The sleep stack, minus the hype

The core sleep stack

Foundation + add-on + optional. Evidence grade on each line; doses are the ones used in trials.

1. 01

   Magnesium bisglycinate (glycinate)

   Evidence B · moderate

   200–400 mg elemental magnesium, 30–60 minutes before bed. Supports a calm nervous system and muscle relaxation at night. The foundation: cheap, well studied, gentle on the gut in this form.

   What the research shows: A 2025 randomized trial in 155 adults reporting poor sleep found 250 mg/day of elemental magnesium as bisglycinate lowered insomnia-severity scores a little more than placebo at 4 weeks (−3.9 vs −2.3 points). Older trials in older adults point the same way; effects are modest and largest in people who run low. (PMID 40918053, PMID 33865376, PMID 23853635)

   • Stay at or under 350 mg/day of supplemental magnesium unless a clinician says otherwise (the US upper limit for supplements); food magnesium does not count toward it.
   • Kidney disease: ask first. Magnesium can build up when kidneys clear it poorly.
   • Separate from levothyroxine, tetracycline/quinolone antibiotics and bisphosphonates by at least 2–4 hours.

   Our pick · Supersmart

   Supersmart Magnesium Bisglycinate (TRAACS)

   4 capsules: 3,000 mg Albion TRAACS magnesium bisglycinate = 300 mg elemental magnesium, no magnesium oxide

   $39 · 120 capsules (30 servings) · price checked Oct 8, 2026 on Supersmart’s site

   View at SupersmartPaid link

   One-time

   $39

   Subscription

   $33.15

   Subscribe & Save 15%

   15% off with code SMART026

   Enter code SMART026 at checkout on us.supersmart.com.

   Code SMART026

   Get 15% off with SMART026

   • Supersmart’s own terms and exclusions apply at checkout.
   • 20% applies when 3 or more products ship on auto-delivery to the same address.
   • The code discount and Subscribe & Save are separate offers; we don’t claim they combine.
   • Offer terms from Supersmart’s site and its affiliate program, checked Oct 8, 2026. Offers can change; the brand's checkout is final.
2. 02

   L-theanine

   Evidence B · moderate

   200 mg, with the magnesium, 30–60 minutes before bed. Supports a quieter mind at bedtime without sedation. Useful when the problem is racing thoughts rather than heat.

   What the research shows: A 2025 meta-analysis of randomized trials found L-theanine modestly improved self-rated sleep outcomes. Doses in the trials were mostly 200–400 mg. (PMID 40056718, PMID 31623400)

   • Generally well tolerated. It can add to the effect of blood-pressure medicines and sedatives; check if you take them.

   What to look for on the label

   L-theanine (Suntheanine or plain L-theanine), 100–200 mg per capsule.

   We only name brands we have vetted and work with; a specific pick will appear here once one is approved.

3. 03

   Glycine

   Evidence C · limited

   3 g (range 2–5 g), at bedtime. Supports the evening drop in core body temperature that comes before deep sleep, and next-day alertness after short nights.

   What the research shows: Small Japanese trials used 3 g before bed: after three nights of restricted sleep, glycine reduced next-day fatigue and improved a vigilance test. Animal work points to a core-temperature mechanism. Promising, but the human trials are small. (PMID 22529837, PMID 25533534)

   • Well tolerated at 3 g. People taking clozapine should not add glycine without their prescriber.

   Our pick · Supersmart

   Supersmart Glycine Powder

   Half scoop: 2.5 g pure glycine, no excipients

   $22 · 180 g (72 servings of 2.5 g) · price checked Oct 8, 2026 on Supersmart’s site

   View at SupersmartPaid link

   One-time

   $22

   Subscription

   $18.70

   Subscribe & Save 15%

   15% off with code SMART026

   Enter code SMART026 at checkout on us.supersmart.com.

   Code SMART026

   Get 15% off with SMART026

   • Supersmart’s own terms and exclusions apply at checkout.
   • 20% applies when 3 or more products ship on auto-delivery to the same address.
   • The code discount and Subscribe & Save are separate offers; we don’t claim they combine.
   • Offer terms from Supersmart’s site and its affiliate program, checked Oct 8, 2026. Offers can change; the brand's checkout is final.
4. 04

   Standardized saffron extract

   OptionalEvidence B · moderate

   28–30 mg standardized extract, evening (the sleep trial gave it 1 hour before bed). Supports mood and sleep quality when stress and low mood are part of the picture.

   What the research shows: In a 28-day randomized trial of 120 adults with unsatisfying sleep, 14 mg and 28 mg of affron an hour before bed improved sleep-quality ratings versus placebo. In 86 perimenopausal women, 14 mg twice daily for 12 weeks improved the psychological part of a menopause symptom scale (mostly anxiety and low mood), not hot flashes. (PMID 34438361, PMID 34463070)

   • Use only standardized extracts at studied doses; high doses of saffron are unsafe in pregnancy.
   • Talk to a clinician first if you take an SSRI/SNRI or other antidepressant, blood thinners, or blood-pressure medicines, or if you have bipolar disorder.

   What to look for on the label

   A standardized saffron stigma extract with a named, studied ingredient (affron 28 mg or Safr’Inside 30 mg), not "saffron powder".

   We only name brands we have vetted and work with; a specific pick will appear here once one is approved.

Listed picks above total $61at one-time prices on the brands' own sites; most last about a month at the doses shown.