SLEEP GUMMIES ARE kind of a big deal right now. You’ve probably had ads for them follow you over the Internet. A slew of celebrity-types say they take them. And if you happen to go hunting for them in a drug store or supermarket there are like 235,647,311 brands selling them (roughly).
These chewables claim they can help you rest—but what does the data and experts say?
We dug into the research behind sleep gummies to determine what’s true about their promises, if they work, when to take them, and what you should look for in a good one.
What Are Sleep Gummies?
They’re chewable supplements that contain between one and three milligrams of melatonin.
Supplement companies promise that their sleep gummies will help you fall asleep faster, get better rest, and wake up refreshed. And they do all this without being habit-forming, so they say.
Do Sleep Gummies Work?
Maaaybe?
Sure, there’s the anecdotal evidence from your friends (or those celeb-types), but then there’s also this: “As a dietary supplement for adults with insomnia, melatonin may help, but little scientific data exists to support this,” says John Saito, M.D., a sleep-medicine physician.
Your brain produces melatonin naturally, and it is nonaddictive and safe in the dosages these products often recommend, which is usually one to three milligrams.
But sleep gummies usually come with other ingredients that don’t have much research behind them. CBD might decrease anxiety. L-theanine, chamomile, and lemon balm may be calming (or the placebo effect is at work).
Should You Take Sleep Gummies?
Only for the short term on an as-needed basis.
“It’s not something I would recommend beyond a week to two weeks,” says Dr. Saito. Chronic use may mess up your circadian rhythm or mask a sleep disorder. Side effects like irritability, nausea, and daytime drowsiness are possible. If you try them and still struggle with sleep, talk to your doctor.
What to Look for in a Sleep Gummy
A gummy that has one to three milligrams of melatonin and is third-party verified by a group like NSF or Informed Choice, which helps ensure that what’s in the product matches what’s advertised.
And watch out for added sugar in any kind of gummy supplement.
The reason they taste good is because many of them contain added sugar, sometimes as much as five grams per dose.
A version of this article originally appeared in the April 2023 issue of Men’s Health.
Erica Sweeney is a writer who mostly covers health, wellness and careers. She has written for The New York Times, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Parade, Money, Business Insider and many more.
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