The best sleep supplements 2018 has to offer supply natural ingredients to improve sleep and regeneration in several ways. In addition, they feature clean delivery forms and patented, research-backed ingredients that can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. This guide covers the Best 5.
Table of Contents
Quick List: Best Sleep Supplements – 2018 Edition
| #1. Performance Lab Sleep – Clean, clinical formula designed to induce relaxation, trigger sleep and extend regenerative sleep phases. Performance Lab website |
| #2. Zyflamend Nighttime – Several sleep herbs in one stack; extra support for soothing joint aches that interfere with sleep. Zyflamend Nighttime Website |
| #3. EVLUTION SLEEPMODE – Nighttime Repair and Recovery Formula for active people who train in the gym. EVLNUTRITION website |
| #4. MHP RECOVERY PM – Adaptogenic sleep aid, mostly for bodybuilders; oriented for muscle recovery during sleep. www.mhpstrong.com |
| #5. Olympian Labs Melatonin Fast Dissolve – Fast-dissolve fruit punch-flavored tablet supplies 5 mg melatonin; straightforward sleep aid. Olympian Labs website |
Or, read on to learn about the state of our sleep (and top ranked sleep aids we recommend) in 2018.
Sleep Supplements 2018 Developments
If you are having trouble falling asleep in 2018, you are not alone. Right now, about 60 million Americans suffer from sleep problems.
Poor quality sleep can have a much bigger impact than you might realize. First off, bad sleep habits are bad for various aspects of health.
Further, insufficient sleep can drag down virtually every aspect of your daily performance:
From US CDC’s “Effect of Short Sleep on Daily Activities,” this chart reflects how people with fewer than 7 hours of sleep have more trouble with concentration, memory and other activities.
For these reasons, simply getting a better night’s sleep can have a huge impact on your overall well-being. This is the major trend we are seeing in the best sleep supplements of 2018:
Natural sleep formulas can give you more than just a good night’s sleep.
And so we see formulas that strive to unlock the full potential of healthy sleep patterns over time, including benefits for:
Cognitive function: Sleep can help you to think more clearly in the daytime, directly improving:
- Mental clarity
- Processing
- Memory
- Focus
- Attention
- Mood
Physical performance: Sleep is key for several aspects of muscle and strength, including:
- connective tissue repair
- Increasing testosterone
- Anabolic muscle growth
- Energy restoration
Due to widespread sleep problems and crucial benefits of healthy sleep, many people resort to synthetic sleeping pills to ameliorate insomnia. However, synthetics may have harmful side effects, especially during long term use.
Natural sleep aids offer natural alternatives to help you sleep better and regain your health. In fact, the effects of natural sleep aids are even comparable to the effects of synthetic sleeping pills.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular and beneficial natural sleep aid ingredient sin 2018.
Sleep supplements may be customized for more anabolic growth after strength training, functioning like a hybrid post-workout formula.
Ingredients to look for in 2018 Sleep Supplements
There are numerous ingredients which work as sleep aids. Most of these ingredients are natural sedatives which are derived from plants.
However, there are some ingredients which work better than others. Here are some ingredients that you have to look for in 2018 in the most effective natural sleep formulas:
L-Tryptophan
L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid in your body. As a sleep aid:
L-Tryptophan is a precursor for serotonin. It also helps the body use melatonin. Both are neurotransmitters for regulating sleep.
This natural sleep aid appears to have two big advantages over synthetics:
- Researchers have suggested that L-Tryptophan — unlike synthetic sleeping pills — does not leave you groggy the next morning.
- It also helps with mood balance and relaxation in the daytime, leaving you more ready to fall asleep at the end of the day.
TryptoPure® is an example of one of the top brands of Tryptophan. It is a reliable, high-quality Tryptophan form that is good to keep an eye out for in sleep supplements.
Melatonin
Melatonin is the hormone responsible for the circadian rhythm which is simply our sleep patterns. It induces sleep when it gets dark to prepare your body for sleep. Then, its levels get lower in the morning so you’ll wake up feeling energized.
However, melatonin levels can easily get disrupted. Melatonin levels are often very low in the elderly and in people who work at night. People who are very anxious or stressed often have low levels of melatonin, too. That is why melatonin has to be supplemented in these cases to help improve sleep quality.
Natural melatonin — like the cherry we’re about to discuss — is preferred by people in 2018 who are avoiding synthetics in their lifestyle. Most sleep supplements use synthetic melatonin, however.
Tart Cherry (Prunus cerasus)
Montmorency variety of tart cherries are hot in 2018 because they are the best natural food source of melatonin. By Pancrat [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0 ], from Wikimedia Commons
In fact, the Montmorency type of tart cherry is regarded as the richest source of melatonin in our food supply.
Even though research regarding tart cherry is still in its early stages, the presence of melatonin and tryptophan in this extract is enough to promote good sleep.
Tart cherry also has a bonus benefit as a natural sleep aid: Its antioxidants have anti-inflammatory benefits that can help to soothe sore muscles, joints and connective tissues.
This is another reason why cherries are great for sleep:
Cherries’ melatonin helps you fall asleep, while their joint-and-muscle soothing activity helps you to stay asleep (especially if you are a gym buff, bodybuilder or active 55+)
However, tart cherry is an allergen for some people, so make sure you’re not allergic to this ingredient before taking any sleep aid containing tart cherry.
Chamomile
You probably know it for its reputation as a soothing and relaxing teeth before bedtime. Those same soothing benefits can be achieved by taking chamomile in a supplement form, as a capsule or otherwise. This herb works by promoting the brain chemical GABA and helping to keep it active for a longer time. GABA is known for its relaxing benefits, and helps to prepare the mind for sleep.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential mineral for optimum health. It is a popular nutrient among athletes and bodybuilders who aim to boost their muscle mass and strength. But did you also know it can help sleep in a lot of different ways?
Specifically, Magnesium has a relaxing effect on the body. It helps the nervous system to calm down at the end of a rough day, and encourages muscles to loosen up and relax.
- This “nerve-settling” activity is why magnesium is one of the few natural supplements that is suggested in clinical research to help with the sleep-disruptive Restless Leg Syndrome.
Magnesium’s overall effect is to help with sleep onset and reduce the number of times you wake up at night. Keep in mind though, it can be hard to absorb — so look for a highly absorbable form in whatever sleep supplement you take.
Lemon balm
This traditional herb has also been used as a brewed tea, and long been prized for its ability to help calm agitated moods. This mood-balancing activity has led to a long-standing use of lemon balm as a traditional herbal sleep aid. It has been suggested in research to help promote healthy, restful sleep by reducing symptoms of anxiety.
Hops
Hops is a traditional herb used for relaxation (and beer). By Hagen Graebner [CC BY-SA 2.5 ], via Wikimedia Commons
Yes, this refers to the same herb that is used to make beer. As a traditional herb, hops has a long history of helping with a wide range of problems related to tension, insomnia and mood.
Today, in supplement form, hops can provide deeply relaxing sensations and calming effects that help to encourage the onset of sleep.
Some research suggests hops might be more effective when combined with our next sleep herb to look for in 2018, valerian.
Valerian
Perhaps the most well-known traditional herb for sleep, Valerian is a European tonic used in folk practices to help with restlessness and poor quality sleep.
Like some of the other sleep-supportive botanicals, Valerian might work by helping to increase and sustain blood levels of the calming brain chemical GABA.
Valerian has been suggested in several studies to enhance sleep quality in human study subjects.
L-Theanine
L-Theanine is the main psychoactive ingredient found in tea. It is actually quite popular as a nootropic because of its ability to induce relaxed alertness. Since L-Theanine is able to induce relaxation, it is an ideal sleep aid, too.
It might work as a sleep aid because it is able to promote GABA activity and reduce the activity of excitatory neurons. In addition, L-Theanine is also able to reduce stress and anxiety by promoting calmness and relaxation in the mind.
ZMA (Zinc, Magnesium, & Vitamin B6)
ZMA is a trio of essential nutrients for your body. This ingredient combination is known to promote anabolism, boost testosterone and improve sleep.
ZMA is beneficial for athletes and bodybuilders because it prevents muscle catabolism as you sleep, so you can continuously grow your muscles while you’re sleeping.
In addition, ZMA provides essential nutrients to support your overall health. As a sleep aid, ZMA is able to improve sleep and muscle recovery at the same time.
Top Sleep Supplement Features to Look For in 2018
Sleep supplements must be clean, safe, effective, healthy, non-addictive and non-habit forming. The reason why sleep aids are better than synthetic sleeping pills is because of the natural formula which lacks harmful side effects. In addition, some of the natural sleep aids are even beneficial for your health.
How Best 5 Supplements Rates and Ranks the Best 5 Sleep Supplements for 2018
For general information on purchasing high-quality supplements, please check out the Best 5 How to Buy a Good Supplement guide. In terms of the Best 5 Sleep Supplements for 2018 in particular, here are the criteria we used in our ratings:
- Combinations – Stack ingredients that provide a synergistic effect to aid in sleep and recovery.
- Healthy – Superior sleep aids must not form either dependency or addiction. Sleep aids must only promote healthy sleep and recovery.
- Quality – Premium ingredient forms which are safe and easy to absorb. Delivery systems which are clean, natural and fast-acting.
- Research – Clinical trials which show safety, tolerability and efficacy of the individual ingredients.
- Service – Good return policy, shipping, and responsive customer support.
- Value – Formulas that really work, so you get a return on your sleep supplement investment
- Cleanliness – Vegan and free from fillers, artificial colors, synthetics or preservatives.
Best 5 Supplements also take into account which companies have a strong online presence, positive reviews and a good reputation. These manufacturers tend to stand behind their products and give you strong customer support all the way.
Best Sleep Supplements 2018 Edition
#1: Performance Lab Sleep
This clinical, cutting edge stack takes sleep support to a cellular level. It helps you fall asleep, helps you stay asleep, and extends sleep phases where your mind and body recover. The idea is, by targeting these sleep phases you can wake up not only refreshed, but new and improved, every morning. This is a rejuvenating sleep stack with the cleanest label in the category. Performance Lab Sleep’s advanced approach delivers results you can really feel when you wake up. As they say, it makes you “primed to perform.”
Performance Lab Sleep Summary |
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| Ingredients: Magnesium (three forms, inc. BioGenesis™) 100 mg, Montmorency Tart Cherry (as CherryPURE®) 500 mg, L-Tryptophan (as TryptoPure®) 250 mg | ||
| Clean Label: Yes. Other ingredients are all vegan such as Plantcaps® Capsule and NuFlow® Rice Concentrate. | ||
| Advanced Delivery: Yes. Plantcaps® Capsule and NuFlow® Rice Concentrate. | ||
| Stimulant Free: Yes | ||
| Price: $40 per box, 1 month supply | ||
| Any Deals? Yes. Multi-box savings: $76 for 2 boxes, $108 for 3 Boxes. | ||
| Service: You can try Performance Lab® product for a full 30 days. You can visit their Shipping and Returns page for more details. Performance Lab®’s Expert customer service is available to answer your questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can get in touch with Performance Lab® customer service here. | ||
| Official Website: www.performancelab.com | ||
| Read our in-depth Performance Lab Sleep review | ||
#2: Zyflamend Nighttime
Made by New Chapter, this sleep supplement blends the best traditional herbs for sleep, along with additional herbs that provide stress-fighting activity and soothing support for inflammation. Zyflamend Nighttime lands on our Best of 2018 list because it uses modern stacking strategies in combination with time-tested sleep botanicals for the most powerful natural sleep support you can imagine.
Zyflamend Nighttime Summary |
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| Ingredients: holy basil 150 mg, tumor at 100 mg, Chinese skullcap 100 mg, lemon balm 85 mg, chamomile 75 mg, hop 75 mg, ginger 75 mg, Valerian 40 mg. | ||
| Clean Label: absolutely. The only other ingredients are natural by design, like extra-virgin olive oil, organic yellow beeswax, and a cellulose capsule. | ||
| Advanced Delivery: yes, vegetarian capsules, non-GMO verified. | ||
| Price: $29.80 for 30 servings. | ||
| Any Deals? Special offer of free shipping when you buy it from the manufacturers website. It also has an option to save 15% when you subscribe. | ||
| Service: the manufacturer does not offer much in terms of service, because they refer you to the retailer where you bought the product. | ||
| Official Website: www.newchapter.com | ||
| Read our in-depth Zyflamend Nighttime review | ||
#3: EVLUTION SLEEPMODE
This brand known for their sports nutrition formulas has produced a great sleep supplement with SLEEPMODE. It combines some effective traditional herbs for sleep along with neurotransmitter support. Plus, it supplies a good dose of l-theanine which then increases the activity of alpha brain waves that are associated with relaxation and research-backed sleep benefits. The forms and delivery aren’t advanced in EVLUTION SLEEPMODE, but the stacking strategy sure is. This formula will knock you out.
EVLUTION SLEEPMODE Summary |
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| Ingredients: L-Theanine 200 mg, Valerian 150 mg, chamomile 150 mg, L-tryptophan 100 mg, passionflower extract 100 mg, lemon balm extract 100 mg, hop extract 100 mg, GABA 100 mg, melatonin powder 5.5 mg | ||
| Clean Label: Mostly. Other ingredients include: Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide. | ||
| Advanced Delivery: No. Plain gelatin capsule. | ||
| Stimulant Free: Yes | ||
| Price: $14.99 per bottle, 30-Day Supply | ||
| Any Deals? None. | ||
| Service: All sales are final. EVLUTIONNUTRITION accepts returns for refund or exchange, for items damaged in transit. You may email EVLUTIONNUTRITION at [email protected]. | ||
| Official Website: www.evlnutrition.com | ||
| Read our in-depth EVLUTION SLEEPMODE review | ||
#4: MHP RECOVERY PM
MHP RECOVERY PM offers versatile components to help you sleep and recover better. In addition, MHP RECOVERY PM is also a able to fight stress with its adaptogenic ingredients. You can enhance your overall health with MHP RECOVERY PM because of its ability to lower cortisol as you sleep. If you are an active person, you probably need MHP RECOVERY PM because it is an all-in-one sleep and recovery formula for active people. This formula provides ZMA, cherry, valerian, Hops… some of the best sleep nutrients in one product.
MHP RECOVERY PM Summary |
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| Ingredients: Vitamin B6 2 mg, Magnesium 100 mg, Zinc 15 mg, CherryPURE® Tart Cherry 480 mg, Anti-Catabolic BCKA Complex 250 mg, Sensoril® Ashwagandha 125 mg, Valerian 200 mg, GABA 150 mg, L-Theanine 100 mg, 5-HTP 25 mg, Hops 25 mg, Melatonin 5 mg | ||
| Clean Label: No. Other ingredients include: Hypromellose, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide. | ||
| Advanced Delivery: No. Plain gelatin capsule. | ||
| Price: $26.49 per bottle, 30-Day Supply | ||
| Any Deals? None. | ||
| Service: MHP strong return and refund policy can be found here. If you have further questions regarding MHP strong products you can email them at [email protected]. | ||
| Official Website: www.mhpstrong.com | ||
| Read our in-depth MHP RECOVERY PM review | ||
#5: Olympian Labs Melatonin Fast Dissolve
Sometimes you don’t want a complicated stack of sleep nutrients. Instead, you just want melatonin. If this is what you’re looking for, then Olympian Labs Melatonin Fast Dissolve is a good product for you. It is straightforward: only one ingredient (melatonin), at a balanced 5 mg dose. What makes it especially good is a pleasant fruit punch flavor and melt-under-your-tongue delivery that works fast.
Olympian Labs Melatonin Fast Dissolve Summary |
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| Ingredients: Melatonin 5 mg | ||
| Clean Label: No. Other ingredients include: Xylitol, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Beet Root Powder, Salt, Fruit Punch Flavor, Ascorbic Acid, Silicon Dioxide, Stearic acid (Vegetable Grade), Magnesium Stearate. | ||
| Advanced Delivery: Yes, fast-dissolve tablet delivery | ||
| Price: $8.99 per bottle, 60-Day Supply | ||
| Any Deals? None. | ||
| Service: You can return un-opened products within thirty (30) days of purchase. Refunds for unopened items will be issued via your original form of payment. You may contact Olympian Labs here. | ||
| Official Website: www.olympianlabs.com | ||
| Read our in-depth Olympian Labs Melatonin Fast Dissolve review | ||
Conclusion
In 2018, there are more effective natural sleep supplements on the market than ever before. They are addressing sleep in new ways, and enhancing specific aspects of sleep to produce specific benefits. These can include anabolic growth, mental recovery, joint soothing and more.
Natural sleep supplements are also valuable in 2018 because they can help regulate sleep patterns without dependency, grogginess, or other unpleasant side effects.
This Best Sleep Supplements 2018 Edition guide presents 5 of the best formulas you can take for a great night’s rest. Any one of these supplements will help you to sleep better. But be sure to check out our full reviews of sleep supplements to figure out which one is best for your exact needs.
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