Skip to Content

Ashwagandha vs Melatonin (Which Is Better For Sleep?)

I may receive a commission for purchases made through product links on this page, but I always stand by my opinions and endorsements!

So you’ve decided to jump on the supplements bandwagon.

Wise choice my friend.

But with so many different supplements, which ones should you take?

Well, that’s exactly why I created my Supplement Comparison Guide to help you decide in a scenario like this.

Next up, we have Ashwagandha vs Melatonin.

Ready?

Let’s get to it.

What is Ashwagandha?

ashwagandha plant

Ashwagandha (Withania Somnifera) is an ancient Indian herb that’s been used for thousands of years.

It’s in the same family of plants as the everyday potato, known as the Nightshade family.

Today, Ashwagandha is used by many people thanks to its calming and health promoting properties.

What is Melatonin?

Melatonin is a powerful hormone that’s naturally secreted from the pineal gland at night.

Its main function is to help manage your sleep cycle by regulating your body’s internal clock.

So for this reason, it’s widely supplemented to help improve sleep.

(More on that shortly!)

Benefits

Benefits of Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha may help with anxiety

Anxiety is a common mental illness faced by over 40 million American adults.

According to research, Ashwagandha may be an effective supplement at improving anxiety symptoms.

In one study, participants took either a placebo or Ashwagandha each day for 2 months.

Those who took Ashwagandha had a bigger reduction in “stress test” scores than those in the placebo group.

In another study, participants took either a placebo or Ashwagandha each day for 6 weeks.

By the end of the study, 88% of the people who took Ashwagandha had less anxiety.

Ashwagandha may help lower blood sugar levels

High blood sugar levels are toxic to the body.

To combat high blood sugar levels, your body releases insulin which causes them to drop dramatically.

This sharp drop in blood sugar levels can make you feel tired, irritable and hungry.

Ironically, this often results in you eating more sugary food which causes your blood sugar to spike again.

So, to stop your blood sugar levels from yo-yoing, your best bet is to keep them stable.

In one study, 12 subjects took Ashwagandha every day for 30 days.

After the 30 days, their blood sugar levels were lowered by amounts comparable to a blood sugar lowering drug.

Ashwagandha may help boost testosterone levels

Males’ testosterone levels naturally decrease with age.

But unfortunately, low testosterone levels can cause problems.

For example, research suggests that depression in aging men can be brought on by low testosterone levels.

Well, if you do experience low testosterone levels, then perhaps you ought to give Ashwagandha a try.

A study of 75 infertile males found that Ashwagandha boosted their seminal testosterone levels.

Ashwagandha may help increase muscle size and strength

If you search for the best bulking supplements on Google, chances are Ashwagandha won’t appear anywhere.

But that’s not to say Ashwagandha is ineffective for muscle building.

In a study of 57 people, some took 600mg of Ashwagandha each day and the others took a placebo.

Interestingly, the Ashwagandha group had bigger increases in fat loss, muscle mass, muscle strength and testosterone than the placebo group.

Benefits of Melatonin

Melatonin may help treat GERD

GERD is an uncomfortable condition caused by stomach acid flowing into the esophagus.

When this happens, a GERD sufferer may notice the following symptoms:

  • Heartburn
  • Chest pain
  • Bad breath

But thanks to its ability to suppress stomach acid secretion, Melatonin may be effective at treating GERD.

In one study, subjects took either a common GERD drug or a Melatonin-containing supplement.

While only 67.5% of the GERD drug group had a reduction in symptoms, every single person in the Melatonin group had a reduction in symptoms.

Melatonin may improve your sleep

Thanks to its ability to improve sleep, Melatonin is often referred to as the sleep hormone.

As you’d probably expect, there’s been a lot of research done on Melatonin and sleep and the results have been impressive.

For example, a review of 19 studies found that Melatonin improves sleep quality, increases the amount of sleep, and reduces the time taken to fall asleep.

Also, research suggests that Melatonin may improve insomnia in cancer patients.

Melatonin may increase HGH levels

As its name suggests, Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is a naturally produced hormone that’s crucial for normal growth.

Since HGH helps increase muscle growth, it’s widely used by high-level bodybuilders.

If you want to boost your HGH levels, you may want to go with Melatonin.

Why?

Well according to a study, as little as 0.5mg of Melatonin may stimulate HGH release.

Cost

Ashwagandha Cost

Ashwagandha is usually sold in tablets or as a liquid extract.

Some general prices for these are:

  • Tablets: $18 for 100
  • Liquid extract: $17 for 2 Oz

Melatonin Cost

Melatonin is normally sold in tablets.

For a medium-priced Melatonin supplement, you can expect to pay around $14 for 120 tablets.

Side Effects

Ashwagandha Side Effects

Ashwagandha supplements are well-tolerated by most healthy adults, but some people may notice mild side effects such as headaches, sleepiness and stomach upset.

And since Ashwagandha can lower your blood sugar levels, it’s important to speak to a doctor before taking Ashwagandha if you’re taking blood sugar lowering medication.

The following people should NOT take Ashwagandha:

  • Pregnant women
  • People with stomach ulcers
  • Those with high/low blood pressure
  • People who’re allergic to Nightshade plants, i.e. Potatoes, Tomatoes, etc.
  • People with autoimmune conditions, i.e. Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, etc.

Melatonin Side Effects

Like Ashwagandha, Melatonin is generally safe to supplement with, but some people may notice the following side effects:

  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Headaches

Recommendations

My Ashwagandha Recommendation: NaturaLife Labs Ashwagandha

Click to see on Amazon

Overview

NaturaLife Labs Ashwagandha ticks all the boxes of an epic supplement.

It’s high strength, high quality, and great value for money.

What I like about it

A quick skim of the reviews shows that this is an effective Ashwagandha supplement, that’s worked for many people.

Its effectiveness is boosted by the fact it’s mixed with black pepper extract, as research shows it’s absorbed better alongside black pepper extract.

And as a bonus, this supplement only contains natural, organic ingredients meaning it’s free from any nasty additives that do you no good.

All in all, this is the perfect supplement if you’ve decided to go with Ashwagandha.

Potential Drawbacks

The recommended serving size is 3 capsules, which is a bit of a pain if you’re not a fan of swallowing capsules.

But apart from that minor inconvenience, there isn’t much to moan about here.

Check price and read more reviews of NaturaLife Labs Ashwagandha on Amazon.

My Melatonin Recommendation: Solgar Melatonin

Click to see on Amazon

Overview

A super strength Melatonin supplement from a world leading brand.

Solgar Melatonin is the real deal.

What I like about it

I’m a big fan of Solgar as a supplement company.

They renown for making premium quality products and are globally recognised.

It’s pleasing to see so many excellent reviews too, which shows that many people have used this supplement with outstanding results.

And as each bottle contains 120 servings, this top Melatonin supplement will last you a while.

Potential Drawbacks

The picky side of me would like fewer other ingredients.

This isn’t a deal breaker by any means though.

Check price and read more reviews of Solgar Melatonin on Amazon.

Ashwagandha vs Melatonin: The Verdict

Thanks for staying to the end of this Ashwagandha vs Melatonin breakdown with me!

Both supplements are effective for many people and either would make a great choice.

Hopefully, by reading this article you have a better idea of which one to side with.

But if you haven’t decided by now, then here’s a high-level guide to help you pick:

You might prefer Ashwagandha if:

  • You suffer from anxiety
  • You want to increase your T levels
  • You want to get bigger and stronger
  • You want more stable blood sugar levels

You might prefer Melatonin if:

  • You want to improve your sleep
  • You want to boost your HGH levels
  • You want to reduce GERD symptoms

That’s all for this article, but do you take Ashwagandha in the morning or night? Or perhaps you’re interested in Ashwagandha vs Moringa?

Hope this helped!