Enfermedad de Crohn

5-HTP is the direct metabolic precursor to serotonin and melatonin, produced from dietary tryptophan via tryptophan hydroxylase. RCTs demonstrate it improves sleep quality components, particularly in poor sleepers and those with sleep disorders. A 2024 12-week RCT in older adults (n=30; 100 mg/day) found significant subjective sleep quality improvement in poor sleepers via PSQI. A crossover RCT in Parkinson's disease patients found 50 mg/day improved overall sleep stability and REM sleep.

In the 2006 (n=41) and 2012 (n=257) open-label CFS/FMS clinical studies, 'sleep' was one of the five VAS domains showing statistically significant improvement with 15 g/day D-ribose. The 2006 pilot reported a ~29% improvement in sleep quality. These findings are limited by open-label, uncontrolled designs.

Apigenin is the principal sedative and anxiolytic flavonoid in chamomile and passionflower, acting as a competitive partial agonist at benzodiazepine-binding sites on GABA-A receptors. It reduces sleep latency and increases pentobarbital-induced sleep in preclinical models. Clinical evidence is primarily indirect through chamomile RCTs. Used traditionally as the active pharmacological basis of chamomile's sleep and anxiety effects.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root extract has significant scientific evidence for improving sleep quality. A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis of 5 RCTs (n=400) found a small but significant effect on overall sleep (SMD −0.59; 95% CI −0.75 to −0.42), with greater effects at doses ≥600 mg/day and treatment ≥8 weeks. It modulates GABA-A receptors (ρ1 subtype) and histamine H3 receptors. In Ayurvedic medicine, it has been used for centuries as a nervine tonic.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human trial examined Bacopa's effects on sleep quality in adults with self-reported poor sleep. While the primary insomnia scale outcome was not met, secondary outcomes showed improvements in emotional wellbeing and health-related quality of life. A second RCT on stress management also assessed sleep-related outcomes.

Two distinct RCTs demonstrate B. longum improves sleep quality. B. longum 1714 (8-week, double-blind RCT, n=89) significantly improved the PSQI sleep quality component and reduced daytime dysfunction due to sleepiness. B. longum NCC3001 (6-week RCT, n=45) also improved subjective sleep quality scores versus placebo.

Multiple preclinical studies confirm that biota seed extracts improve sleep quality parameters—including shortened onset and prolonged duration—through serotonergic and GABAergic mechanisms. Semen Platycladi is described in pharmacological literature as having 'sleep improvement' as a confirmed pharmacological effect alongside antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Human evidence is absent.

Black cohosh has demonstrated improvements in subjective and objective sleep quality in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Polysomnographic studies have shown increased sleep efficiency and reduced wakefulness. Evidence outside the menopausal context is absent.

A published study in the Journal of Essential Oil Bearing Plants (2023) investigated Picea mariana essential oil in a mouse insomnia model, measuring sleep latency, duration, and neurochemical markers. PMEO showed hypnotic effects associated with modulation of 5-HT1A and GABA-A receptor pathways. This is preclinical evidence only.

California poppy has been evaluated for overall sleep quality improvement in observational human research. The Abdellah et al. (2019) study showed significant reductions in insomnia severity index scores over 4 weeks with an E. californica/valerian combination. The EMA recognizes the herb as a traditional medicine for minor sleep disorders, and Health Canada has authorized a standardized product as a mild hypnotic. Preclinical neurophysiological studies in rodents document improved sleep architecture.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) has been used in traditional European and Middle Eastern medicine for thousands of years as a calming, sleep-promoting herb. Its flavonoid apigenin binds benzodiazepine receptor sites on GABA-A receptors, explaining its sedative and anxiolytic effects. Clinical evidence includes a systematic review and meta-analysis indicating chamomile is efficacious and safe for improving sleep quality and generalized anxiety. A 2016 RCT in postpartum women found chamomile significantly improved sleep quality vs. control.

Human RCTs consistently show that tart cherry juice improves objective and subjective sleep quality, increases urinary melatonin metabolites, and enhances sleep efficiency. Evidence spans healthy adults, older insomniacs, and athletes. Effects are attributed to melatonin content, tryptophan availability, and anti-inflammatory anthocyanins.

Sleep was a pre-specified VAS outcome in two open-label clinical trials of D-ribose in CFS/fibromyalgia patients, both reporting statistically significant improvements. The multicenter study of 257 patients documented a 29.3% improvement in sleep quality. No dedicated sleep-focused RCT exists, so evidence remains limited in rigor.

Animal studies show daidzin significantly reduces sleep latency and prolongs sleep duration in mice via GABAA receptor interaction, with synergistic effects with diazepam. Molecular docking confirms binding to GABAA α1 and β2 subunits. Evidence is exclusively preclinical.

Clinical human evidence supports Poria cocos improving overall sleep quality. An 800 mg/night clinical trial (n=21, polysomnography) showed significant increases in total sleep duration and reduced arousal. A separate 4-week RCT (n=70) reported a 59.94% improvement in PSQI scores. A meta-analysis of 13 RCTs (922 patients) also found sleep quality improvement in P. cocos-based formulas.

GABA is the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS and plays a central role in sleep regulation by suppressing wake-promoting systems. Oral GABA has been explored as a sleep supplement, with some evidence suggesting it can reduce sleep latency and improve NREM sleep, particularly in combination with L-theanine. A 2024 double-blind RCT combining GABA with Poria cocos and Ziziphus spinosa significantly improved PSQI scores. Evidence for oral GABA alone remains limited due to uncertain CNS bioavailability.

Multiple preclinical studies and a neurasthenia RCT support Ganoderma lucidum's ability to improve overall sleep quality. Mechanisms include GABAergic potentiation, serotonin pathway upregulation via gut microbiota, and suppression of neuroinflammation. The evidence is strongest in preclinical models but directionally supported by clinical findings in disease-affected populations.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover human trial showed that crocetin from Gardenia jasminoides reduced nighttime wakening episodes (objective actigraph, p=0.025) in men with mild sleep complaints over 2 weeks. Preclinical studies additionally show modulation of gut microbiota by GJE correlates with improved sleep quality metrics in rodents.

GE and its bioactives improve overall sleep quality parameters in animal models, including non-REM sleep, sleep architecture, and sleep-related neurochemistry. The Pharmacopoeia of the PRC includes GE preparations for insomnia. Fermented GE shows sleep-quality improvement in preclinical research.

Multiple human RCTs and a systematic review across 42 RCTs demonstrate that 3 g glycine taken 30 minutes before bedtime significantly reduces sleep latency, improves subjective sleep quality, and yields objective polysomnographic improvements. A follow-on trial showed it also attenuates next-day cognitive impairment after partial sleep restriction. The mechanism involves facilitation of core body temperature drop and NMDA receptor modulation in the suprachiasmatic nucleus.

A 2008 human study using standardized goji berry juice found improved sleep quality among participants vs. controls. A meta-analysis pooling data from four RCTs using standardized goji juice observed significant improvements in sleep quality. Animal studies show LBP has neuroprotective effects on hippocampal function disrupted by sleep-apnea-related hypoxia.

Linalool, the dominant constituent of ho wood (~95–99%), has demonstrated sedative and hypnotic effects in multiple animal studies, including prolonging sleep duration and shortening sleep latency. Ho wood is used in aromatherapy as a sleep aid via diffusion before bedtime.

Honey has shown improvement in nocturnal sleep quality in children with cough due to upper respiratory infections across multiple RCTs. The 2018 Cochrane review confirmed honey is more effective than no treatment and placebo for improving children's sleep impacted by cough. Limited adult sleep evidence exists beyond this pediatric cough context.

Honokiol is a neolignan from Magnolia officinalis bark that potentiates GABA-A receptor activity and has demonstrated sleep-promoting effects in preclinical models, promoting both NREM and REM sleep. It is the principal bioactive constituent responsible for the traditional sleep and anxiolytic effects of magnolia bark (Hou Po in TCM). Animal studies confirm dose-dependent sleep induction via GABAergic mechanisms, with in vitro evidence of nanomolar-range GABA-A receptor potentiation.

Hops (Humulus lupulus) strobiles have been used traditionally in European folk medicine as a sedative, often stuffed into pillows or combined with valerian for insomnia. The active constituent 2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol (formed from hop bitter acids) and 8-prenylnaringenin modulate GABA-A receptors. A 2024 review (PMC) found hops among the strongest herbal evidence for sleep quality and insomnia alongside valerian and melatonin. RCTs typically test hops in combination with valerian.

Jujube seed (Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa / Zizyphus spinosa, known as Suanzaoren in TCM) has over 2,000 years of documented use in East Asian traditional medicine for insomnia and anxiety. Its bioactive jujubosides A and B and spinosin modulate GABA-A and serotonin 5-HT1A receptors, producing sedative and hypnotic effects. RCT evidence in postmenopausal women with poor sleep and a 2024 clinical trial combining jujube with GABA and Poria cocos confirmed significant PSQI improvements.

Jujubosides are the principal triterpenoid saponins of jujube seed (Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa) responsible for its sedative and sleep-promoting pharmacology. They modulate GABA-A receptors and regulate multiple neurochemical pathways. Jujuboside A is the most studied compound and has demonstrated sedative effects, reduction of locomotor activity, and increased sleep duration in rodent models. Traditional use underpins their use in TCM sleep formulas; clinical data come from jujube seed RCTs.

A 9-week RCT found subjective sleep quality improvements in middle-aged adults on 25 mg/day Zembrin. Traditional use included hypnotic applications. Mechanistically, melatonin receptor activation, serotonin modulation, and calming effects may all contribute to improved sleep quality.

Kava (Piper methysticum) root extract has well-documented evidence from RCTs and meta-analyses for reducing anxiety-related insomnia. Kavalactones modulate GABA-A receptors and block norepinephrine reuptake, producing anxiolytic and sedative effects. A Cochrane review and meta-analysis of RCTs confirmed significant efficacy for anxiety with secondary benefits to sleep. It is used traditionally in Pacific Island cultures as a ceremonial and relaxation beverage, and was widely used in European phytomedicine before hepatotoxicity concerns led to some regulatory restrictions.

Glycine is a non-essential amino acid that subjectively and objectively improves sleep quality in individuals with insomnia or restricted sleep. Human RCTs at 3 g before bedtime found improved PSQI scores, reduced sleep latency, increased slow-wave sleep, and reduced daytime fatigue. The mechanism involves NMDA receptor modulation in the suprachiasmatic nucleus causing peripheral vasodilation and body temperature lowering, which promotes sleep onset.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 52 healthy Japanese workers found that 400 mg/day of L-ornithine for 8 weeks significantly improved perceived sleep quality on the Athens Insomnia Scale and the OSA-MA sleep inventory. Serum cortisol and the cortisol/DHEA-S ratio were also significantly reduced in the L-ornithine group. A separate crossover RCT confirmed improved sleep scores in subjects taking 400 mg L-ornithine after alcohol consumption. The proposed mechanism involves L-ornithine-driven increases in striatal serotonin metabolite (5-HIAA), which promotes nocturnal melatonin synthesis.

Japanese clinical research found that oral L-serine taken 30 minutes before bed significantly improved both sleep initiation and sleep maintenance scores in adults who were dissatisfied with their sleep quality. The proposed mechanism involves L-serine's role as a precursor in the tryptophan-serotonin-melatonin pathway and its modulation of NMDA receptor activity.

L-theanine, a non-proteinogenic amino acid found in green tea, promotes relaxation and improves sleep quality by enhancing GABA, serotonin, and dopamine levels and reducing glutamatergic excitatory activity. Multiple clinical studies report improvements in subjective sleep quality, NREM sleep, and reduced sleep latency. A 2025 systematic review in Nutritional Neuroscience confirmed benefits across dietary supplementation trials. Typical effective dose is 100–400 mg at bedtime.

L-Tryptophan is the dietary amino acid precursor to serotonin and melatonin, and its supplementation supports sleep quality by increasing serotonin synthesis and subsequent nocturnal melatonin production. Clinical evidence includes improvements in sleep onset latency and sleep duration, particularly in individuals with insomnia. A 2024 RCT in healthy adults with sleep problems found tryptophan combined with ashwagandha significantly improved VAS sleep quality vs. control. Typical effective dose is 0.5–2 g before bedtime.

L. gasseri CP2305 has demonstrated improvements in sleep quality in at least two RCTs in humans under chronic stress conditions. A 4-week crossover RCT in medical students showed significant improvement in global sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and a 24-week parallel-group RCT confirmed reductions in sleep disturbance. Improvements in sleep are linked to HPA axis modulation and gut-brain axis signaling.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil and oral preparations have traditional and growing clinical evidence for improving sleep quality. Orally, linalool and linalyl acetate modulate GABA-A receptors. A 2021 systematic review found lavender preparations (oral Silexan 80 mg capsules in particular) significantly improved sleep in anxiety-related insomnia in multiple RCTs. Multiple OTC RCTs and a 2025 scoping review list lavender among products with significant sleep benefits.

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a traditional European nervine herb used since antiquity for anxiety, restlessness, and sleep difficulties. Its rosmarinic acid and flavonoids inhibit GABA-transaminase, increasing synaptic GABA availability and improving sleep quality and anxiety. Clinical RCTs demonstrate improved PSQI scores and reduced insomnia severity, often in combination with valerian. A 2025 OTC sleep RCT scoping review identified lemon balm combinations as having significant sleep benefits.

Lily bulb demonstrates sedative and hypnotic properties in preclinical pharmacological studies, consistent with its Pharmacopoeia-listed indication for insomnia. Multi-herb formulas containing lily bulb show evidence of improved sleep quality via neurotransmitter modulation. Lily bulb amino acids and alkaloids support mood and sleep pathways. Evidence is primarily preclinical and formula-based.

An 8-week RCT in 77 overweight adults found Lion's Mane supplementation improved sleep disorders by 39.1% versus baseline. A 2026 double-blind RCT (n=109) found significantly improved subjective sleep quality and morning restedness versus placebo. Mechanisms may include NGF/BDNF support and gut-microbiome-mediated serotonin regulation.

A clinical pilot study with Nelumbo nucifera seed extract (combined with Rhodiola rosea) significantly improved both ISI and PSQI total scores in adults with subthreshold insomnia. Animal research robustly documents GABAergic mechanisms underlying lotus seed's sleep-promoting effects.

Magnesium is an essential mineral that modulates NMDA receptor activity and GABA-A receptor function, supporting both CNS inhibitory tone and melatonin production. A systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs found magnesium supplementation reduced sleep onset latency by 17.36 min (p=0.0006) vs. placebo in older adults with insomnia. A 2024 RCT (n=155; 250 mg elemental magnesium bisglycinate) confirmed improvements in insomnia severity in healthy adults with poor sleep. Evidence quality is rated low-to-moderate, with larger RCTs needed.

Magnolia bark (Magnolia officinalis) contains honokiol and magnolol, which modulate GABA-A receptors to promote REM and non-REM sleep. In vitro binding studies and animal models confirm GABA-A receptor potentiation. Magnolia bark has traditional use in Chinese and Japanese medicine (Hou Po) for anxiety, insomnia, and digestive complaints. Clinical combination products including magnolia have shown improvements in menopausal sleep symptoms in human studies.

Melatonin is the primary endogenous regulator of the sleep-wake cycle, produced by the pineal gland in response to darkness. Multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs confirm it reduces sleep onset latency, increases total sleep time, and improves subjective sleep quality as measured by the PSQI. Prolonged-release melatonin (2 mg) is approved in the EU for primary insomnia in adults over 55. A 2021 meta-analysis (PubMed PMID 33417003) found a significant effect on PSQI score (WMD −1.24; 95% CI −1.77 to −0.71).

The 2025 RCT of a TC + Boswellia combination (300 mg, 120 days, n=100) demonstrated significant improvement in sleep quality as measured by the Athens Insomnia Scale versus placebo in adults with subjective memory and cognitive complaints.

A 12-week double-blind RCT in 108 older Japanese adults found NMN (250 mg/day) taken in the afternoon (NMN_PM group) showed the largest effect sizes for improved lower limb function and reduced drowsiness. However, no statistically significant between-group interaction was found for PSQI sleep quality scores overall.

Beyond sleep onset, Semen Platycladi preparations have been shown to prolong total sleep duration in rodent insomnia models, indicating improved overall sleep quality. Neurotransmitter modulation (5-HT and GABA) is the identified mechanism. This is consistent with the herb's 2,000-year TCM use as a sedative-hypnotic.

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) is used traditionally in European and North American herbalism for insomnia and anxiety. It increases GABA levels in the brain via GABA-A receptor modulation. A double-blind RCT (Phytotherapy Research) found passionflower tea significantly improved subjective sleep quality vs. placebo over one week using polysomnographic measures. It is among a small number of herbal preparations with positive outcomes in sleep-focused RCTs.

Polygalasaponins and polygala root extract improve multiple measures of sleep quality in preclinical models—reducing sleep latency, extending sleep duration, and normalizing GABA/serotonin ratios—providing a mechanistic basis for TCM's historical use of Yuan Zhi for insomnia and restless sleep.

Pregnenolone sulfate infusions significantly increase paradoxical (REM) sleep in animal models via ACh modulation. Lower allopregnanolone levels (a pregnenolone metabolite) correlate inversely with sleep disturbance in clinical populations. An ongoing VA-sponsored trial lists sleep as a primary target outcome.

Progesterone improves overall sleep quality in peri- and postmenopausal women by increasing slow-wave sleep, reducing nighttime awakenings, and potentially improving sleep-disordered breathing. Multiple RCTs measuring Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores show significant improvement with oral micronized progesterone.

Pumpkin seeds are one of the richer food sources of tryptophan, the essential amino acid that serves as the biosynthetic precursor to serotonin and melatonin—key regulators of sleep onset and sleep quality. Magnesium, also abundant in seeds, supports neuromuscular relaxation. The tryptophan-serotonin-melatonin pathway is mechanistically well-established.

An open-label clinical trial (n=17) of PQQ disodium salt at 20 mg/day for 8 weeks found significant improvements in sleep onset and maintenance, sleep duration, and sleepiness at awakening as measured by validated sleep inventories. Mood and fatigue scores also improved.

Multiple human studies support improvements in subjective sleep quality with reishi supplementation. The 2026 multi-mushroom RCT showed significant PSQI improvement. The 2026 SLEEP RCT found reishi outperformed melatonin on ISI. Small clinical studies in fatigue and stress populations also report improved sleep quality. TCM records reishi as a primary insomnia remedy for over 2,000 years.

Sleep quality is a direct endpoint in two Relora® clinical studies. Kalman (FASEB 2006) found Relora reduced sleep latency by twice as much as placebo (11 min vs. 5 min, p=0.012). An early open-label pilot found 74% of participants experienced more restful sleep on Relora. Mechanistically, honokiol's GABA-A and benzodiazepine-site activity promotes NREM sleep without heavy sedation.

A 2024 PMC human pilot study found that a combination of Rhodiola rosea and Nelumbo nucifera extracts (750 mg/day, two weeks) significantly improved ISI and PSQI scores in adults with subthreshold insomnia. Student studies also reported improved sleep patterns following Rhodiola supplementation during high-stress exam periods. Evidence is preliminary, deriving from small or combination-product trials.

A randomized clinical trial in university students found that 500 mg of rosemary taken orally twice daily for one month significantly improved sleep quality scores alongside anxiety and memory benefits. Aromatherapy with rosemary-lemon oil also improved sleep quality in elderly adults in a pre/post study.

RA-standardized Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) extracts have improved sleep quality in clinical populations including postmenopausal women (combined with valerian) and cardiac patients. RA's sleep-promoting mechanism involves GABA transaminase inhibition, prolonging GABAergic calming neurotransmission. A 2017 RCT with rosemary (containing RA) also reported sleep quality improvements in university students.

Saffron (Crocus sativus) and its bioactive crocetin have evidence from multiple RCTs for improving sleep quality in adults with mild-to-moderate sleep disorders. A 6-week RCT (n=66; 15.5 mg/day) using actigraphy and PSQI found significant improvements in sleep parameters vs. placebo. A meta-analysis of 8 clinical trials reported improved sleep quality and minimal adverse effects. Crocin and safranal modulate serotonin and GABA-A pathways.

Safranal is a principal volatile constituent of saffron (Crocus sativus) responsible for its characteristic aroma and a key pharmacological mediator of saffron's sleep-promoting and anxiolytic effects. It acts as a GABA-A receptor agonist and inhibits serotonin reuptake. Animal studies confirm hypnotic properties, and safranal-containing saffron extracts have demonstrated sleep improvement in human RCTs. Safranal is part of the active phytochemical basis for saffron's clinical sleep evidence.

The Chiu et al. (2014) proof-of-concept RCT found positive changes in sleep alongside cognitive improvements in healthy older adults receiving 25 mg Zembrin® daily for three weeks. Traditional use of sceletium as a sedative/soporific in children is also well-documented ethnobotanically.

Schisandra has been used in TCM for centuries in formulas specifically targeting sleep quality and dream-disturbed sleep. A 2021 PubMed rodent study demonstrated schisandra promoted NREM sleep and reduced cardiovascular dysfunction associated with insomnia via HPA axis modulation. Small human studies in the Soviet adaptogen literature report improved sleep quality as part of broader anti-stress effects.

Schisandrin B improves multiple sleep quality indices in rodent models by elevating GABA and reducing glutamate levels in the CNS, upregulating GABA-A receptors. Traditional TCM use for dream-disturbed sleep and insomnia is well documented. Human RCTs for sleep quality as a primary outcome have not been published for isolated schisandrins.

Clinical and preclinical evidence supports Poria cocos sclerotium improving sleep quality, increasing total sleep duration, reducing sleep latency, and extending NREM sleep via GABA-A receptor activation. A small human trial (n=21) with polysomnography showed statistically significant improvements.

Multiple preclinical studies show A. julibrissin prolongs sleep duration and protects sleep-dependent memory consolidation. It is included in multi-herb formulae that have been assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in clinical studies. TCM use for restorative sleep is extensive.

A 2025 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover RCT (n=66) of 400 mg/day S. lateriflora extract (BlueCALM) for 56 days in adults with primary insomnia showed progressive improvement in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores in the skullcap group versus deterioration in the placebo group. Traditional use as a sedative herb also has centuries of support.

A double-blind polysomnographic study found SJW significantly increased slow-wave (deep) sleep compared to placebo in healthy volunteers. Sleep disturbance is also a core symptom of depression, in which SJW is well-evidenced. Evidence for sleep quality improvements independent of depression is limited but includes objective polysomnographic data.

Multiple RCTs have tested MgT (containing threonic acid as ligand) specifically for sleep quality. A 2024 RCT in 80 adults with sleep problems found significant improvements in insomnia severity and restorative sleep after 21 days. A 2026 RCT in 100 adults confirmed improvements in sleep-related impairment.

Oral tributyrin administration robustly increases non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) in rodents, with one study reporting a 47–50% increase in NREM duration over 4 hours post-dosing. The mechanism involves hepatoportal butyrate-sensitive sensory neurons. A human RCT using butyrate supplementation in ulcerative colitis patients also reported improved sleep quality.

Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis) has been used in European traditional medicine for centuries as a sedative and sleep aid. A 2006 meta-analysis in the American Journal of Medicine of 16 RCTs (n=1,093) found a statistically significant benefit for improved sleep quality (relative risk 1.8; 95% CI 1.2–2.9). Its active constituents valerenic acid and valepotriates modulate GABA-A receptors and inhibit GABA catabolism. Evidence quality is moderate due to methodological heterogeneity across trials.

In an open-label study of 20 healthy adults with daily fatigue, 4.8 mg/day of 6-MSITC for 4 weeks improved self-reported sleep quality compared to baseline. In the ME/CFS trial, a trend toward improved PSQI scores was observed (1 vs. 3 patients meeting normal sleep threshold after treatment), though formal significance was not reached. Evidence is early-stage due to open-label designs.

Bacopa monnieri supplementation has been associated with improved sleep quality in recent RCTs. A 2026 RCT measuring PSQI scores found improvements in sleep quality over 84 days, and a separate 12-week trial reported improved sleep as a secondary outcome.

Amber (Hu Po) is a classical TCM herb for sleep disturbance, used for dream-disturbed, restless sleep with underlying anxiety or palpitations. Animal studies show sedative effects of succinic acid. No human trials exist for sleep quality specifically.

Anemarrhena is classified as sedative in traditional pharmacopeias and is traditionally prescribed for sleep disturbances, night sweats, and restlessness. Its use for 'insomnia with dysphoria' is documented in classical TCM texts, and preclinical evidence suggests mild CNS-modulating activity.

A. racemosus (shatavari) is traditionally used in Ayurveda as a nervine tonic with sedative properties. Insomnia and sleep disturbances are among the menopausal symptoms improved in shatavari RCTs. Preclinical evidence shows asparagus modulates GABAergic and monoaminergic neurotransmission relevant to sleep regulation.

Jamaican dogwood has documented traditional use to improve sleep quality, particularly when disrupted by pain, nervous tension, or anxiety. Rodent studies support CNS depressant activity. It is recognized in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia and PDR for Herbal Medicines for sleep-related indications.

Hawthorn is traditionally used to improve sleep quality, particularly when sleep disturbance is linked to nervous tension or palpitations. Animal CNS depressant data support the traditional rationale. Available human data involve combination products without hawthorn-specific isolation of effect.

Mugwort has a long-standing traditional use for promoting dream vividness and overall sleep quality, attributed to thujone's GABA-A modulation and MAO-inhibiting phenolics. It appears in the European Pharmacopoeia for sleep-adjacent nervous disorders. No human RCTs have measured objective sleep outcomes.

Polygala root is traditionally used in TCM for insomnia and sleep disturbance. Animal studies show that saponin fractions prolong both NREM and REM sleep and modulate key sleep neurotransmitters. Traditional documentation of sedative properties is robust and supported by mechanistic preclinical evidence.

Improved sleep quality—depth and continuity—is a long-established traditional claim for poppy across several herbal systems. California poppy combination clinical data suggests modest improvements in sleep efficiency, but well-controlled standalone trials are lacking.

Closely related to its documented traditional use for insomnia, soursop (particularly its leaves) is used as a sedative and nervine agent in traditional medicine across several tropical regions. Pre-clinical data on sedative alkaloid content supports biological plausibility.

Wood betony is traditionally used to promote deeper, more restorative sleep, particularly when disturbed by stress and nervous tension. Its calming and mild sedative properties are the basis of this use in European herbalism. No clinical research exists.