Sleep

Evidence-graded research on sleep and insomnia — melatonin, magnesium and other sleep supplements assessed by the real strength of the primary evidence.

Ashwagandha: The Real Evidence for Stress and Cortisol — Plus the Liver Risk Nobody’s Talking About

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Key takeaways Strongest evidence: 300–600 mg/day of standardized root extract for 8 weeks lowers perceived stress and cortisol in adults with self-reported stress, based on a 2025 meta-analysis of 15 randomized trials in 873 people (Bachour et al. 2025, BJPsych Open). Cortisol reduction is more consistently replicated than “less stress” — a separate 2025 review … Read more

Sleep: Supplements That Work vs Popular Ones With No Evidence

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Key takeaways Melatonin is the only sleep supplement with strong evidence — but specifically for jet lag and circadian phase shift, not chronic insomnia (Cochrane review). A JAMA analysis found melatonin gummies’ actual content varied widely from label claims, and some products contained undisclosed CBD — a quality problem, not just an efficacy one. Magnesium … Read more

Sleep: Prevention and Management — The Complete Evidence-Based Guide

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Key takeaways CBT-I (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia) is the guideline-recommended first-line treatment for chronic insomnia — not medication or sleep hygiene alone (ACP guideline; AASM behavioral guideline). A meta-analysis of 20 RCTs (1,162 participants) found multimodal CBT-I cut sleep-onset latency by ~19 minutes and wake-after-sleep-onset by ~26 minutes (Annals of Internal Medicine). Sleep hygiene … Read more

L-Theanine: Calm Focus, the Caffeine Stack, and Anxiety Evidence

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Key takeaways Best-supported use: pairing 100–200 mg L-theanine with caffeine (50–100 mg) to reduce jitter and improve sustained attention on cognitive tasks — multiple RCTs and one systematic review support the combination effect (Nutritional Neuroscience, Camfield 2014). For acute situational stress and anxiety, small RCTs (200–400 mg) show reductions in self-rated stress and salivary cortisol … Read more

Magnesium: Glycinate vs Citrate vs Oxide — Every Form Compared

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Key takeaways Strongest evidence: correcting low dietary intake, migraine prevention (300–600 mg daily under medical supervision), and modest blood-pressure reduction — with meta-analyses supporting a systolic drop of ~2 mmHg (Cochrane, Journal of Human Hypertension). For sleep, anxiety, muscle cramps, depression, diabetes, and bone health, evidence is mixed to weak — a systematic review found … Read more

Melatonin: Sleep Timing, Doses, and What the Evidence Shows

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Key takeaways Melatonin is a timing signal, not a sedative — strongest evidence is for jet lag (Cochrane: 8 of 10 trials showed benefit; 0.5–5 mg equally effective, higher doses not better) and delayed sleep-wake phase disorder. For chronic adult insomnia, AASM explicitly recommends against it — the recommendation is graded weak based on small … Read more