Sleep & Stress

A foundational mineral most people under-consume — strong for correcting inadequacy, modest (not magical) for sleep.

The most well-studied sleep supplement with strong evidence for sleep onset and jet lag — but effective at much lower doses than commonly sold.

An adaptogen with real RCT data for stress and cortisol reduction — not Grade A because trial sizes are small and long-term data is limited.

Active mattress cooling is the rare device with an independent RCT behind it — but the win shows up in how rested you feel, not in objective sleep-stage data.

The simplest amino acid with surprisingly good RCT evidence for improving sleep quality and supporting collagen synthesis.

Real-time heart-rate-variability training for slow breathing — a solid, reproducible signal for anxiety and stress, but a thin and inconsistent case for broader cardiovascular claims.

A sugar alcohol with good RCT evidence for reducing anxiety and panic symptoms at high doses, with additional data for PCOS — but requires gram-level dosing.

A calming amino acid from tea with solid RCT evidence for reducing stress and improving focused attention — without causing drowsiness.

A phospholipid with moderate RCT evidence for cognitive function in older adults and cortisol modulation after exercise — effects in healthy young adults are less established.

One of the few botanicals with head-to-head RCTs against SSRIs — comparable to fluoxetine for mild-to-moderate depression at 30 mg/day, though the trial base is still small and geographically narrow.

A traditional sleep herb where the whole root outperforms the standardized extract most capsules actually contain — and major sleep-medicine guidelines still advise against it for chronic insomnia.

A flavonoid abundant in chamomile with preliminary evidence suggesting mild relaxation and neuroprotective properties, though human data remains thin.

Huge search demand, thin evidence — Cochrane's review of 17 trials found no clear benefit for eye strain and an inconclusive one for sleep.

A conductive mat that connects you to a wall outlet's ground pin, marketed as replicating the health benefits of walking barefoot outdoors — the research is thin and almost entirely produced by the company that sells the theory.

A medicinal mushroom with centuries of traditional use and interesting mechanistic data, but limited rigorous human evidence for immune and sleep claims.

Ring and wrist trackers are reasonably accurate at detecting whether you're asleep, mediocre at detecting which sleep stage you're in, and unproven as a way to actually improve your sleep.