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Others Tested
These were effective, but not as consistently so as the above picks. I'd still encourage others to try since bodies react differently to the active ingredients in these over-the-counter sleep aids.
Photograph: Molly Higgins
AGZ Nightly Sleep Support (30-Pack) for $89: I tested the chocolate and mint flavors, which come with a frother, and you can blend the powder with water or milk, either warm or cold (although I think it tastes the best with milk like a frothy hot cocoa). The drink doesn't taste overly sweet and has a nice, rich chocolate taste. The mix is melatonin-free, instead with adaptogens, herbs, and minerals, including magnesium, vitamin B6, L-theanine, ashwagandha, and calming herbs. Because of the magnesium and L-theanine, my body felt more calm before bed throughout testing, but it didn't consistently push me over to full-on sleepiness.
Everyday Alchemist Deep Sleep Solution for $49: This melatonin-free powder sleep aid is super cute, with great branding and a cute reusable glass straw and stirring spoon included. It's a striking icy cool blue when combined with water (one scoop per four ounces of water), and has a hard-to-pinpoint lemon elderflower flavor. It has magnesium, L-theanine, glycine (amino acid), and inositol (B vitamin that helps with regulating body function). It's a bit hard to stir completely in, and it can have a bit of a grainy mouthfeel, but overall I liked this powder, but I found I generally had to double the doses to feel a sleepy effect.
Rebalance Dream Sleep Mints (Melatonin-Free; 31-Pack) for $46: These melatonin-free mints are designed to slowly dissolve, with natural sleep inducing ingredients like L-theanine, L-tryptophan, GABA, and slow release Reishi mushroom. You can take up to three lozenges every night, and it took me three to feel any sort of calming effects. I like the idea of a slow melting mint alternative, but next time I might try the version with melatonin to see how it stacks up against the melatonin-free version I tested.
Nightcap from Alice for $37: Mushroom chocolate aims to aid in nighttime relaxation while also regulating sleep cycles long-term. These chocolates also have added chamomile, L-theanine, magnesium, and zinc, to lessen tension and promote relaxation and stress relief for more immediate results. The idea is that the Reishi will help regulate and promote healthy sleep patterns over time, while the added supplements will aid in helping sleepiness with more immediacy. (Alice’s products are designed for adults and haven’t been extensively tested with children, teens, pregnant people, or those breastfeeding.) Alice’s chocolates are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and kosher, and also come in Brainstorm, to aid in energy and focus, and Happy Ending, for arousal and pleasure.
MoonBrew Hot Cocoa for $45: This powdered drink mix uses a blend of superfoods like Reishi fungi to slowly nurture your body’s natural sleep cycles, rather than an addition like melatonin that aids in immediate help with insomnia. In addition to reishi, the cocoa has other familiar heavy sleep-inducing hitters, like L-theanine; a magnesium blend; and chamomile, lavender, and zinc to promote relaxation and a deeper sleep. It's vegan and sugar- and gluten-free, and can be added to cold or hot water or milk. The cocoa is pretty tasty, but definitely has a more natural taste and crunchy texture than a super-sweet hot cocoa you’d find from a big name like Nestle. I liked it best when combined with warmed oat milk for a before-bed dessert-type drink.
Olly Sleep Gummy for $20: Olly is a super trendy brand whose gummy supplements consistently go viral on social media like TikTok and sell out fast. These are tasty: blackberry flavored with a hint of mint, and they contain 3 milligrams of melatonin; L-theanine, which eases anxiety and promotes a healthy sleep cycle; and botanicals like chamomile, passionflower, and lemon balm extract. (Melatonin is generally considered safe for pregnant people, but a doctor should be consulted.) The first time I took these gummies, I felt the effects and fell asleep easily. I woke up around 2 am and took two more and eventually got back to bed. The next night, after taking two I didn’t feel the sleepy effects as strongly and doubled the dose to four gummies (6 milligrams) and fell asleep after an hour or so but again woke up in the middle of the night and took more. With so many people (both on the internet and in my real life) swearing by these Olly sleep gummies, I expected more.
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