Sleep Supplement Ingredients Explained: Inside Restful Night+

Sleep supplement ingredients fall into three broad groups: a timing signal (melatonin), calming botanicals (such as chamomile, passion flower, lemon balm and hops), and amino acids and nutrients that support a relaxed nervous system (such as L-theanine, GABA and magnesium). Restful Night+™ combines all three. This guide explains what each ingredient on the label is there for, what the research does and does not say, and the cautions that matter before you take it.

What sleep supplement ingredients actually do

Good sleep depends on two things working together: your body clock telling you it is night, and your nervous system settling enough to let go of the day. Most sleep formulas aim at one or both. Melatonin speaks to the clock. Botanicals and amino acids are traditionally used to support the "settling" side. Knowing which is which helps you read any label, not only ours.

Inside Restful Night+

The label lists four actives by amount plus a 905 mg blend of fourteen ingredients. Blend totals are on the label; the amounts inside each blend are not. Here is the full panel, per two-capsule serving:

Ingredient	Amount per serving	Why it is there
Melatonin	10 mg	The hormone your body makes as evening falls; a night-time signal
Vitamin B-6	1.8 mg (106% DV)	Involved in making serotonin and GABA
Magnesium (citrate)	13 mg (3% DV)	A small supporting amount of a relaxing mineral
Calcium (carbonate)	17 mg (1% DV)	A small supporting mineral amount
Sleep Formula blend	905 mg total	Fourteen botanicals and amino acids, listed below

The botanicals in the blend

• Chamomile flower — a classic bedtime tea herb, traditionally used for relaxation.
• Passion flower — long used to support a calm, settled mood before bed.
• Lemon balm — a mint-family herb traditionally used for calm.
• Hops flower — the same plant used in brewing, traditionally paired with other sleep herbs.
• Chinese skullcap root and ashwagandha root — traditional herbs associated with a healthy stress response.
• Lycium (goji) fruit — a traditional food-herb.
• St. John's Wort — an herb with well-known medication interactions; see the cautions below.

The amino acids and nutrients in the blend

• L-tryptophan and 5-HTP — building blocks your body uses to make serotonin, which it later converts into melatonin.
• L-theanine — the relaxing amino acid in tea, studied for a calm, alert state.
• GABA — the name of the brain's main calming messenger, taken here as a supplement ingredient.
• L-taurine and inositol — nutrients involved in normal nerve signaling.

Research on these ingredients varies. For melatonin, a 2013 PLoS One meta-analysis pooled 19 placebo-controlled trials in people with primary sleep disorders (more below). For the herbs, sleep research is limited: NCCIH says there's very little information on chamomile's effect on insomnia (a 2019 review found one study on insomnia, and it showed no benefit), and that a small amount of research suggests passionflower might improve total sleep time in adults with insomnia, but its effects on the time it takes to fall asleep and stay asleep are mixed. We would rather tell you that than overpromise.

About the 10 mg of melatonin

Melatonin amounts in supplements vary widely. In a 2013 PLoS One meta-analysis of 19 trials in adults and children with primary sleep disorders, the fixed doses tested ranged from 0.1 to 5 mg (one trial in children was dosed by body weight), so the 10 mg in Restful Night+ is higher than every fixed dose in that analysis. NCCIH notes that, particularly at doses higher than what the body normally produces, there is not yet enough information on side effects for a clear picture of overall safety. That is one reason the label carries clear cautions and why it is worth a conversation with your healthcare provider, especially if you are new to melatonin or take other medication. For a deeper look at timing and amounts, read Melatonin and Sleep: How Much, When, and Cautions.

How to take Restful Night+

Restful Night+ is two capsules once a day, 20 to 30 minutes before bedtime with a glass of water, and the 60-capsule bottle is a 30-day supply. Take it when you are ready to wind down, not before an evening of plans. It is caffeine-free, vegan and gluten-free, in a vegetable capsule.

Restful Night+ is third-party tested, every batch, for purity and potency, and manufactured in USA with globally sourced materials in an NSF-certified, GMP-certified, FDA-registered facility. Read how we test on Our Standards.

Cautions to read before you start

These come straight from the label, and they matter:

• Do not exceed recommended dose.
• Contains St. John's Wort and 5-HTP: consult your healthcare professional before use if you take any medication.
• Do not combine with alcohol or other sleep aids.
• Do not drive or operate machinery within 8 hours after use.
• Pregnant or nursing mothers, children under the age of 18, and individuals with a known medical condition should consult a physician before using this or any dietary supplement.
• Not on the label, but from NCCIH: passionflower "should not be used during pregnancy as it may induce uterine contractions and possibly lead to other problems"; "it may be unsafe to use St. John's wort during pregnancy because it may increase the risk of birth defects"; and "breastfeeding infants of mothers who take St. John's wort can experience colic, drowsiness, and lethargy."

NCCIH and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) also give medicine and health-condition cautions for ingredients in Restful Night+ that are not on the label:

• St. John's wort (NCCIH): it "can weaken the effects of many medicines, including crucially important medicines," among them some antidepressants (including amitriptyline and bupropion), birth control pills, cyclosporine, some seizure drugs (including phenytoin and carbamazepine), some heart medications (including digoxin and ivabradine), some HIV drugs, some cancer medications, warfarin (a blood thinner) and certain statins. Taking it "with certain antidepressants or other drugs that affect serotonin ... may lead to increased serotonin-related side effects, which can be serious."
• Melatonin (NCCIH): "people with epilepsy and those taking blood thinner medications need to be under medical supervision when taking melatonin supplements," and "the 2015 guidelines by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend against melatonin use by people with dementia."
• Chamomile (NCCIH): "interactions between chamomile and some drugs metabolized by the liver and warfarin (a blood thinner) have been reported, and there are theoretical reasons to suspect that chamomile might interact with other drugs as well, such as sedatives." Preliminary studies suggest that taking chamomile "along with birth control pills might decrease the effects of birth control pills," and chamomile "might worsen any condition that is sensitive to exposure to estrogen, such as breast or uterine cancer." Allergic reactions are more likely in people who are "allergic to related plants such as ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, or daisies."
• Passionflower (NCCIH): it "might interact with some anesthesia drugs, so avoid its use before surgery unless recommended by a health care provider." NCCIH adds: "Talk to your health care provider if you are taking passionflower within 2 weeks of a scheduled surgery."
• Magnesium (ODS): magnesium "may interact with certain medications, such as oral bisphosphonates, tetracyclines, and quinolone antibiotics," and "the risk of magnesium toxicity increases with impaired renal function or kidney failure."

Because it already contains 5-HTP, do not take it alongside 5-HTP+ or Deep Calm+™, which also contain 5-HTP, or with Night Balance+™, which contains both melatonin and 5-HTP.

Frequently asked questions about sleep supplement ingredients

What ingredients are in sleep supplements?

Ingredients found in sleep supplements include melatonin, magnesium, L-theanine, GABA and calming herbs such as chamomile, valerian, passion flower and lemon balm. Some formulas, such as Restful Night+, combine a timing signal with calming ingredients.

Why does Restful Night+ use a blend?

The formula layers several traditional calming ingredients rather than relying on one. The blend total is on the label, but the individual amounts inside the blend are not listed.

Can I take Restful Night+ every night?

The label direction is two capsules once a day before bedtime. Follow the label every time: do not exceed the recommended dose, do not combine with alcohol or other sleep aids, do not drive or operate machinery within 8 hours after use, and because it contains St. John's Wort and 5-HTP, consult your healthcare professional before use if you take any medication. The label also says that pregnant or nursing mothers, children under the age of 18, and individuals with a known medical condition should consult a physician before using this or any dietary supplement. NCCIH goes further for two herbs in the blend: it says passionflower "should not be used during pregnancy," that "it may be unsafe to use St. John's wort during pregnancy because it may increase the risk of birth defects," and that "breastfeeding infants of mothers who take St. John's wort can experience colic, drowsiness, and lethargy." NCCIH and the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) also give medicine and health-condition cautions that the label does not. Per NCCIH, St. John's wort can weaken many medicines, including warfarin, birth control pills, cyclosporine, certain statins and some antidepressants, seizure, heart, HIV and cancer drugs, and with certain antidepressants or other drugs that affect serotonin it can cause serotonin-related side effects that can be serious; people with epilepsy or on blood thinners should take melatonin only under medical supervision, and 2015 American Academy of Sleep Medicine guidelines advise against melatonin for people with dementia; chamomile interactions with warfarin and some liver-metabolized drugs have been reported, chamomile might decrease the effects of birth control pills (in preliminary studies) and might worsen estrogen-sensitive conditions, and people allergic to ragweed and related plants are more likely to react to it; and passionflower might interact with some anesthesia drugs, so avoid it before surgery unless a health care provider recommends it, and talk to your provider if you take it within 2 weeks of a scheduled surgery. Per ODS, magnesium may interact with oral bisphosphonates, tetracyclines and quinolone antibiotics, and impaired kidney function or kidney failure raises the risk of magnesium toxicity. NCCIH notes that information on the long-term safety of supplementing with melatonin is lacking. It also gives time limits for three herbs in the blend. It says passionflower "may be safe when it's taken as a tea for up to 7 nights, and the daily use of passionflower extract may be safe for up to 8 weeks." It says that "for most adults who are not taking any kind of medicine, St. John's wort appears to be safe when used for up to 12 weeks, and some studies indicate that it can be used safely for a year or more." It says chamomile "is possibly safe when used by adults and children orally for medicinal purposes over the short term." Ask your healthcare provider how long to use Restful Night+, and talk to them if poor sleep continues.

Will it make me groggy in the morning?

It can: NCCIH lists sleepiness among the mild side effects reported in short-term studies of melatonin supplements. That is why the label says not to drive or operate machinery within 8 hours after use. Take it only when you can get a full night in bed.

Can I take Restful Night+ with magnesium glycinate?

Restful Night+ already contains 13 mg of magnesium per two-capsule serving, and its label says: "Do not combine with alcohol or other sleep aids." Our Magnesium Glycinate+ label lists "Promotes Restful Sleep*," so count it as another sleep aid and do not take it with Restful Night+. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists 350 mg a day as the adult upper limit for magnesium from supplements and medications. The same NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheet says magnesium "may interact with certain medications, such as oral bisphosphonates, tetracyclines, and quinolone antibiotics," and that "the risk of magnesium toxicity increases with impaired renal function or kidney failure."

Related reading from our Wellness Hub

• Herbs for Sleep: Chamomile, Passionflower, Lemon Balm and Hops
• 5-HTP vs. Melatonin: How They Differ and Which Fits Your Routine
• The Wind-Down Ritual: How to Build an Evening Routine for Deeper Sleep

Sources

• NCCIH: Melatonin: What You Need To Know
• Ferracioli-Oda E, Qawasmi A, Bloch MH. Meta-analysis: melatonin for the treatment of primary sleep disorders. PLoS One. 2013.
• NCCIH: Chamomile
• NCCIH: Passionflower
• NCCIH: St. John's Wort
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals, updated January 6, 2026

Individual results vary.

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