Best Supplements for Sleep
7 evidence-based options for sleep, summarized from the research: what they do, how to dose them, and how they work together.
5-HTP
A direct serotonin precursor for mood and sleep, use with care.
Ashwagandha
An adaptogenic herb for stress and resilience.
Glycine
A calming amino acid for sleep, collagen, and metabolic health.
L-Tryptophan
The dietary precursor to serotonin and melatonin.
Magnesium
A master mineral involved in 300+ enzyme reactions.
Melatonin
The body's own sleep-timing signal.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
The neurotransmitter cofactor behind mood, sleep, and homocysteine metabolism.
Where to buy for sleep
Our top options for this goal. Choose third-party-tested brands in the forms each supplement's page recommends.
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Combinations to know
How these supplements pair with each other and beyond.
5-HTP + Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Vitamin B6 (P5P) is the cofactor that converts 5-HTP into serotonin, so adequate B6 status is needed for it to work.
Glycine + Magnesium
A sleep pairing with a built-in shortcut: magnesium glycinate is magnesium bound to glycine, so that form already delivers both. A standalone 3 g dose before bed (the amount sleep studies used) tops up the glycine, lowering core body temperature while magnesium relaxes muscles and calms the nervous system.
L-Tryptophan + Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
B6 is required to convert 5-HTP into serotonin; taking it with tryptophan is a common mood stack.
5-HTP + L-Tryptophan
5-HTP is the metabolite tryptophan is converted into. It skips the rate-limiting step for a more direct serotonin boost, but stacking the two (or either with SSRIs) raises serotonin-excess risk.
Ashwagandha + Magnesium
Commonly combined for stress relief and better sleep quality.
Glycine + L-Tryptophan
Glycine (inhibitory) and tryptophan-derived serotonin/melatonin work through complementary pathways to support sleep.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best supplements for sleep?
The most-researched options are 5-HTP, Ashwagandha, Glycine, L-Tryptophan, Magnesium, Melatonin, and Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine). Each is summarised with its benefits, typical dosing, and the strength of the evidence behind it.
How were these sleep supplements chosen?
These are the supplements in the Vital Matrix library most commonly used for sleep, graded by the strength of human evidence. See our methodology for how we grade the research.
Can you combine supplements for sleep?
Yes, several pair well. For example, 5-HTP and Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Vitamin B6 (P5P) is the cofactor that converts 5-HTP into serotonin, so adequate B6 status is needed for it to work.