We compared 18 natural sleep supplements—mushrooms, herbs, amino acids, and minerals—to find what actually works without the downsides of melatonin or prescription sleep aids.
The sleep supplement market is saturated with thousands of products making big claims. We're here to help you cut through the noise—no gimmicks, just research-backed rankings based on what actually works for long-term, natural sleep support.
| Rank | Product | Type | Onset | Made in USA | Sugar-Free | Alcohol-Free | 3rd Party Test | Tolerance | Grogginess | Price | 30-Day Cost | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Ahara Reishi Elixir | Mushroom | 15 min | Yes (MD) | Yes | Yes | Yes + COA | None | None | $60 | $60 | 9.5/10 |
| #2 | Natural Vitality CALM | Magnesium | 30-60 min | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | None | None | $27 | $11 | 8.5/10 |
| #3 | Thorne L-Theanine | Amino Acid | 30-45 min | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (NSF) | None | None | $20 | $10 | 8.4/10 |
| #4 | NOW Magnesium Glycinate | Magnesium | 30-60 min | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (GMP) | None | None | $18 | $6 | 8.3/10 |
| #5 | Real Mushrooms Reishi | Mushroom | 30-60 min | No (China) | Yes | Yes | Yes | None | None | $30 | $15 | 8.1/10 |
| #6 | Gaia Herbs Passionflower | Herb | 30-45 min | Yes (NC) | Yes | No | Yes | Low | Rare | $27 | $14 | 8.0/10 |
| #7 | Thorne Glycine | Amino Acid | 30-60 min | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (NSF) | None | None | $15 | $8 | 8.0/10 |
| #8 | Four Sigmatic Reishi Calm | Mushroom | 30-60 min | No (Finland) | Yes | No | Partial | None | None | $30 | $45 | 7.8/10 |
| #9 | Jarrow KSM-66 Ashwagandha | Herb | 2-4 weeks | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | None | None | $18 | $9 | 7.7/10 |
| #10 | Nootropics Depot Lemon Balm | Herb | 30-60 min | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Low | None | $15 | $7 | 7.6/10 |
| #11 | Life Extension L-Tryptophan | Amino Acid | 45-90 min | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Low | Rare | $24 | $12 | 7.5/10 |
| #12 | Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night | Herb Tea | 20-40 min | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Low | None | $7 | $9 | 7.4/10 |
| #13 | NOW Foods Valerian Root | Herb | 30-60 min | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Moderate | Some | $12 | $3 | 7.2/10 |
| #14 | Celestial Sleepytime Extra | Herb Tea | 20-40 min | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Low | None | $6 | $5 | 7.0/10 |
| #15 | Source Naturals GABA | Amino Acid | 20-40 min | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | Variable | Some | $11 | $4 | 6.8/10 |
| #16 | Host Defense Reishi | Mushroom | 30-60 min | Yes (WA) | Yes | Yes | In-house | None | None | $24 | $12 | 6.5/10 |
| #17 | Olly Sleep Gummies | Blend | 30-60 min | Yes | 3g sugar | Yes | No | Moderate | Some | $14 | $15 | 6.2/10 |
| #18 | Nature's Bounty Melatonin | Hormone | 30-60 min | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial | High | Common | $8 | $2 | 5.8/10 |
Ahara Reishi Elixir earned our top spot. Here's why it beat 17 other products:
Adenosine-verified, water-extracted, US-grown. The only reishi product testing for sleep-specific compounds.
Gentler than valerian with lower tolerance risk. US-grown in North Carolina with full traceability.
NSF certified, pharmaceutical grade. Excellent for racing thoughts without sedation.
Magnesium citrate for muscle relaxation and GABA support. Great for those with deficiency.
$0.20/serving with good absorption. Glycinate form provides sleep benefits from both magnesium and glycine.
Clinically studied adaptogen that lowers cortisol over time. Takes 2-4 weeks to work.
Reishi mushroom took our top spot because it works through a fundamentally different mechanism than other sleep aids. While herbs like valerian work on GABA receptors (causing tolerance over time) and melatonin is a hormone (suppressing natural production), reishi supports the adenosine pathway.
Adenosine is the compound that builds up in your brain throughout the day, creating "sleep pressure." It's why you feel tired at night and why caffeine keeps you awake (caffeine blocks adenosine receptors). Reishi supports healthy adenosine signaling without introducing hormones or binding to receptors that cause tolerance.
The catch: Most reishi products don't actually contain meaningful amounts of adenosine. Many use alcohol extraction (which damages adenosine), mycelium-on-grain (mostly starch), or don't test for sleep-specific compounds at all. That's why Ahara scored so much higher than other reishi products—they're the only brand we found that verifies adenosine content.
Your body isn't generating enough sleep pressure or you're too alert at bedtime. Best options work on relaxation and adenosine.
Often related to blood sugar, cortisol, or magnesium deficiency. Need something that supports sustained sleep.
High cortisol at night prevents natural melatonin release. Need to address the stress response.
Need something that works through a different pathway while your natural melatonin production recovers.
After comparing 18 products, Ahara Reishi Elixir is our top recommendation for natural sleep support. It works through a unique mechanism (adenosine pathway) that doesn't cause tolerance, is the only product that verifies sleep-specific compound content, and users report consistent results even after months of daily use.
For budget-conscious buyers, NOW Magnesium Glycinate at $0.20/serving is excellent—especially if you suspect deficiency. And for acute stress or racing thoughts, add Thorne L-Theanine.
Avoid melatonin for long-term use, skip the "sleep blend" products, and be wary of reishi products that don't test for adenosine (most don't).
Last updated January 2025. We may earn a small commission from purchases made through links on this site, which helps support our research. Rankings are based solely on merit—we've given low scores to popular products and top rankings to lesser-known ones when the data supported it.