Key takeaways
- For chronic insomnia, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-I) is the recommended first step.
- Valerian, lemon balm, passionflower and magnesium have small or inconsistent benefits.
- Herbal blends are rarely tested as blends, so results from single ingredients may not carry over.
Start with the basics
The American College of Physicians recommends cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia as the first treatment for chronic insomnia. Its core is practical: a steady wake time, a wind-down routine, a dark and cool room, and cutting caffeine early. Find your timing with the sleep calculator, see your caffeine at bedtime with the caffeine clock, and measure the gap between weekdays and weekends with the social jetlag tool.
Valerian
A meta-analysis of randomized trials found valerian might improve subjective sleep quality, but the studies were inconsistent and of mixed quality. Treat it as a maybe, not a proven sleep aid.
Lemon balm, passionflower and hops
Evidence is limited to small trials, often using combinations. In a small study, passionflower tea modestly improved self-rated sleep quality over a week. These herbs are traditional calming agents, not tested treatments for insomnia.
Magnesium
A systematic review in older adults found low-quality evidence that magnesium may shorten the time to fall asleep. It is not shown to help people who already get enough magnesium.
Rhodiola for stress
A small randomized trial in people with stress-related fatigue found improvements on some measures versus placebo. The evidence is early and the herb is stimulating for some people, so it may not suit evening use.
Safety
Sedating herbs can cause drowsiness. Avoid driving until you know how you react, avoid mixing them with alcohol or sleep medication, and speak to a doctor if you are pregnant or on medication. If sleep trouble lasts more than a few weeks, see a doctor. Snoring with daytime sleepiness can signal sleep apnea.
A product to consider
NuviaLab Relax
Per the seller’s page, two capsules combine valerian, lemon balm, passionflower, hops, rhodiola, B vitamins and about 100 mg of magnesium.
- The ingredients are traditional calming herbs with some human data.
- The seller’s page lists cautions about drowsiness, driving and alcohol.
Consult your doctor before use, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition or take medication. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Try the related tools
Sleep calculator · Caffeine clock · Social jetlag tool · Recovery score
Sources
- Qaseem A et al. Management of chronic insomnia disorder in adults: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med 2016. Find on PubMed
- Bent S et al. Valerian for sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Med 2006. Find on PubMed
- Ngan A, Conduit R. A double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of the effects of Passiflora incarnata (passionflower) herbal tea on subjective sleep quality. Phytother Res 2011. Find on PubMed
- Mah J, Pitre T. Oral magnesium supplementation for insomnia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Med Ther 2021. Find on PubMed
- Olsson EM et al. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of the standardised extract SHR-5 of Rhodiola rosea in stress-related fatigue. Planta Med 2009. Find on PubMed
Links open a PubMed search for each paper so you can read the abstract and full citation. Always check the original study.