. Percept Mot Skills. (2002)
  2. De Souza MC, et al. A synergistic effect of a daily supplement for 1 month of 200 mg magnesium plus 50 mg vitamin B6 for the relief of anxiety-related premenstrual symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. J Womens Health Gend Based Med. (2000)
  3. Xie L, et al. Sleep drives metabolite clearance from the adult brain. Science. (2013)
  4. Rasch B, Born J. About sleep's role in memory. Physiol Rev. (2013)
  5. Born J, Rasch B, Gais S. Sleep to remember. Neuroscientist. (2006)
  6. Haack M, Sanchez E, Mullington JM. Elevated inflammatory markers in response to prolonged sleep restriction are associated with increased pain experience in healthy volunteers. Sleep. (2007)
  7. Alhola P, Polo-Kantola P. Sleep deprivation: Impact on cognitive performance. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. (2007)
  8. Nedeltcheva AV, et al. Insufficient sleep undermines dietary efforts to reduce adiposity. Ann Intern Med. (2010)
  9. Bosy-Westphal A, et al. Influence of partial sleep deprivation on energy balance and insulin sensitivity in healthy women. Obes Facts. (2008)
  10. Broussard JL, et al. Impaired insulin signaling in human adipocytes after experimental sleep restriction: a randomized, crossover study. Ann Intern Med. (2012)
  11. Buxton OM, et al. Sleep restriction for 1 week reduces insulin sensitivity in healthy men. Diabetes. (2010)
  12. Donga E, et al. A single night of partial sleep deprivation induces insulin resistance in multiple metabolic pathways in healthy subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. (2010)
  13. Cote KA, et al. Sleep deprivation lowers reactive aggression and testosterone in men. Biol Psychol. (2013)
  14. Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Effect of 1 week of sleep restriction on testosterone levels in young healthy men. JAMA. (2011)
  15. Penev PD. Association between sleep and morning testosterone levels in older men. Sleep. (2007)
  16. González-Santos MR, et al. Sleep deprivation and adaptive hormonal responses of healthy men. Arch Androl. (1989)
  17. Cortés-Gallegos V, et al. Sleep deprivation reduces circulating androgens in healthy men. Arch Androl. (1983)
  18. Nagai M, Hoshide S, Kario K. Sleep duration as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease- a review of the recent literature. Curr Cardiol Rev. (2010)
  19. Rosinger AY, et al. Short sleep duration is associated with inadequate hydration: Cross-cultural evidence from US and Chinese adults. Sleep. (2018)
  20. Andrade A, et al. Sleep Quality, Mood and Performance: A Study of Elite Brazilian Volleyball Athletes. J Sports Sci Med. (2016)
  21. Mah CD, et al. The effects of sleep extension on the athletic performance of collegiate basketball players. Sleep. (2011)
  22. Andersen ML, et al. The association of testosterone, sleep, and sexual function in men and women. Brain Res. (2011)
  23. Lo JC, et al. Cognitive Performance, Sleepiness, and Mood in Partially Sleep Deprived Adolescents: The Need for Sleep Study. Sleep. (2016)
  24. Lastella M, Lovell GP, Sargent C. Athletes' precompetitive sleep behaviour and its relationship with subsequent precompetitive mood and performance. Eur J Sport Sci. (2014)
  25. McClung CA. How might circadian rhythms control mood? Let me count the ways. Biol Psychiatry. (2013)
  26. Zohar D, et al. The effects of sleep loss on medical residents' emotional reactions to work events: a cognitive-energy model. Sleep. (2005)
  27. Tosini G, Ferguson I, Tsubota K. Effects of blue light on the circadian system and eye physiology. Mol Vis. (2016)
  28. Bedrosian TA, Nelson RJ. Timing of light exposure affects mood and brain circuits. Transl Psychiatry. (2017)
  29. Heo JY, et al. Effects of smartphone use with and without blue light at night in healthy adults: A randomized, double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled comparison. J Psychiatr Res. (2017)
  30. Esaki Y, et al. Wearing blue light-blocking glasses in the evening advances circadian rhythms in the patients with delayed sleep phase disorder: An open-label trial. Chronobiol Int. (2016)
  31. Skeldon AC, Phillips AJ, Dijk DJ. The effects of self-selected light-dark cycles and social constraints on human sleep and circadian timing: a modeling approach. Sci Rep. (2017)
  32. Basner M, et al. ICBEN review of research on the biological effects of noise 2011-2014. Noise Health. (2015)
  33. Halperin D. Environmental noise and sleep disturbances: A threat to health?. Sleep Sci. (2014)
  34. Hume KI, Brink M, Basner M. Effects of environmental noise on sleep. Noise Health. (2012)
  35. Portas CM, et al. Auditory processing across the sleep-wake cycle: simultaneous EEG and fMRI monitoring in humans. Neuron. (2000)
  36. Neitzel R, Somers S, Seixas N. Variability of real-world hearing protector attenuation measurements. Ann Occup Hyg. (2006)
  37. Huang CY, Chang ET, Lai HL. Comparing the effects of music and exercise with music for older adults with insomnia. Appl Nurs Res. (2016)
  38. Lack LC, et al. The relationship between insomnia and body temperatures. Sleep Med Rev. (2008)
  39. Okamoto-Mizuno K, Mizuno K. Effects of thermal environment on sleep and circadian rhythm. J Physiol Anthropol. (2012)
  40. Okamoto-Mizuno K, et al. Effects of humid heat exposure on human sleep stages and body temperature. Sleep. (1999)
  41. Murphy PJ, Campbell SS. Nighttime drop in body temperature: a physiological trigger for sleep onset?. Sleep. (1997)
  42. Libert JP, et al. Relative and combined effects of heat and noise exposure on sleep in humans. Sleep. (1991)
  43. Stein MD, Friedmann PD. Disturbed sleep and its relationship to alcohol use. Subst Abus. (2005)
  44. Park SY, et al. The Effects of Alcohol on Quality of Sleep. Korean J Fam Med. (2015)
  45. Stone BM. Sleep and low doses of alcohol. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol. (1980)
  46. Barry RJ, Clarke AR, Johnstone SJ. Caffeine and opening the eyes have additive effects on resting arousal measures. Clin Neurophysiol. (2011)
  47. Childs E, de Wit H. Subjective, behavioral, and physiological effects of acute caffeine in light, nondependent caffeine users. Psychopharmacology (Berl). (2006)
  48. Holtzman SG. CGS 15943, a nonxanthine adenosine receptor antagonist: effects on locomotor activity of nontolerant and caffeine-tolerant rats. Life Sci. (1991)
  49. Drake C, et al. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. J Clin Sleep Med. (2013)
  50. Baron KG, Reid KJ, Zee PC. Exercise to improve sleep in insomnia: exploration of the bidirectional effects. J Clin Sleep Med. (2013)
  51. Kline CE. The bidirectional relationship between exercise and sleep: Implications for exercise adherence and sleep improvement. Am J Lifestyle Med. (2014)
  52. VanHelder T, Radomski MW. Sleep deprivation and the effect on exercise performance. Sports Med. (1989)
  53. Tang NK, Sanborn AN. Better quality sleep promotes daytime physical activity in patients with chronic pain? A multilevel analysis of the within-person relationship. PLoS One. (2014)
  54. Souissi N, et al. Effect of time of day and partial sleep deprivation on short-term, high-power output. Chronobiol Int. (2008)
  55. Loprinzi PD, Cardinal BJ. Association between objectively-measured physical activity and sleep, NHANES 2005–2006. Mental Health and Physical Activity. Ment Health Phys Act. (2011)
  56. Wunsch K, Kasten N, Fuchs R. The effect of physical activity on sleep quality, well-being, and affect in academic stress periods. Nat Sci Sleep. (2017)
  57. Wang F, et al. The effect of meditative movement on sleep quality: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev. (2016)
  58. Reid KJ, et al. Aerobic exercise improves self-reported sleep and quality of life in older adults with insomnia. Sleep Med. (2010)
  59. Kovacevic A, et al. The effect of resistance exercise on sleep: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Sleep Med Rev. (2018)
  60. Hartescu I, Morgan K, Stevinson CD. Increased physical activity improves sleep and mood outcomes in inactive people with insomnia: a randomized controlled trial. J Sleep Res. (2015)
  61. Murray K, et al. The relations between sleep, time of physical activity, and time outdoors among adult women. PLoS One. (2017)
  62. Tahara Y, Aoyama S, Shibata S. The mammalian circadian clock and its entrainment by stress and exercise. J Physiol Sci. (2017)
  63. 2013 Sleep in America® Poll: Exercise and Sleep (summary of findings), “Exercise is good, regardless of time of day” (pages 46–49).
  64. Swaminathan K, Klerman EB, Phillips AJK. Are Individual Differences in Sleep and Circadian Timing Amplified by Use of Artificial Light Sources?. J Biol Rhythms. (2017)
  65. Phillips AJK, et al. Irregular sleep/wake patterns are associated with poorer academic performance and delayed circadian and sleep/wake timing. Sci Rep. (2017)
  66. Ferracioli-Oda E, Qawasmi A, Bloch MH. Meta-analysis: melatonin for the treatment of primary sleep disorders. PLoS One. (2013)
  67. van Geijlswijk IM, et al. Evaluation of sleep, puberty and mental health in children with long-term melatonin treatment for chronic idiopathic childhood sleep onset insomnia. Psychopharmacology (Berl). (2011)
  68. Luthringer R, et al. The effect of prolonged-release melatonin on sleep measures and psychomotor performance in elderly patients with insomnia. Int Clin Psychopharmacol. (2009)
  69. Lemoine P, et al. Prolonged-release melatonin improves sleep quality and morning alertness in insomnia patients aged 55 years and older and has no withdrawal effects. J Sleep Res. (2007)
  70. Noyek S, Yaremchuk K, Rotenberg B. Does melatonin have a meaningful role as a sleep aid for jet lag recovery?. Laryngoscope. (2016)
  71. Herxheimer A, Petrie KJ. Melatonin for the prevention and treatment of jet lag. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. (2002)
  72. Hätönen T, Alila A, Laakso ML. Exogenous melatonin fails to counteract the light-induced phase delay of human melatonin rhythm. Brain Res. (1996)
  73. Matsumoto M, et al. The amplitude of endogenous melatonin production is not affected by melatonin treatment in humans. J Pineal Res. (1997)
  74. Wright J, et al. The effects of exogenous melatonin on endocrine function in man. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). (1986)
  75. Arendt J, et al. Some effects of melatonin and the control of its secretion in humans. Ciba Found Symp. (1985)
  76. Naylor S, Gleich GJ. Over-the-counter melatonin products and contamination. Am Fam Physician. (1999)
  77. Williamson BL, et al. Structural characterization of contaminants found in commercial preparations of melatonin: similarities to case-related compounds from L-tryptophan associated with eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. Chem Res Toxicol. (1998)
  78. Erland LA, Saxena PK. Melatonin Natural Health Products and Supplements: Presence of Serotonin and Significant Variability of Melatonin Content. J Clin Sleep Med. (2017)
  79. Nielsen FH, Johnson LK, Zeng H. Magnesium supplementation improves indicators of low magnesium status and inflammatory stress in adults older than 51 years with poor quality sleep. Magnes Res. (2010)
  80. Held K, et al. Oral Mg(2+) supplementation reverses age-related neuroendocrine and sleep EEG changes in humans. Pharmacopsychiatry. (2002)
  81. Costello RB, Moser-Veillon PB. A review of magnesium intake in the elderly. A cause for concern?. Magnes Res. (1992)
  82. Nielsen FH, Lukaski HC. Update on the relationship between magnesium and exercise. Magnes Res. (2006)
  83. Tang YM, et al. Relationships between micronutrient losses in sweat and blood pressure among heat-exposed steelworkers. Ind Health. (2016)
  84. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research; Marriott BM, editor. Washington (DC). Nutritional Needs in Hot Environments, “Influence of Exercise and Heat on Magnesium Metabolism”. National Academies Press (US). (1993)
  85. Consolazio CF, et al. Excretion of sodium, potassium, magnesium and iron in human sweat and the relation of each to balance and requirements. J Nutr. (1963)
  86. Yoshimura Y, et al. Pharmacokinetic Studies of Orally Administered Magnesium Oxide in Rats. Yakugaku Zasshi. (2017)
  87. Firoz M, Graber M. Bioavailability of US commercial magnesium preparations. Magnes Res. (2001)
  88. Sayorwan W, et al. The effects of lavender oil inhalation on emotional states, autonomic nervous system, and brain electrical activity. J Med Assoc Thai. (2012)
  89. Field T, et al. Lavender bath oil reduces stress and crying and enhances sleep in very young infants. Early Hum Dev. (2008)
  90. Lehrner J, et al. Ambient odors of orange and lavender reduce anxiety and improve mood in a dental office. Physiol Behav. (2005)
  91. Lee IS, Lee GJ. Effects of lavender aromatherapy on insomnia and depression in women college students. Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi. (2006)
  92. Lewith GT, Godfrey AD, Prescott P. A single-blinded, randomized pilot study evaluating the aroma of Lavandula augustifolia as a treatment for mild insomnia. J Altern Complement Med. (2005)
  93. Chien LW, Cheng SL, Liu CF. The effect of lavender aromatherapy on autonomic nervous system in midlife women with insomnia. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. (2012)
  94. Goel N, Kim H, Lao RP. An olfactory stimulus modifies nighttime sleep in young men and women. Chronobiol Int. (2005)
  95. Kasper S, et al. Silexan in anxiety disorders: Clinical data and pharmacological background. World J Biol Psychiatry. (2018)
  96. Kasper S, Anghelescu I, Dienel A. Efficacy of orally administered Silexan in patients with anxiety-related restlessness and disturbed sleep--A randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. (2015)
  97. Kasper S, et al. Lavender oil preparation Silexan is effective in generalized anxiety disorder--a randomized, double-blind comparison to placebo and paroxetine. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. (2014)
  98. Kasper S, et al. Silexan, an orally administered Lavandula oil preparation, is effective in the treatment of 'subsyndromal' anxiety disorder: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial. Int Clin Psychopharmacol. (2010)
  99. Yi S, et al. Short sleep duration in association with CT-scanned abdominal fat areas: the Hitachi Health Study. Int J Obes (Lond). (2012)
  100. Park SE, et al. The association between sleep duration and general and abdominal obesity in Koreans: data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001 and 2005. Obesity (Silver Spring). (2009)
  101. Hairston KG, et al. Sleep duration and five-year abdominal fat accumulation in a minority cohort: the IRAS family study. Sleep. (2010)
  102. Watson NF, et al. Sleep duration and body mass index in twins: a gene-environment interaction. Sleep. (2012)
  103. Di Milia L, Vandelanotte C, Duncan MJ. The association between short sleep and obesity after controlling for demographic, lifestyle, work and health related factors. Sleep Med. (2013)
  104. Benedict C, et al. Acute Sleep Deprivation Enhances the Brain's Response to Hedonic Food Stimuli: An fMRI Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. (2012)
  105. St-Onge MP, et al. Sleep restriction leads to increased activation of brain regions sensitive to food stimuli. Am J Clin Nutr. (2012)
  106. Spiegel K, Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Impact of sleep debt on physiological rhythms. Rev Neurol (Paris). (2003)
  107. Lemola S, et al. Optimism and Self-Esteem Are Related to Sleep. Results from a Large Community-Based Sample. Int J Behav Med. (2012)
  108. Sio UN, Monaghan P, Ormerod T. Sleep on it, but only if it is difficult: Effects of sleep on problem solving. Mem Cognit. (2012)
  109. Knutson KL. Sleep duration and cardiometabolic risk: a review of the epidemiologic evidence. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. (2010)
  110. Choi JK, et al. Association between short sleep duration and high incidence of metabolic syndrome in midlife women. Tohoku J Exp Med. (2011)
  111. Najafian J, et al. Association between sleep duration and metabolic syndrome in a population-based study: Isfahan Healthy Heart Program. J Res Med Sci. (2011)
  112. Cappuccio FP, et al. Quantity and quality of sleep and incidence of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetes Care. (2010)
  113. Beihl DA, Liese AD, Haffner SM. Sleep duration as a risk factor for incident type 2 diabetes in a multiethnic cohort. Ann Epidemiol. (2009)
  114. Chaput JP, et al. Sleep duration as a risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance: analyses of the Quebec Family Study. Sleep Med. (2009)
  115. Chao CY, et al. Sleep duration is a potential risk factor for newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolism. (2011)
  116. Robertson MD, et al. Effects of three weeks of mild sleep restriction implemented in the home environment on multiple metabolic and endocrine markers in healthy young men. Metabolism. (2013)
  117. Impact of Five Nights of Sleep Restriction on Glucose Metabolism, Leptin and Testosterone in Young Adult Men.
  118. Luboshitzky R, Shen-Orr Z, Herer P. Middle-aged men secrete less testosterone at night than young healthy men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. (2003)
  119. Randler C, et al. Chronotype but not sleep length is related to salivary testosterone in young adult men. Psychoneuroendocrinology. (2012)
  120. Validation of the full and reduced Composite Scale of Morningness.
  121. An actigraphic validation study of seven morningness-eveningness inventories.
  122. Roenneberg T, et al. A marker for the end of adolescence. Curr Biol. (2004)
  123. Leproult R, et al. Sleep loss results in an elevation of cortisol levels the next evening. Sleep. (1997)
  124. Backhaus J, Junghanns K, Hohagen F. Sleep disturbances are correlated with decreased morning awakening salivary cortisol. Psychoneuroendocrinology. (2004)
  125. Wu H, et al. Effects of sleep restriction periods on serum cortisol levels in healthy men. Brain Res Bull. (2008)
  126. Vgontzas AN, et al. Sleep deprivation effects on the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and growth axes: potential clinical implications. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). (1999)
  127. Caine-Bish N, et al. The effect of cold exposure on the hormonal and metabolic responses to sleep deprivation. Wilderness Environ Med. (2005)
  128. Opstad PK, et al. The thyroid function in young men during prolonged exercise and the effect of energy and sleep deprivation. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). (1984)
  129. Sadamatsu M, et al. The 24-hour rhythms in plasma growth hormone, prolactin and thyroid stimulating hormone: effect of sleep deprivation. J Neuroendocrinol. (1995)
  130. Klingenberg L, et al. Sleep restriction is not associated with a positive energy balance in adolescent boys. Am J Clin Nutr. (2012)
  131. Koban M, Swinson KL. Chronic REM-sleep deprivation of rats elevates metabolic rate and increases UCP1 gene expression in brown adipose tissue. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. (2005)
  132. Rechtschaffen A, Bergmann BM. Sleep deprivation in the rat: an update of the 1989 paper. Sleep. (2002)
  133. Takahashi Y, Kipnis DM, Daughaday WH. Growth hormone secretion during sleep. J Clin Invest. (1968)
  134. Sassin JF, et al. Human growth hormone release: relation to slow-wave sleep and sleep-walking cycles. Science. (1969)
  135. Gronfier C, et al. A quantitative evaluation of the relationships between growth hormone secretion and delta wave electroencephalographic activity during normal sleep and after enrichment in delta waves. Sleep. (1996)
  136. Van Cauter E, et al. A quantitative estimation of growth hormone secretion in normal man: reproducibility and relation to sleep and time of day. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. (1992)
  137. Obál F Jr, Krueger JM. The somatotropic axis and sleep. Rev Neurol (Paris). (2001)
  138. Saini J, et al. Continuous positive airway pressure treatment. Effects on growth hormone, insulin and glucose profiles in obstructive sleep apnea patients. Horm Metab Res. (1993)
  139. Brandenberger G, Weibel L. The 24-h growth hormone rhythm in men: sleep and circadian influences questioned. J Sleep Res. (2004)
  140. Ho KY, et al. Effects of sex and age on the 24-hour profile of growth hormone secretion in man: importance of endogenous estradiol concentrations. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. (1987)
  141. Brandenberger G, et al. Effect of sleep deprivation on overall 24 h growth-hormone secretion. Lancet. (2000)
  142. Spiegel K, et al. Adaptation of the 24-h growth hormone profile to a state of sleep debt. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. (2000)

This page is regularly updated, to include the most recently available clinical trial evidence.

Each member of our research team is required to have no conflicts of interest, including with supplement manufacturers, food companies, and industry funders. The team includes nutrition researchers, registered dietitians, physicians, and pharmacists. We have a strict editorial process.

This page features 142 references. All factual claims are followed by specifically-applicable references. Click here to see the full set of research information and references for Sleep.

Examine.com is intended to be used for educational and information purposes only. Examine.com and its Editors do not advocate nutritional supplementation over proper medical advice or treatment and this sentiment will never be expressed through pages hosted under Examine.com. If using any pharmaceuticals or drugs given to you by a doctor or received with a prescription, you must consult with the doctor in question or an equally qualified Health Care Professional prior to using any nutritional supplementation. If undergoing medical therapies, then consult with your respective Therapist or Health Care Professional about possible interactions between your Treatment, any Pharmaceuticals or Drugs being given, and possible nutritional supplements or practices hosted on Examine.com.

Examine.com does not assume liability for any actions undertaken after visiting these pages, and does not assume liability if one misuses supplements. Examine.com and its Editors do not ensure that unforeseen side effects will not occur even at the proper dosages, and thereby does not assume liability for any side effects from supplements or practices hosted under the domain of Examine.com.

Supplements

Articles

Health Topics

NERD

Personalized

Protein Intake Guide

About

Sale: Supplement Guides

Never miss an important study again

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation. Click to verify.