No matter their reasons for needing help falling (and perhaps staying) asleep, a melatonin supplement is one of the preferred go-tos for millions of people every night. But what are the best melatonin supplements?
Melatonin’s popularity means the market is flooded with supplements in every form you can imagine. So, you could probably use some help choosing the best melatonin supplement for you.
In this article, we list the nine best melatonin supplements for improving sleep quality across a variety of categories. Let’s dive in!
At a glance:
Best Melatonin Supplements for Sleep by Category
Best Melatonin Gummies
MELO
We’re proud of our MELO melatonin gummies, which we have introduced to allow fans of our popular MELO melatonin vapes access to a different form of sleep aid. We also offer melatonin powder and patches, all made with the same high-quality formulation that users of our diffusers already love.
Our gummies — among the best-rated melatonin supplements and best melatonin gummies available — come in two delicious flavors: Raspberry and Blackberry.
Intended to complement your body’s natural melatonin production, both varieties contain the same dose of melatonin to help with your sleep-wake cycle: 4 mg per gummy.
Like all MELO products, our melatonin gummies contain only the highest quality ingredients, with natural organic flavoring and lemon balm added to increase deliciousness and effectiveness.
As one of the best melatonin supplements for adults, our MELO gummies are also quite cost-effective, with a bottle of 60 gummies costing just $16.99. You can check out our article How Much do Melatonin Gummies Cost for price comparisons with other products.
Using our recommended dose of two gummies per day at bedtime, each standard bottle of 60 gummies represents a 30-day supply for about 50 cents per day. That’s not bad for a month’s worth of sound sleep!
Shop MELO's melatonin gummies here
Best Melatonin Spray
Onnit Melatonin Instant Mist Liquid Sleep Aid Spray
Onnit makes one of the most popular melatonin sprays on the market, and it's easy to see why. The product is highly rated on Amazon.com, with over 1,000 reviews, many of which praise the product’s ability to help people fall asleep quickly and stay asleep all night.
Melatonin sprays have a couple of advantages over other forms of melatonin.
First, they're very convenient and easy to use. You don't need to take them with water as you would a pill or let them dissolve slowly like an oral tablet. Simply spritz your mouth 30 minutes before bedtime and let the melatonin work its magic.
Because it's a spray, this product is convenient if you wake up in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back asleep. Many users report leaving a bottle of Onnit on their nightstand so they can turn to it without even getting out of bed.
That immediate relief is a big plus when dealing with middle-of-the-night wake-ups. Onnit has a subtle lavender flavor formulation and delivers 3 mg of melatonin per serving.
Shop Onnit Melatonin Instant Mist Liquid Sleep Aid Spray here
Best Melatonin for Kids
Natrol Kids
Natrol is one of the most popular supplement brands on the planet, and its line of melatonin supplements is among our favorites.
These products range from high-potency melatonin — a strawberry-flavored gummy with 10 mg — to timed-release supplements with the power to last. Other options include a melatonin “plus” formulation that combines the hormone with supplements like L-Theanine and award-winning kids melatonin, a 1 mg gummy perfectly formulated for children age four and up.
Natrol has always been known for its commitment to clean ingredients; these gummies are no exception. They’re vegetarian, gelatin-free, and non-GMO, without any artificial flavors, sweeteners, or synthetic dyes.
For its kids' formulation, the company recommends children take one raspberry-flavored gummy 30 minutes before bedtime, which means each bottle of 90 should last for up to three months when used as directed.
Shop Natrol Kids melatonin gummies here
Best Fast-Acting Melatonin
Life Extension Fast-Acting Liquid Melatonin
Of all the forms that melatonin supplements can take, liquid offers the easiest absorbability.
This reality means liquid supplements are often the quickest to produce results. So, it should be no surprise that our pick for the best fast-acting melatonin is a liquid.
Life Extensions Fast-Acting Liquid Melatonin comes in a citrus vanilla flavor and delivers 3 mg of melatonin per milliliter serving — around 20 drops. Each bottle should contain around 60 servings, or two months' worth if used as directed.
While there's no denying that melatonin taken in liquid form is one of the fastest ways to get the hormone into your system, one of the drawbacks of taking a liquid supplement is being less able to measure the dosage accurately.
With Life Extensions’s product, for example, each dose is 20 drops, which is tough to measure if you're dispensing it directly into your mouth.
Shop Life Extension Fast-Acting Liquid Melatonin here
Best Extended Release Melatonin
Nature Made Extended Release
You've probably heard of Nature Made before, as it’s the most recommended vitamin and supplement brand among pharmacists. Melatonin is just one of the company's supplements, and its extended-release version is just one of the brand’s many melatonin options.
Each pill contains 4 mg of melatonin that’s spread through two layers. The first layer dissolves immediately, providing a boost of melatonin in around 15 minutes, while the second layer dissolves over time and helps maintain those increased melatonin levels for about six hours.
This formulation can be helpful for people who have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.
Shop Nature Made Extended Release melatonin here
Best Low-Dose Melatonin
Pure Encapsulations
You'd be hard-pressed to find a lower dose of melatonin than the one you’ll get in this offering from Pure Encapsulations. With just .5 mg of melatonin per capsule, Pure Encapsulations is the perfect choice for anyone who needs a very subtle approach to melatonin supplementation.
We love that Pure Encapsulations products are vegan-friendly, gluten-free, non-GMO, and contain zero artificial ingredients.
Shop Pure Encapsulations melatonin here
Best Non-Gummy Chewable Melatonin
Maxi Health Mel-O-Chew
As mentioned above, the main benefit of melatonin in liquid or spray form is that it can be faster-acting than a pill, which must first dissolve before its constituents can enter your system.
Chewable melatonin offers the same benefits as a faster-acting liquid. Maxi Health furthers this concept in its chewables by including Enzymax, which can further accelerate absorption.
This formulation also puts the Mel-O-Chew in the running for the best, fastest-acting melatonin. But we can’t give any product a win in two categories, so we’re putting these supplements in the best chewable category.
Each berry-flavored tablet contains 3 mg of melatonin, and there are 100 tablets per bottle.
Shop Mel-O-Chew on Amazon.com here
Best Liquid Melatonin
ZzzQuil Pure Zzzs
If you've ever had trouble sleeping, you’ve no doubt heard about the ZzzQuil brand. In addition to the company’s other offerings, it makes a pretty darn effective liquid melatonin that’s gluten-free, lactose-free, and free of sweeteners you want to avoid, like high-fructose corn syrup.
It delivers a mid-range dose of 2 mg of melatonin per serving, along with a blend of chamomile and lavender, often used with melatonin to help promote naturally restful sleep.
You can find Pure Zzzs at most pharmacies and grocery stores, as well as on Amazon.com.
Learn more about ZzzQuil Pure Zzzs melatonin here
Best Melatonin+
Olly Sleep
Olly Sleep gummies are one of — if not the most — popular sleep aid supplements on the market. We're dropping them into this category for their combination of melatonin and other ingredients that work in conjunction to increase effectiveness.
Each serving of two gummies contains 3 mg of melatonin, L-Theanine, and a blend of botanicals like chamomile, passion flower, and lemon balm extract, all prized for their ability to promote relaxation.
These gummies are free of synthetic colors and flavors, are 100% gluten-free, and are available in Blackberry Zen and Strawberry Sunset flavor profiles. You can find Olly Sleep gummies at most pharmacies and grocery stores, as well as on Amazon.com at the link below.
Shop Olly Sleep gummies on Amazon.com here
FAQ
What are the different forms of melatonin supplements?
Melatonin supplements can take many different forms. Here's an overview of the various options.
Tablets and capsules: These are the traditional forms of health supplements, including melatonin. They’re easy to take, as long as you don't have a problem swallowing them, and come in a wide variety of doses.
Capsules will typically contain melatonin in powder or liquid form, while tablets have the advantage of being splittable to create smaller doses, giving you more control over what you are taking.
Liquid melatonin: One of the reasons people sometimes prefer melatonin in liquid form is that it's relatively fast-acting and may be more easily absorbed by your body.
Liquid melatonin is excellent for anyone who has difficulty swallowing pills or wants extreme precision when measuring specific doses — or the convenience of direct dosing under the tongue.
Sublingual tablets: These tablets are designed to dissolve under your tongue. The main benefit of a sublingual tablet over one you swallow is faster absorption.
Sublinguals are designed to be absorbed through your oral mucosa, an area of your mouth filled with blood vessels, allowing the melatonin to bypass your digestive system. This route of administration can lead to faster effects.
Gummies: Gummies are popular with kids and adults because they're a relatively easy way to get melatonin that doesn't require measuring a liquid or swallowing a pill.
Although they're easy to take and often taste great, the one downside is that they can contain added sugars or artificial sweeteners. Always check the label and choose a brand like MELO that’s free of synthetic ingredients.
Sprays: Sprays are simply liquid melatonin with an atomizer attached instead of a dropper. Like melatonin liquids, sprays are absorbed quickly.
They are among the most convenient forms of melatonin for travel because they require no measurements or water to help you swallow a pill or capsule.
Timed-release tablets: These pills are specially formulated to gradually release melatonin throughout the night. They are explicitly designed to help people who have problems falling asleep and staying asleep throughout the night.
As they release their melatonin gradually, they reduce instances of interrupted sleep.
Transdermal patches: Melatonin patches deliver melatonin directly into your bloodstream through your skin over an extended period. Think of them as timed-release tablets that you don’t have to swallow.
Like those tablets, they’re helpful for people who have trouble staying asleep throughout the night because they help your body maintain consistent melatonin levels for hours.
Lozenges: Lozenges are similar to sublingual tablets in that they’re not swallowed but allowed to dissolve slowly in ones mouth. This method of delivery allows for a more gradual absorption of melatonin.
Powders: Melatonin powders need to be mixed into a liquid to be used, which makes them slightly less convenient than some of the other options on our list. Still, many prefer powder because it offers extreme dosing flexibility, much like liquids and sprays.
Chewable tablets: These pills are very similar to regular melatonin tablets, with the only difference being that they have added flavorings and a softer consistency, which makes them easily chewable. This formulation makes these tablets a good option for people who have trouble swallowing pills.
Combination supplements: Some manufacturers will combine melatonin with other supplements that can work in conjunction to help you sleep.
For example, it's not uncommon to see ingredients like magnesium, L-Theanine, or herbal extracts like chamomile or lavender alongside melatonin in some supplements.
Combination supplements can come in any of the forms mentioned above and are often preferred by people who want the convenience of multiple supplements in one dose.
Do melatonin supplements actually work for sleep?
While you shouldn’t use words like “always” and “never” when discussing anything involving sleep medicine or dietary supplements, we can say that melatonin supplements are extremely popular as a sleep aid.
Most evidence supports their efficacy and their ability to help you fall asleep.
Melatonin has been studied and proven beneficial for sleep problems that result from disruptions like jet lag because melatonin can help reset your body's internal clock. It’s useful when people have shift work because it can help them deal with irregular hours and an intermittent sleep schedule.
Supplementation is also recommended for age-related insomnia because a person’s ability to produce melatonin naturally decreases with age. Melatonin supplements can be particularly effective for older adults for this very reason.
With all that being said, certain factors can affect how well melatonin supplements will work for you. Two more common factors determining how effective they’ll be include the dosage you're taking and the cause of your sleep issues.
Some sleep problems may be indicative of more severe sleep disorders. If your sleep issues have been a problem for a long time, you may need additional help.
Your individual physiology is also a factor, as no two people are exactly alike or should be expected to react to any supplement similarly.
Are melatonin supplements safe, and what are the potential side effects?
Yes, taking melatonin supplements is generally considered safe if used in the short term. However, as with any supplement, taking melatonin can have potential side effects for certain people and can come with a few risks, although these are generally pretty rare.
Because melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone your body already produces, it's generally considered safe and non-habit-forming. It's also pretty unlikely that you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop taking it.
Still, some potential side effects from taking melatonin supplements may include daytime grogginess or drowsiness, headaches, dizziness, vivid dreams or nightmares, and, of course, a risk of allergic reactions.
Finally, it's always a good idea to check with your doctor before you start taking any supplement — melatonin included — because there’s at least a minor risk of interactions with some medications, including blood thinners, diabetes medication, immunosuppressants, and seizure medication.
Also, keep in mind that if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, it's best not to take any supplements until you check with your doctor.
What are alternatives to melatonin supplements for sleep?
Alternatives to melatonin supplements generally fall into one of five categories — lifestyle changes, other natural supplements, other therapies, over-the-counter medications, and prescription medications. Let's go over these briefly.
Lifestyle changes: Lifestyle changes involve habits like practicing good sleep hygiene, which entails establishing a consistent sleep schedule and creating a consistent and relaxing bedtime routine.
You should focus on caring for your mind and body by getting enough physical exercise, reducing stress through meditation or breath work, and watching your diet to avoid substances like caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime.
Other natural supplements: People take many different supplements in conjunction with, or instead of, melatonin.
These include herbs like valerian, chamomile, and lavender; minerals like magnesium; and amino acids like glycine and L-Theanine, all of which can help you relax and contribute to better sleep.
Other therapies: This category includes seeking sessions with a therapist to help with insomnia, alternative treatments like acupuncture or light therapy, or simply using devices like light boxes to help reset your circadian rhythm.
Over-the-counter medications: You can try antihistamines like Benadryl or Unisom, which offer drowsiness as a side effect. These solutions are not recommended for long-term use and should be used cautiously because of potential side effects.
Prescription medication: Finally, there are prescription medications like Ambien. These can be effective but also have significant side effects.
Since you need to get these medications from a doctor anyway, you'll need to discuss whether or not prescription meds are right for you.
There’s a Form of Melatonin that’s Right for You!
From fast-acting liquid formulas to extended-release tablets and chewable gummies, there’s no shortage of options for melatonin supplements. They’re widely available — see our article on where to buy melatonin gummies to learn where.
We hope the guide above gives you some idea about which might be right for you. We are, of course, partial to our own MELO gummies, as we’ve put in the work to make them some of the best on the market. Give them a try, and let us know how it goes!
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