Despite the glowing customer reviews, we’re far from convinced by the Pure Zzzs sleep aid formula. Pure Zzzs have opted for a proprietary blend for all the ingredients except melatonin. This means we only know the dose of the melatonin and nothing else.
But since the Pure Zzzs proprietary blend amounts to just 100mg, we say with certainty that nothing in it is properly dosed. What’s more, other than the valerian and perhaps the chamomile, none of the ingredients have direct sleeping benefits. Instead, they are beneficial as calming agents, helping to relieve stress and quieten the mind. This can be important for getting to sleep, but they are not directly linked to triggering sleep or improving sleep quality.
There are plenty of other ingredients that could have been used instead (or rather in addition to what is there, since there isn’t much of anything in this sleep supplement, which means there is plenty of space for more ingredients!). For example, Ashwagandha extract, GABA, and L-theanine have all been proven to support healthy, restful sleep.
With that said, let’s take a look at the few ingredients that are included in Pure Zzzs:
Melatonin (2mg) - Melatonin is a powerful sleep aid that is naturally produced in the body. It is responsible for telling the body it’s bedtime. The dose in Pure Zzzs is very low. This can be beneficial as melatonin can have side effects and starting with a low dose is a good way to test your tolerance. That said, 2mg is still a bit too low, although will help some people to fall asleep more easily. Nevertheless, we would prefer a minimum of 3mg. For people with serious sleeping problems, this dose is not going to be enough.
Pure Zzzs Proprietary Blend (100mg):
Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) Extract - There are many types of chamomile, and to its credit, Pure Zzzs features the right kind for improving sleep. This kind of chamomile increases GABA production, which is an important neurotransmitter involved in slowing down brain activity in preparation for sleep. But while Pure Zzzs has the right kind of chamomile, it most certainly doesn’t have enough of it. An effective dose of chamomile for triggering GABA production is 200mg, so it’s simply impossible that Pure Zzzs has enough.
Lemon Balm Leaf Extract - Evidence to support lemon balm’s sleep-improving credentials is currently lacking. It is not known whether it impacts any mechanism involved in falling asleep or maintaining sleep quality. It has been shown to have relaxing effects and can reduce stress and anxiety. This could, indirectly, support a better night of sleep and make it easier to fall asleep. However, once again the dose is far, far too low, with recommended doses of lemon balm ranging from 300mg to 500mg.
Valerian Extract - Valerian is a good ingredient and is increasingly popular as a sleep aid. It is used extensively in bedtime teas and is appearing in more and more sleep aids. Effective doses begin at around 300mg, which means that Pure Zzzs is also well off the mark with this one.
Lavender Extract - Evidence of lavender’s sleep-improving properties is almost non-existent. There are claims that it reduces anxiety and induces calm, but the evidence is mostly anecdotal or based on historical assertions that have not been tested properly. More research is needed to verify the effects of lavender, but not to worry, there is barely any lavender in Pure Zzzs anyway so it’s not going to do anything either way.