Sleep — Evidence, Not a Blend
Sleep is one of the four things we cover — not a side note to focus, stress or mood, but its own category with its own evidence base. This page is the honest version: what actually has trial support, where our own products fit, and where a supplement isn't the right tool at all.
The gap most people are trying to solve
The CDC reports that roughly a third of US adults don't get the sleep they need. That shows up as knock-on effects for stress, focus and recovery — which is exactly why we treat sleep as core to "everything for your brain," not an add-on category.
Most sleep products respond to that gap with a proprietary blend and a big number on the front of the label. We'd rather tell you what's actually been studied, at what dose, and how confident you should be in it — including the parts where a supplement isn't the strongest tool available. If you want the unranked, unfiltered version of that hierarchy, read Sleep Hygiene Tips vs Real Treatment and CBT-I: The Sleep Treatment With Better Evidence Than Any Supplement first. CBT-I has better outcome data than any ingredient on this page — we say so on our own product pages, too.
Our two sleep products, honestly compared
We sell two different answers to "what should I take before bed," because they trade off differently. Neither is the "upgrade" version of the other.
| Sleep Formula | Sleep Support | |
|---|---|---|
| Label approach | 7 ingredients, every one individually dosed | 14-ingredient botanical blend — full ingredient list, doses rolling out |
| Melatonin | 2mg — a well-tolerated starting dose | 10mg — a higher dose than the studied optimum (~4mg) |
| Best for | Wanting every number on the label known | Wanting the fuller botanical approach |
| Price | $31.90 | $32.90 |
One caution that applies to both: don't take them the same night. Combined, that's 12mg of melatonin — roughly three times the ~4mg dose the research suggests works best. For the full ingredient-by-ingredient walkthrough of each, see Inside Sleep Formula, Inside Sleep Support: An Honest Breakdown, or the direct comparison, Sleep Formula vs. Sleep Support: How to Actually Choose.
What's actually in them, and what the evidence says
- Melatonin — regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Pooled trial data shows the effect on sleep onset peaks around 4mg, which is why Sleep Formula sits at 2mg and Sleep Support's 10mg is a higher dose than the studied optimum. Full dose-response evidence →
- Valerian root — the most-studied sleep herb we use. A 2023 meta-analysis pooling 21 randomized trials (1,433 people) found it meaningfully improved self-reported sleep quality. Full evidence →
- Chamomile — one of the longest controlled trials run on any herbal anxiolytic tested it over 26 weeks in adults with generalized anxiety disorder. Full evidence →
- Passion flower — tested head-to-head against a prescription anti-anxiety medication (oxazepam) over four weeks, with comparable symptom reduction and none of the performance impairment. Full evidence →
- Lemon balm — calming and memory effects were strongest at the top of the studied dose range in dose-response testing. Full evidence →
- L-tryptophan — the amino acid your body converts toward serotonin and melatonin. Full evidence →
- GABA — the exact 100mg dose used in a 2016 EEG trial that shortened time to fall asleep, though whether oral GABA meaningfully crosses the blood-brain barrier is a genuinely debated question. What oral GABA can (and can't) do →
- Magnesium — required for the biochemical reactions that regulate nerve signaling and the body's stress response, which is part of why a wired nervous system keeps people awake. The complete magnesium evidence guide →
Beyond the label: what else actually moves the needle
Supplements are one lever. These cover the rest of what the evidence says matters — including where it disagrees with common advice:
- The Science of Deep Sleep: Separating What Works from What's Marketing
- Caffeine and Sleep: What the Dose-and-Timing Trial Actually Found
- Alcohol and Sleep: What a Nightcap Actually Does to Your Night
- Blue Light Before Bed: How Much of the Advice Is Real?
- The Science of Napping: What Duration Actually Works
- How Much Sleep Do Adults Actually Need?
- Jet Lag and Shift Work: What Actually Resets Your Sleep Clock
- Stress Is Making Your Sleep Worse (and Vice Versa): Breaking the Cycle
- Why Sleep Changes in Your 40s and 50s (and What Actually Helps)
- Perimenopause and Sleep: What's Actually Happening, and What Helps
- Why Sleep Gets Harder in Winter (and What Actually Helps)
- Magnesium and Vivid Dreams: What's Actually Happening
Straight answers
Is 10mg of melatonin too much?
It's above the dose where trials show the strongest effect on sleep onset (~4mg) — not unsafe on its own, but worth a doctor conversation if you're new to melatonin at this dose, and not something to stack with Sleep Formula the same night. Full evidence →
Should I try lifestyle changes before a supplement?
If your sleep problem is ongoing rather than occasional, yes — CBT-I has better outcome evidence than any supplement, including ours, and it's worth knowing that before spending on a bottle. Read the evidence hierarchy →
Which one should I actually buy — Sleep Formula or Sleep Support?
Sleep Formula if you want every ingredient individually dosed and a lower, closer-to-studied-peak melatonin amount. Sleep Support if you want the broader 14-ingredient botanical approach and don't mind that some of those doses are still being disclosed. The full comparison →
Can I take a sleep product with Cognitive Support or Magnesium Glycinate?
Generally yes — see When to Take Cognitive Support, Sleep Formula, and Sleep Support for timing, and Is It Safe to Take Multiple Proco Products Together? for the general rule. Just don't combine Sleep Formula and Sleep Support the same night — see the melatonin note above.
Does anything here interact with medication?
Possibly. St. John's Wort and 5-HTP (both in Sleep Support's blend) can interact with hormonal birth control, blood thinners, antidepressants and anti-rejection medication. If you take any prescription medication, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting either product.
Full transparency, every product
Every batch is third-party tested for identity and purity before it ships, and every ingredient list is shown in full — even on the products where individual milligram amounts are still rolling out. Your first order is covered by a 90-day money-back guarantee: if it's not right for you, contact us within 90 days of delivery, opened or not, and we'll refund it.
Shop Sleep Formula · Shop Sleep Support · Shop the full range
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, especially if you take prescription medication.