Sleepmaxxing Supplement Tier List: S-Tier to Skip-Tier Ranked

Reading Time: 13 minutes

How We Ranked These Supplements

Every supplement on this list is ranked using three criteria:

1. Quality of clinical evidence. Double-blind, placebo-controlled trials published in peer-reviewed journals rank highest. Open-label studies, case reports, and animal studies rank lower. Influencer testimonials rank not at all.
2. Safety profile. Wide therapeutic window (hard to take too much), few drug interactions, and low risk of dependence or withdrawal score higher.
3. Practical value. Is it affordable, widely available in Canada, and does it actually do what people take it for?

We are a mattress store, not a pharmacy. We do not sell supplements. That means we have no financial incentive to push you toward one product over another. What we do care about is that our customers actually sleep well, because rested people make better mattress decisions and are happier with their purchases.

S-Tier: Strong Evidence, Wide Safety Margin

Magnesium Glycinate (200-400 mg)

Magnesium is the foundation of any evidence-based sleep supplement routine. A 2012 double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences studied elderly participants with primary insomnia. The group receiving 500 mg of magnesium daily for eight weeks showed statistically significant improvements in:

• Sleep time (increased)
• Sleep efficiency (improved)
• Sleep-onset latency (decreased, meaning they fell asleep faster)
• Serum melatonin (increased naturally)
• Serum cortisol (decreased)

The form matters. Magnesium glycinate (also called bisglycinate) is better absorbed and gentler on the stomach than magnesium oxide, citrate, or sulfate. The glycinate form also provides glycine, which has its own sleep benefits (more on that below).

Dose: 200-400 mg elemental magnesium, 30-60 minutes before bed

Cost: $15-$25 per month at Canadian pharmacies

Side effects: Loose stools at high doses (reduce the dose if this happens). Can interact with certain antibiotics and bisphosphonates.

Verdict: Start here. If you only try one supplement, make it magnesium glycinate.

A-Tier: Good Evidence, Some Caveats

Glycine (3 g)

Glycine is an amino acid that acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. A study published in Sleep and Biological Rhythms (2007) by Inagaki and colleagues found that 3 g of glycine taken before bed improved subjective sleep quality, reduced daytime sleepiness, and improved cognitive performance the next day.

Glycine works by lowering core body temperature, which is one of the physiological triggers for sleep onset. This makes it especially interesting for sleepmaxxers, since it works through the same mechanism as a cool bedroom or a pre-bed warm shower.

Dose: 3 g (3,000 mg) 30-60 minutes before bed

Cost: $15-$20 per month (powder form is most cost-effective)

Side effects: Generally well tolerated. May interact with clozapine (antipsychotic). Mild nausea in some people at higher doses.

Verdict: A solid second supplement if magnesium alone is not enough. Bonus: if you take magnesium glycinate, you are already getting some glycine.

Melatonin, Low-Dose (0.5-1 mg)

Melatonin is the most widely used sleep supplement in Canada, but most people are taking too much of it. The physiologically relevant dose is 0.3-1 mg. The 5-10 mg tablets commonly sold at pharmacies produce blood levels far above what your body naturally produces, which can disrupt normal melatonin receptor sensitivity over time.

A 2013 meta-analysis published in PLOS ONE by Ferracioli-Oda and colleagues confirmed that melatonin reduces sleep-onset latency, increases total sleep time, and improves overall sleep quality. But the effect sizes are modest: about 7 minutes faster to fall asleep and 8 minutes more total sleep.

Dose: 0.5-1 mg, 30-60 minutes before desired sleep onset

Cost: $8-$15 per month

Best for: Jet lag, shift work, temporary schedule changes. Not ideal for long-term daily use.

Verdict: A-tier for short-term, targeted use. Drops to C-tier for long-term nightly use at high doses.

B-Tier: Moderate Evidence, Supportive Role

L-Theanine (100-200 mg)

L-theanine is an amino acid found naturally in green tea. It promotes relaxation without sedation by increasing alpha brain wave activity. A 2019 randomised controlled trial published in Nutrients found that 200 mg of L-theanine improved sleep quality scores and reduced stress-related symptoms.

L-theanine is not a direct sleep aid. It does not make you drowsy. What it does is lower anxiety and mental chatter, which makes it easier to transition into sleep. This makes it useful for people whose primary sleep barrier is a racing mind rather than a physiological sleep issue.

Dose: 100-200 mg, 30-60 minutes before bed

Cost: $10-$15 per month

Side effects: Very few. Wide safety margin. Safe to combine with magnesium.

Verdict: Good add-on for anxious sleepers. Not strong enough as a standalone sleep supplement.

Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate

Tart cherries are one of the few natural food sources of melatonin. A small study published in the European Journal of Nutrition (2012) found that tart cherry juice increased melatonin levels, sleep time, and sleep efficiency. The study was small (20 participants) and used a specific Montmorency cherry concentrate.

Dose: 30 ml concentrate or 240 ml juice, taken morning and evening

Cost: $15-$25 per month

Caveats: High in sugar (juice form), modest effect size, limited research

Verdict: A natural option for people who prefer food-based approaches. Not strong enough to replace magnesium or melatonin.

C-Tier: Weak Evidence, Overhyped

Valerian Root

Valerian has been used as a sleep remedy for centuries, but the clinical evidence is surprisingly weak. A Cochrane review of 16 randomised controlled trials concluded that valerian might improve subjective sleep quality, but "the evidence is not sufficiently compelling" and the studies had significant methodological limitations.

Verdict: May help, may not. Probably will not hurt. Not worth prioritising over S and A-tier options.

CBD Oil

CBD's reputation as a sleep aid outpaces its evidence. Most studies showing sleep benefits used high doses (160-300 mg) that are impractical at current Canadian prices. Lower doses (25-50 mg) may reduce anxiety, which could indirectly help sleep, but direct sleep effects at common retail doses are not well established.

Verdict: Expensive for unproven sleep benefits. If anxiety is the problem, L-theanine is cheaper and better studied for sleep specifically.

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) has some evidence for reducing cortisol and anxiety, which could indirectly improve sleep. A 2019 study in Cureus found improved sleep quality with 600 mg daily. However, the sleep effect was secondary to anxiety reduction, and the study was small.

Verdict: May help anxious sleepers. Not a direct sleep aid. Potential liver toxicity concerns with long-term use reported in case studies.

Skip-Tier: Not Worth Your Money

5-HTP

5-HTP is a serotonin precursor that some people take for sleep. The problem: it can interact dangerously with SSRIs, SNRIs, and other serotonergic medications, potentially causing serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition. The sleep evidence is thin, and safer alternatives exist.

GABA Supplements (Oral)

Oral GABA supplements are widely marketed for sleep and relaxation. The issue: GABA molecules are too large to cross the blood-brain barrier efficiently when taken orally. Most of the GABA in a supplement never reaches the brain. The research showing GABA's calming effects comes from studies where GABA was administered directly to the brain, not orally.

Proprietary "Sleep Stacks" and Blends

Many companies sell branded sleep supplement blends with proprietary formulas. The problems: undisclosed dosages hidden behind "proprietary blend" labels, unknown ingredient quality, and prices inflated by marketing rather than ingredients. You will get better results buying individual ingredients at known doses.

8 min read

Stacking Rules: What Goes Together

If you want to combine supplements, follow these principles:

1. Start with one. Establish a baseline with magnesium glycinate alone for two weeks before adding anything else.
2. Add one at a time. If you start three supplements simultaneously and your sleep improves, you will not know which one helped.
3. Safest stack: Magnesium glycinate (200-400 mg) + L-theanine (100-200 mg). Both have wide safety margins and complementary mechanisms.
4. Do not combine sedating supplements with alcohol or prescription sleep medications. The sedative effects can compound unpredictably.
5. Check with your pharmacist. Canadian pharmacists can review supplement-drug interactions for free. Use this resource.

Canadian Supplement Safety: What to Check

The Foundation Matters More Than the Supplements

We sell mattresses, not supplements, so you might expect us to say this. But it happens to be true. No supplement can compensate for a sleep environment that works against you.

If your mattress traps heat, your bedroom is too bright, your schedule is inconsistent, or your pillow forces your neck into an awkward angle, fix those things first. Supplements work at the margins. The basics work at the core.

For the full routine, read our Sleepmaxxing Routine Checklist. For the gear, see our Sleepmaxxing Starter Kit.

Related Reading

• Sleepmaxxing Routine Checklist: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide for 2026
• Sleepmaxxing Starter Kit: 12 Essentials Every Beginner Needs
• Sleepmaxxing Nasal Dilators Ranked: Which Ones Actually Work?
• Foods That Help You Sleep: Bedtime Snacks Backed by Science
• What Is Sleep Hygiene? The Complete Guide
• Bedding Deals: What to Buy, What to Skip, and Where to Find Real Value
• What Are the Softest Sheets? Materials Ranked

Shop: View All Our Mattresses

Sources

1. Abbasi B, Kimiagar M, Sadeghniiat K, et al. The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. 2012;17(12):1161-1169. PMID: 23853635.
2. Inagaki T, et al. Subjective effects of glycine ingestion before bedtime on sleep quality. Sleep and Biological Rhythms. 2007;5(2):126-131.
3. Ferracioli-Oda E, Qawasmi A, Bloch MH. Meta-analysis: melatonin for the treatment of primary sleep disorders. PLOS ONE. 2013;8(5):e63773. PMID: 23691095.
4. Hidese S, et al. Effects of L-theanine administration on stress-related symptoms and cognitive functions. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2362. PMID: 31623400.
5. Howatson G, et al. Effect of tart cherry juice on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. European Journal of Nutrition. 2012;51(8):909-916. PMID: 22038497.
6. Leach MJ, Page AT. Herbal medicine for insomnia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2015;24:1-12.
7. Health Canada. Summary safety review: melatonin in children and adolescents. Government of Canada. 2022.
8. Public Health Agency of Canada. Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines. 2020. PMID: 33054332.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen, especially if you take prescription medications.