1246 sleep evidence claims,
each scored for scientific confidence
A database built for humans. An API built for AI.
Representative claims people are checking:
Tart cherry juice (240ml twice daily) increases total sleep time by approximately 84 minutes and improves sleep efficiency in older adults with insomnia. The effect is attributed to natural melatonin content and procyanidins.
Browse Topics
All topics →Ambien, Xanax, Lunesta… and the natural stacks people use instead
Side-by-side comparisons for "[drug] + natural alternative" searches.
Trending Evidence
View all →Melatonin reduces sleep onset latency by approximately 7 minutes in adults with primary sleep disorders
A comprehensive meta-analysis of 19 RCTs (1,683 participants) found melatonin reduces sleep latency by ~7 minutes and increases total sleep time by ~8 minutes. Effects are more pronounced in older adults and those with circadian rhythm disruptions.
Low-dose melatonin (0.5mg) effectively shifts circadian rhythm for jet lag, shift work, and delayed sleep phase syndrome
Melatonin is the most potent chronobiotic available. Administered 5 hours before dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO), even low doses (0.5mg) produce a 1-2 hour phase advance. This makes it effective for jet lag, shift work adaptation, and delayed sleep phase syndrome. Timing is more critical than dose.
Glycine reduces sleep latency in human RCTs
Glycine (3g before bed) significantly reduces sleep onset latency and improves subjective sleep quality in healthy adults. Evidence from 3 human RCTs shows consistent effects, with the mechanism involving NMDA receptor modulation and thermoregulation.
Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (150 min/week) significantly improves sleep quality in adults with chronic insomnia
A 4-week RCT found 150 min/week of moderate aerobic exercise significantly improved PSQI scores and objective sleep measures in adults with chronic insomnia. Exercise is recommended as a first-line behavioral intervention for insomnia.
Glycine improves overall sleep quality and reduces daytime sleepiness
Beyond reducing sleep latency, glycine (3g before bed) improves PSG-measured sleep quality including increased REM sleep and reduced nocturnal awakenings. Daytime sleepiness and fatigue are also significantly reduced the following morning.
Ashwagandha root extract (300mg BID) significantly improves sleep quality and reduces sleep onset latency in adults with insomnia
A well-designed 8-week RCT (n=138) found ashwagandha root extract significantly improved PSQI scores, reduced sleep onset latency, and improved sleep efficiency. Benefits were most pronounced in adults with insomnia and anxiety.
Fresh Evidence
Recently added, highest-rated claims
Milk-derived bioactives and fortified or fermented milk products improve sleep efficiency in randomized controlled trials.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 RCTs found that milk-derived bioactives and fortified or fermented milk products significantly improved sleep efficiency (SMD = 0.45; 95% CI, 0.21-0.70). Subgroup analyses showed greater improvements in sleep efficiency (SMD = 0.52) and wake after sleep onset (MD = -8.24 minutes) in individuals with sleep or health disturbances, and reduced sleep latency in healthy participants (MD = -2.17 minutes).
Moderate physical activity is associated with a modest reduction in insomnia risk, while occupational physical activity may increase insomnia risk
This meta-analysis of 27 observational studies found that moderate physical activity was associated with a 7% lower risk of insomnia (OR=0.93, 95% CI 0.87-1.00), while high physical activity showed no significant association (OR=0.96, 95% CI 0.85-1.09). Occupational physical activity was associated with a 21% higher risk of insomnia (OR=1.21, 95% CI 1.02-1.43). The findings suggest that the intensity and domain of physical activity matter for sleep health.
The Quarter-of-an-Hour-Rule (QHR) improves self-reported sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, and sleep efficiency in adults with chronic insomnia
In a randomized controlled trial, 44 adults with chronic insomnia were assigned to QHR implemented out of bed, QHR implemented in bed, or a self-monitoring control. Both QHR groups showed significant reductions in self-reported sleep onset latency and wake after sleep onset, and improvements in sleep efficiency (approximately 14% improvement) compared to no change in the control group. Polysomnography-defined sleep outcomes did not improve, but subjective-objective sleep discrepancy in sleep efficiency reduced following both interventions.
Intravenous esketamine 0.3 mg/kg during anesthesia induction improves early postoperative sleep quality in female patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery
In a randomized controlled trial of 98 female patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, those who received esketamine 0.3 mg/kg during anesthesia induction had significantly lower Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores on postoperative days 1 and 3 compared to controls (P<0.05). The esketamine group also had reduced intraoperative sufentanil consumption, lower VAS pain scores at 6 and 24 hours, and a lower 24-hour rescue analgesia rate, with no significant differences in adverse events or recovery times.
Variable-rate feedback infusion reduces cumulative opioid consumption at 48 hours postoperatively compared with fixed-rate basal infusion in patients undergoing mixed surgery
This protocol describes a prospective, multicentre, randomised, double-blind, controlled trial to compare cumulative opioid consumption at 48 hours postoperatively between variable-rate feedback infusion and fixed-rate basal infusion modes of intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). The study will enrol 1170 patients undergoing mixed surgery and will measure total cumulative opioid consumption as the primary outcome, with secondary outcomes including pain scores and quality of recovery. The hypothesis is that variable-rate feedback infusion reduces opioid consumption while providing non-inferior analgesia.
LTC-022 (Lactium and L-theanine) improves sleep maintenance and bedtime regularity in adults with sleep discomfort
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled RCT of 40 adults with sleep discomfort, 8 weeks of LTC-022 supplementation did not significantly improve PSQI or ISI scores compared to placebo. However, sleep diary analysis showed significant reductions in wake after sleep onset (WASO) counts and earlier bedtime in the LTC-022 group, along with within-group improvements in total sleep time, sleep onset latency, and sleep efficiency. Gut microbiome analysis revealed increased abundance of Blautia and Ruminococcus genera in the LTC-022 group.
Evidence Explorer
1000 claimsHerbal supplements such as Valeriana officinalis demonstrate sedative effects and improve sleep quality in clinical studies.
This narrative review found that herbal supplements including Valeriana officinalis (valerian) showed sedative effects and improvements in sleep quality in clinical studies. The review highlighted risks such as excessive sedation and herb-drug interactions, particularly via cytochrome P450 pathways. No specific effect sizes or sample sizes were reported for valerian alone.
Sexual activity does not meaningfully impair athletic performance or recovery when occurring several hours or more before competition
Sexual activity typically elicits mild physiological responses comparable to light physical exertion and does not meaningfully deplete energy stores or impair strength, endurance, power, or coordination when occurring several hours or more before competition. The review found no consistent evidence supporting universal sexual abstinence before competition, with sexual activity appearing largely neutral or potentially beneficial for recovery when appropriately timed.
Gut microbiota-driven metabolic reprogramming contributes to Parkinson's disease with REM sleep behavior disorder
This study found that Parkinson's disease patients with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD-PD) exhibit distinctive metabolic disturbances, including accumulation of gut microbiota-derived toxic aromatic amino acid catabolites. These alterations were also observed in idiopathic RBD patients, representing the prodromal stage of PD. The findings suggest gut microbial dysbiosis drives a functional shift away from dietary fiber fermentation toward enhanced degradation of protein, aromatic amino acids, glycine, and intestinal mucin glycans.
Site-related variance in MRI measures is generally small (typically <10%) in the AMP SCZ multi-site neuroimaging protocol, but platform-related variance is substantial for diffusion imaging SNR/CNR (>55%) and spatial smoothness.
In the AMP SCZ multi-site neuroimaging protocol, site-related variance is generally small (typically <10%) for most MRI measures. However, for diffusion-weighted imaging, platform-related variance accounts for >55% of the variance in signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios due to hardware differences, and spatial smoothness also shows large platform-related variance.
Ventilatory response to CO2 during exercise remains profoundly low in patients with Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome, with no significant difference from resting values.
In 10 patients with CCHS, the ventilatory response to CO2 during exercise was 2.27 mL/min/mmHg/kg, which was not significantly different from the resting value of 1.56 mL/min/mmHg/kg (p=0.85). Both values were markedly lower than the reference value in healthy children (34.6 mL/min/mmHg/kg), indicating persistent impairment of CO2-driven ventilatory control despite increased metabolic demand.
Tart cherry supplementation protocols are highly variable and poorly characterized, preventing reliable extrapolation of efficacy for health, exercise performance, and sleep outcomes.
This review of 43 studies found that tart cherry supplementation protocols varied widely in duration (acute to 84 days) and polyphenol dose (143–2,140 mg/day) and anthocyanin dose (15–547 mg/day). Only 20 studies analyzed their own supplement batch, while 17 relied on previously published data from different batches, and 6 did not report polyphenol content at all. The use of diverse analytical methods further undermines the ability to compare doses or blends across studies.
Magnesium supplementation improves sleep quality in adults with type 2 diabetes
In a cross-sectional survey of 132 participants from a randomized, double-blind clinical trial on magnesium supplementation in type 2 diabetes, over half reported symptom improvements including in sleep quality. Satisfaction was high, with 75% willing to join future trials and 87.88% would recommend participation.
Combination medication treatment prolongs sleep latency and alters cognitive-related cortical hemodynamics in narcolepsy type 1 patients
In a pilot study of 16 drug-naive narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) patients, combination medication treatment significantly prolonged REM latency and mean sleep latency from MSLT, and reduced REM sleep proportion. During a verbal fluency task, fNIRS showed increased HbO2 in frontopolar, middle temporal, and subcentral areas, and decreased HbO2 in retrosplenial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices. Pre-treatment HbO2 change in subcentral area and post-treatment HbO2 change in middle temporal gyrus predicted post-treatment mean sleep latency.
Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) improves sleep patterns and stress resilience in adults with stress-related symptoms
This review highlights that adaptogenic herbs like Withania somnifera (ashwagandha) show consistent efficacy in enhancing stress resilience and improving quality of life, including improvement in sleep patterns. Clinical trial data confirm the role of plant-derived compounds in modulating cortisol levels and reducing anxiety, with ashwagandha being a key example.
Psychological self-report questionnaires are not associated with decrements in physical performance following Special Operations Forces unit training.
In a study of 54 male active-duty SOF operators, an 8-month training phase led to decrements in body fat, agility, vertical jump, anaerobic capacity, and sprint times, with improvements in isometric midthigh pull and pain subscales. However, correlations between changes in psychological self-report measures (depression, sleep quality, alertness, post-traumatic stress, pain) and performance changes were mostly weak and inconsistent, with only a few significant correlations (e.g., agility with alertness; aerobic capacity with alertness; post-training agility with depression; post-training anaerobic capacity with overall pain; post-training sprints with sleep quality). The authors conclude that PSR tools should be used with caution as screens for nonfunctional overreaching in SOF.
Nutritional interventions, including specific nutrients and dietary patterns, improve sleep quality and manage sleep disorders.
This review synthesizes evidence from clinical trials and observational studies over the past two decades, indicating that nutrients like magnesium, tryptophan, and omega-3 fatty acids, along with dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet, enhance sleep outcomes. Functional foods like tart cherry juice and kiwifruit show potential benefits, and the gut microbiome is identified as a key regulator of sleep physiology.
Duloxetine treatment improves sleep quality and reduces pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in patients with major depressive disorder
After 4 weeks of duloxetine treatment (40-60 mg/day), patients with MDD showed significant improvements in sleep parameters including increased total sleep time (TST) and sleep efficiency (SE), and decreased wake after sleep onset (WASO). Serum levels of IL-1β, IL-8, IL-12, and IFN-γ were significantly reduced. Baseline and post-treatment correlations suggest a link between sleep improvement and inflammatory changes.
Newest Studies
All →Esketamine during anesthesia induction improves early postoperative sleep quality in female patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery: A randomized trial.
Pakistan journal of medical sciences, 2026 · observational
Efficacy of the 'Quarter-of-an-Hour-Rule' Single Instruction Derived from Stimulus Control Therapy for Insomnia: A Pragmatic Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial.
Behavioral sleep medicine, 2026 · observational
Long-term weight maintenance after a low-carbohydrate diet: a real-world retrospective cohort study.
European journal of clinical nutrition, 2026 · observational
Sama Vritti Pranayama breathing exercise on sleep disturbance and fatigue among hemodialysis patients: A quasi-experimental study.
Caspian journal of internal medicine, 2026 · observational
Recently Updated
All →Insomnia induces intestinal microbiota disorder, and artificial interventions targeting gut microbiota can improve sleep.
This narrative review summarizes evidence that insomnia can disrupt intestinal microbiota by activating immune responses, the HPA axis, and neuroendocrine systems, while gut microbiota can exacerbate insomnia via neurotransmitter and inflammatory factor release. Artificial interventions such as probiotics, traditional Chinese medicine, fecal microbiota transplantation, diet, and exercise may improve sleep by affecting neurotransmitter and microbial metabolite release.
Melissa officinalis Phytosome (MOP) improves sleep quality in adults with mild insomnia
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, MOP significantly reduced Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scores by an average of 2.9 points compared to placebo (6.8 ± 4.1 vs 9.7 ± 3.7, p=0.003). Slow-wave sleep (SWS) duration increased by 15%, REM sleep decreased by 10%, and 87% of treated participants reported improved sleep quality versus 30% in the placebo group (χ²=21.01, p=0.0003).
Gut microbiota taxa are causally associated with insomnia risk in European ancestry individuals
A Mendelian randomization study identified that Enterorhabdus, Family XIII AD3011 group, Paraprevotella, and Lachnospiraceae UCG004 increase insomnia risk, while Coprococcus1, Coprobacter, Desulfovibrio, Flavonifractor, Olsenella, Odoribacter, and Oscillibacter decrease risk. For specific insomnia phenotypes, Eisenbergiella increased risk of trouble falling asleep, while Haemophilus and Eubacterium brachy group reduced it; Family XIII UCG001, Lachnospiraceae FCS020 group, and Olsenella increased risk of waking too early, while Eubacterium brachy group and Victivallis reduced it.
Six hub herb pairs (Radix Astragali-Radix et Rhizoma Ginseng, Rhizoma Chuanxiong-Radix Glycyrrhizae, Seman Platycladi-Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae-Radix Glycyrrhizae, Radix Polygalae-Semen Ziziphi Spinosae, Radix Astragali-Semen Ziziphi Spinosae) may treat insomnia via the cAMP signaling pathway synergistically with HIF-1, prolactin, chemical carcinogenesis receptor activation, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways.
This study analyzed 104 TCM prescriptions for insomnia using data mining, network pharmacology, and molecular docking. Six hub herb pairs were identified, and network pharmacology suggested they may act through the cAMP signaling pathway in synergy with four other pathways, with molecular docking showing good binding affinity between active ingredients and hub targets.
Not a content website. An evidence engine.
Evidence Scored
Every claim is scored on human RCTs, meta-analyses, mechanism, and safety. No more guessing what "studies show" means.
Claim Graph
Claims link to studies, doses, populations, and mechanisms. When new research appears, everything updates.
AI-Ready API
Structured JSON API designed for ChatGPT, Claude, and AI agents. Not just human-readable — machine-computable.
API Documentation
REST endpoints for claims, evidence, and search. Built for AI consumption.
Browse All Claims
Explore all evidence-backed claims with full study details.
Browse by Topic
Glycine, magnesium, melatonin, and more. Find claims by compound.