I’m In Desperate Need of Sleep, So I Tried Two Popular Sleep Supplements — Here’s How They Worked

What I Tested…

• Lemme Sleep Gummies ($30, Ulta)

• Ritual Sleep BioSeries™ Melatonin ($28, Ritual)

Why I Tested...

How I Tested…

I used each supplement separately for a minimum of two weeks before bed. I took note of how long it took me to fall asleep, how many hours of sleep I logged, how I felt waking up in the morning, and my overall sleep quality. 

Test Results…

• Lemme Sleep Gummies: I liked the look of the formula, a combination of magnesium, melatonin, L-Theanine, chamomile, and lavender — botanical ingredients that’ve long been used as natural sleep aids. (Many of these ingredients are present in Moon Juice Magnesi-Om, the most effective sleep supplement I’ve tried to date.) The first night I tried these, I took the recommended two gummies. The gummies didn’t knock me out as quickly as I wanted, but I did ultimately fall into a deep sleep and I didn’t wake up in the middle of the night like I usually do. That said, I felt super groggy and disoriented in the morning, and I couldn’t shake that feeling all day. The next time I tested, I had just one gummy, which was completely ineffective for me (womp). Overall, I’ve had mixed results with these. That said, I love the portable aspect — I keep these on my bedside table, and I can just pop one if I'm up in the middle of the night.

• Ritual Sleep BioSeries™ Melatonin: These capsules use a special technology that steadily releases melatonin throughout the night, so you’ll fall asleep and stay that way. These did work to knock me out in record time, and I fell into a super-deep sleep without waking up for a solid eight hours — but I also experienced absolutely wild, vivid dreams. This is likely a side effect of increased REM sleep rather than melatonin, per se. These also make me feel a little off in the morning, so generally I reserve these for when I’m in desperate need of sleep and I can get away with non-optimal functionality the next morning. As is often the case for me, the effectiveness of these capsules lessened over time as my body became accustomed to them, but overall, these have a more reliable track record than the Lemme gummies.

Sidenotes…

• Lemme Sleep Gummies: These get bonus points for a vegan, sugar-free formula that tastes amazing — it’s a concentrated berry flavor that tastes natural and just sweet enough. I also like the Lemme Chill gummies to help me unwind in the evenings. 

• Ritual Sleep BioSeries™ Melatonin: These are pretty big capsules, so beware if you hate swallowing pills. That said, you can crack them open and take each small tablet one at a time (there are three inside each capsule). This also allows you to take a smaller dose if you’d like.   

The Fine Details…

• Shop Lemme Sleep gummies at Ulta, Target, and Amazon for $30

• Ritual Sleep BioSeries™ Melatonin, $28

For more help falling (and staying) asleep, click here.