Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in the human body that’s released in response to darkness. It helps the body regulate its circadian rhythm (how your body’s natural clock responds over a 24-hour period), and is a contributing factor to getting a full night’s sleep.
In recent years, many people have turned to melatonin supplements, which are synthetically made versions of the hormone, for use as a sleep aid. Melatonin supplements are classified in the United States as a dietary supplement, so they can be bought over the counter, and aren’t as heavily regulated as prescribed medications. As always, it’s best to consult a doctor if you’re suffering from a sleep condition like insomnia. Melatonin supplements come in many forms and dosage levels; these are our top picks in the category.
- Best Overall – Ritual Sleep Bioseries Melatonin
- Best Melatonin Supplements for Kids – Luna Nested Naturals
- Best Melatonin Gummy – Olly Sleep Gummies
- Best Dissolvable Melatonin Supplements – Natrol Melatonin
- Best Value – Nature Made Melatonin 10mg Tablets
- Best Melatonin Supplements On Amazon – Amazon Basics Melatonin
- Best High-Strength Melatonin – Carlyle Fast Dissolve 12 mg Melatonin
Best Overall – Ritual Sleep Bioseries Melatonin
Ritual Sleep BioSeries Melatonin
These melatonin capsules from Ritual are designed to work in tandem with the body's natural sleep rhythms.
Pros
- These capsules are designed to release steady dosages of melatonin throughout the night in accordance with your natural sleeping patterns.
- The supplements are third party-tested.
- The melatonin comes from Italy, and has been lab-tested for purity and potency.
Cons
- It’s a bit more expensive than other melatonin supplements on the market.
Best Melatonin Supplements for Kids – Luna Nested Naturals
Luna Nested Naturals
Available as capsules for adults and chewable tablets for kids, with several flavors.
Pros
- It comes in a two-pack of blueberry-flavored chewable pills (note: make sure to check the “Kids 2-Pack” button before purchasing).
- These sleep supplements are also available in adult dosages, with both a melatonin and melatonin-free option.
- They’re made with research-backed ingredients such as L-Theanine and Valerian root extract, and are safe for kids 4 and up.
Cons
- None of the Luna Nested Naturals melatonin supplements are organic.
Best Melatonin Gummy – Olly Sleep Gummies
Olly Sleep
Olly Sleep's chewable melatonin supplements rely on high-quality ingredients and a flavor of blackberry infused with mint.
Sleepopolis Score
4.10 / 5
Pros
- Each chewable gummy contains 3mg of melatonin.
- They’re blackberry-flavored, with a dash of mint, which results in a refreshing, fruity taste.
- All of the ingredients are drug free and non-habit forming.
Cons
- They’re only available in one flavor.
Best Dissolvable Melatonin Supplements – Natrol Melatonin
Natrol Melatonin Gummies 10 mg
These dissolvable melatonin tablets come in strawberry and unflavored varieties.
Sleepopolis Score
4.20 / 5
Pros
- Each dissolvable tablet contains 5mg of melatonin.
- There are two different flavor options: strawberry and unflavored.
- You can get them in several different quantities, including a 60-count bottle, 100-count bottle, and 150-count bottle.
Cons
- The two different flavor varieties may not be available in every quantity.
Best Value – Nature Made Melatonin 10mg Tablets
Nature Made Melatonin 10mg Tablets
Featuring a smaller 3mg melatonin dose, these supplement tablets come in towards the lower end of dosage size on the market.
Sleepopolis Score
4.70 / 5
Pros
- At its price point, 70 capsules at 10mg is a great deal in the category.
- Because of the tablet format, you can more easily try different dosages to find what works best for your body.
- The tablets are small (roughly the size of an aspirin), making them easy to swallow.
Cons
- The tablets contain an additional 65mg of calcium (which is typically used as a binding agent), which may be an issue for someone sensitive to calcium.
Best Melatonin Supplements On Amazon – Amazon Basics Melatonin
Amazon Basics Melatonin Supplements
These gummy melatonin supplements from Amazon are pectin-based, chewable, and strawberry-flavored.
Pros
- Each bottle comes with 120 gummies, which should last you for two months.
- They’re chewable and strawberry-flavored.
- Every gummy contains 5mg of melatonin.
Cons
- If shipped during the summer, the supplements may arrive warm, so you might want to make sure you’re home during delivery so you can get them inside.
Best High-Strength Melatonin – Carlyle Fast Dissolve 12 mg Melatonin
Carlyle Fast Dissolve 12mg Melatonin
These fast-dissolve, berry-flavored tablets are a high-strength melatonin option for those who may not be getting the desired results from lower dosages, or for those who are looking for a one-time heavy dose (in the case of jetlag, for example).
Sleepopolis Score
4.50 / 5
Pros
- The main pro here is the dosage level. The melatonin supplements on the market tend to cap at 10mg, with most between the three and five milligram level, but these are a much heavier dose.
- The fast-dissolve tablets digest faster than standard tablets that need to be fully broken down in your stomach before you feel the effect.
- The tablets are small and easy to swallow, and don’t contain GMOs, gluten, soy, or artificial flavors.
Cons
- As with any higher dose supplement, the effects you feel could be a bit more drastic. And because the tablets are small and potent, they’re harder to get reliable segments for reduced dosages.
How We Chose the Best Melatonin
When functioning properly, the desired effects of melatonin should be a feeling of drowsiness a short time (roughly 30 minutes) after taking the supplement, followed by a night’s worth of deep sleep. The next day you shouldn’t feel groggy, or have headaches, if the supplement is working as designed. If you’re suffering from sleep-related issues, it’s important to consult a doctor to get a professional diagnosis. Though there are many that swear by melatonin as a way to enforce your body’s natural sleep processes. In selecting the best supplements, we looked at:
- Dosages: Not only did we look at the dosage levels, but how easy it is to divide dosages. The general range for melatonin supplements is three to ten milligrams, but everyone’s body is different in their response. Being able to control your dosage to find the right amount for you was important in our selection.
- Delivery System: As well as dosage, how you take the supplement is important, if not just for the ability to control how much you take. We looked at tablets, gummies, and liquids in our methodology and found benefits to each.
- Additives and Ratings: As with any supplement, there are a number of other substances that can be included beyond the active melatonin. We tended to favor supplements that excluded chemical additives, gluten, or GMOs.
Some Tips for Choosing Melatonin
As with any supplement, it’s important to know how your body reacts to certain substances before you ingest them. We recommend consulting a physician because not only will they help you diagnose any sleeping disorders you may have, but they’ll be the first to let you know if melatonin is a good option for you. Some things to look for in supplements:
- Additives: The main active ingredient in most melatonin supplements will be melatonin, but many of them include other things like calcium or vitamin D. It’s important to read all labels on supplements so you’re sure what you’re taking.
- Ability to Parse Doses: No matter the dosage level you select, it’s important that you’re able to either take multiple supplements if the original isn’t strong enough, or cut supplements down if they’re too strong. Finding the right type of supplement will help you with that trial and error.
Best Melatonin Supplements, In Conclusion
Everyone deserves a good night’s sleep. When you don’t get it, it can impact so many aspects of your everyday life. Melatonin supplements are one way that people have found effective in promoting a healthy sleep schedule. Hopefully these supplements fit the bill for your needs.
Logan Block
Mattress Reviewer
About Author
Logan is the former content director of Sleepopolis. As content director, he reviewed new mattresses every week and curated the comparisons, best of pages, and video guides on the site. Logan perfected his method by personally testing over 200 different mattresses, so he’s not only able to discern the overall vibe of a specific bed, but to contextualize its feel within the bed-in-a-box market as a whole.
Combination Sleeper