Ashwagandha for Sleep: What the Evidence Shows (UK)

What the research says about ashwagandha for sleep, its limitations, the Food Standards Agency safety review and who should check with a GP first.

By GUUDIES Editorial Team Published 12 March 2026 Updated 26 October 2026 6 min read

Ashwagandha for Sleep: What the Evidence Shows (UK)

By the GUUDIES Editorial Team · Updated 26 October 2026 · Claims checked against the GB Nutrition and Health Claims Register; sources below.

Disclosure: the Daily Greens+ gummy in the GUUDIES pouch includes a small amount of ashwagandha within a 200mg greens blend. GUUDIES is not a sleep product and we make no sleep claims for it.

The short answer: a handful of small trials suggest ashwagandha root extract may modestly improve some sleep measures, with larger effects seen in people with insomnia, but the evidence is limited and ashwagandha has no authorised health claim in the UK. The Food Standards Agency is also reviewing its safety, so speak to a GP or pharmacist before trying it, especially if you are pregnant, have a thyroid or liver condition, or take medication.

What Is Ashwagandha?

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) is a plant used in traditional Ayurvedic practice, where the root is the part most often used. It is sold in the UK as a food supplement in capsules, powders and gummies, often marketed as an "adaptogen" for stress and sleep. That word has no legal meaning, and no stress or sleep claim for ashwagandha has been authorised on the GB Nutrition and Health Claims Register.

It is not a sedative, and it is not a medicine. Products vary widely in which part of the plant they use, how they are extracted and how much they contain.

What Does the Research Say About Ashwagandha for Sleep?

The most useful summary so far is a 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis published in PLoS ONE, which pooled five randomised controlled trials of ashwagandha extract against placebo, with around 400 participants in total (Cheah et al., 2021). The authors reported:

What was measured	What the review found
Overall sleep	A small but statistically significant improvement compared with placebo
People with insomnia vs healthy adults	Larger effect in people with insomnia
Dose and duration	Larger effects at 600mg a day or more, and with eight weeks or more of use
Individual measures	Improvements in sleep quality scores, time to fall asleep, total sleep time, time awake after falling asleep and sleep efficiency
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index	No significant effect
Side effects	No serious adverse effects reported in the trials; long-term safety unclear

The limitations matter as much as the results. All five trials were small and carried out in India, only one included older adults, several had unclear blinding or allocation, and most lasted about eight weeks. The authors called for more research, including on safety. In plain terms: an interesting early signal, not proof, and not a reason to expect a supplement to fix poor sleep.

Is Ashwagandha Safe? The UK Position

In 2024 the Food Standards Agency (FSA) launched a call for evidence on ashwagandha in food supplements. It noted that literature reviews have linked ashwagandha to effects on thyroid hormone levels, possible liver toxicity and blood sugar-lowering effects, and that the UK has no established safe level for it in supplements (FSA). A summary of responses was published in June 2026, and the evidence is being passed to the independent Committee on Toxicity for a risk assessment (gov.uk).

Until that assessment is published, a cautious approach makes sense. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before taking ashwagandha if you:

are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding
have a thyroid condition or take thyroid medication
have a liver condition, or notice symptoms such as yellowing skin or dark urine while taking it
have diabetes or take medicines that lower blood sugar
take sedatives, antidepressants, immunosuppressants or blood pressure medicines
have an autoimmune condition or are due to have surgery

Ashwagandha Compared With Other Sleep Options

Option	UK status	Evidence picture
Ashwagandha	Food supplement; no authorised claim; safety under review	Small trials, modest effects
Magnesium	Food supplement; no authorised sleep claim	Small, low-quality trials
Melatonin	Prescription-only in the UK	Prescribed for specific situations by a doctor
Pharmacy sleep aids	Sold by pharmacies	The NHS says they may help only for a week or two
CBT for insomnia	Available through the NHS	Recommended by the NHS for long-term insomnia

Start With the Basics

The NHS recommends simple habits first: going to bed only when sleepy, getting up at the same time every day, relaxing for an hour before bed, keeping the bedroom dark and quiet, exercising during the day, and cutting back on caffeine, alcohol and large late meals (NHS). See a GP if changing your habits has not helped, you have had trouble sleeping for months, or it is affecting daily life. A GP may offer cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, which works on the thoughts and habits that keep you awake.

Where GUUDIES Fits

GUUDIES is not a sleep supplement and is not an ashwagandha product. The Daily Greens+ gummy contains a 200mg greens blend of 14 plant ingredients, one of which is ashwagandha. That is far less ashwagandha than the amounts used in the sleep trials above, and we make no sleep, stress or cortisol claims for it.

What Daily Greens+ does provide is a multivitamin profile, including vitamin B6 (1.7mg) and vitamin B12 (24µg), which contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Five of the six gummies are vegan; Marine Collagen contains fish. Each gummy has about 0.4g of sugar.

Because Daily Greens+ contains ashwagandha, the same safety advice applies: check with your GP or pharmacist first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a thyroid or liver condition, or take medication. You can see every ingredient and dose here, or see the GUUDIES daily pouch.

Common Questions

Does ashwagandha help you sleep?
Small trials suggest it may modestly improve some sleep measures, particularly in people with insomnia, but the evidence is limited and there is no authorised health claim for ashwagandha in the UK.

How long does ashwagandha take to work for sleep?
Most trials lasted around eight weeks, and the review found larger effects with longer use. There is little evidence on long-term safety.

Should I take ashwagandha at night?
Trials used different timings, and there is no clear evidence that night-time is better. Follow the label and speak to a pharmacist if unsure.

Is ashwagandha safe in the UK?
The Food Standards Agency is reviewing its safety after reports of thyroid and liver effects. Avoid it in pregnancy, and speak to a GP first if you have a medical condition or take medication.

Does GUUDIES contain ashwagandha?
Yes, in a small amount within the 200mg greens blend in Daily Greens+. It is far below the amounts used in sleep studies, and we make no sleep claims for it.

Sources

Cheah KL et al. Effect of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract on sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 2021: PubMed Central
Food Standards Agency, Call for evidence on ashwagandha: food.gov.uk
Food Standards Agency, Summary of responses to call for evidence on ashwagandha: gov.uk
NHS, Insomnia: nhs.uk
GB Nutrition and Health Claims Register: gov.uk