How to Choose the Right Stress & Sleep Supplement for You

Taking a supplement is one of the easiest and most effective ways to support sleep and manage occasional stress. Yet there’s so many options out there, it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. Melatonin or no melatonin? And what’s L-theanine? Don’t worry — we’re here to help. We sat down with an expert, Solgar® supplement education manager, Liza Boone, to discuss the differences between some of our favorite stress and sleep supplements and how to choose the right supplement for your needs.

How to choose a quality supplement

There are a lot of different supplements for stress out there…what should someone look for when choosing a quality supplement?

Brand reputation and integrity are super important, as not all supplements are created equal. Look for brands that use quality ingredients, trusted formulas, and follow good manufacturing practices.

At Solgar, we only use quality raw materials that exceed testing and industry requirements and are verified by experts. We also make sure our formulas are backed by scientific evidence. Our supplements are crafted in small batches for freshness. And we conduct frequent internal testing to ensure quality.

Holding your vitamins to these standards will help you find a supplement that actually works.

Daily Stress Support vs. Stress & Anxiety Relief

Solgar® Daily Stress Support and Solgar® Stress & Anxiety Relief are both incredible stress-support supplements made with plant-based, herbal ingredients.* When should someone opt for Daily Stress Support, and when should they opt for Stress & Anxiety Relief?

Great question. Solgar® Daily Stress Support is a non-habit-forming way to support your ability to deal with occasional mental and physical stress.* It can be taken daily to help build your body’s resistance to stress and help with occasional stress-related fatigue.*

If you need additional support during a particularly stressful time, Solgar® Stress & Anxiety Relief may help with situational stress by supporting a healthy cortisol response and helping your body manage the disruptive symptoms of emotional stress.* It also has great benefits when taken daily. Remember that you can also take both of these supplements at the same time if you wish!

Let’s say I take a stress support supplement when I’m feeling occasionally stressed — such as during finals week in college. Will the supplement still be as effective for the short-term as it would be for the long term?

All of the herbs in Daily Stress Support and Stress & Anxiety Relief can be taken daily. So to answer your question, yes — you can definitely just take these supplements for a short period of time; however, it’s best to take them daily for at least a few weeks to see the great benefits.*

Daily Stress Support

Let’s focus on Daily Stress Support for a minute, which offers rhodiola extract and B-vitamin complex. What are the benefits of these ingredients, and why do they work so well together?

Rhodiola is a great ingredient for stress support because it is an adaptogen. Adaptogens are herbs, plants, and fungi that help the body adapt to either physical or mental stress over time.* The rhodiola we use is collected in the wild from the Siberian Altai region, using good agricultural and collection practices (GACP). The raw materials are also processed considering the environmental and local welfare of the community, so you can feel good about where your supplement is coming from!

As for B-vitamins, your body requires them and they provide nourishment for the occasional stresses of daily living.* So we included them in this supplement to help the body with daily replenishment.

Why are the B-vitamins in Daily Stress Support sourced from quinoa?

Using B-vitamins sourced from quinoa is one of the things that makes this supplement so unique. Basically, quinoa takes in B-vitamins into its structure during germination, making them a food-based and low-odor way to support nervous system health.*

Stress & Anxiety Relief

We love that! Now let’s turn to Stress & Anxiety Relief…what are the benefits of ashwagandha and saffron?

Both ashwagandha and saffron are ayurvedic herbs that have been used in India for hundreds of years.
Ashwagandha, also known as Indian ginseng, is a small, evergreen shrub and is a popular stress support ingredient. It is also an adaptogen, helping the body adapt to occasional stress and restore balance with continued use.*

Solgar® Stress & Anxiety Relief uses KSM-66® Ashwagandha, which is the most studied ashwagandha extract available today. This specific strain is sourced from India in a way that makes sure the plant maintains its expected potency. It is also super bioavailable (or body-ready) and made without the use of alcohol or chemical solvents.

As for saffron, saffron is a potent spice that has also long been used in Ayurveda for its mood-supporting properties.* For Stress & Anxiety Relief, we use affron® Saffron, a saffron extract originating from Spain. affron® Saffron is standardized to include the bioactive compounds most responsible for the ingredient’s benefits so that you get as much of the good stuff as possible.

Both ashwagandha and saffron are effective, concentrated, sustainable, and have clinical studies behind them — which make them perfect ingredients for this supplement.^{1 2}

Supplements for Sleep

Sleep supplements have become super popular, and there’s so many to choose from. What should someone look for when choosing a sleep support supplement?

Like I mentioned for stress supplements, brand reputation and integrity are important, as well as choosing a brand with quality ingredients, internal quality testing, and formulas that are backed by rigorous scientific evidence.

I recommend trying many different options until you find the one or two that work for you. Personally, sometimes I don’t feel like I need the support of melatonin so I like to have an herbal blend option on my nightstand as well.

Can taking melatonin too often have negative effects?

People sometimes think it does, but all the science we have reviewed shows that melatonin has a strong safety profile. It is very safe and non-habit-forming — even when taken on a nightly basis.

How do I know if I should opt for a supplement with or without melatonin?

This is completely based on personal preference. Melatonin is non-habit-forming, safe, and can support a relaxed mood as well!*

When is the best time to take a sleep supplement?

At least 30 minutes before bedtime!

Triple Action Sleep vs. Sleep & Stress Support

Solgar® Triple Action Sleep and Solgar® Sleep & Stress Support both offer great sleep-supporting benefits for occasional sleeplessness. When would someone choose Triple Action Sleep and when should they choose Sleep & Stress Support?

Great question! Basically, Triple Action Sleep has both fast-release and time-released melatonin and is clinically shown to release melatonin more steadily throughout the night, mimicking the body’s natural release profile of melatonin over eight hours. It can help people achieve more restful sleep.*

Sleep & Stress Support is like a strong cup of herbal bedtime tea — with L-theanine and valerian root for occasional stress support, plus a clinically-studied blend of herbs to help with occasional sleeplessness.* Sleep & Stress Support does not contain melatonin, so it’s up to you what you need and prefer!

Interesting! So let’s say I fall asleep easily, but I wake up during the night. Which supplement would be best for me?

Triple Action Sleep offers time-release melatonin which gradually releases throughout the night helping with long-lasting sleep.* Sleep & Stress Support includes sleep-supporting herbs which help you stay rested throughout the night*… so either product could help!

Triple Action Sleep

Great! Let’s take a closer look at Triple Action Sleep…what are the benefits of the ingredients, and why do they work so well together?

This product has so many great sleep-support ingredients!* First, it has melatonin which is a hormone that is produced naturally in the body by the pineal gland in your brain and works in sync with your body’s sleep/wake cycle.

Triple Action Sleep includes two different kinds of melatonin: 5 mg of quick-release melatonin, which is absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream to help you fall asleep right away,* and then 5 mg of time-release melatonin which is clinically-studied and is gradually released over eight hours, to help you stay asleep.* This unique combination of quick-release and time-release melatonin is designed to mimic the body’s natural pattern of melatonin release throughout the night.

But that’s not all; this supplement also includes 200 mg L-theanine and a nighttime herbal blend. L-theanine is an amino acid that interacts with the neurotransmitter GABA to support a calm and relaxed mood.*

Sleep & Stress Support

Now what about the melatonin-free supplement, Sleep & Stress Support? What are the benefits of its ingredients?

Sleep & Stress Support is a great replacement for that bedtime cup of tea, and also helps with sleep quality.*

Like Triple Action Sleep, it includes 200 mg of L-theanine, a non-essential amino acid originally isolated from green tea that can help with feelings of occasional stress.* L-theanine interacts with the neurotransmitter GABA, which plays a key role in supporting mood centers in the brain.* Supplementing with L-theanine also helps influence alpha brain wave activity, which helps support a calm, relaxed mood.*

Finally, it has three sleep-supporting herbs: valerian root, hops flower, and passionflower. Valerian root is a plant traditionally used to promote relaxation and help with occasional sleeplessness.* Hops have a long history of use throughout Europe and are commonly used in herbal formulations. And passionflower is a vine that has been for centuries for its soothing properties.*

Together, these clinically-studied ingredients form a 100% drug-free, non-habit-forming supplement that improves sleep quality.*

Rest easy

The more you know, the more informed decisions you can make. Follow us on Instagram to learn more about Solgar products, and how they can benefit your daily life. 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Solgar® site