Ingredient story:

Valeriana officinalis, commonly known as valerian, is an herb native to Europe and Asia whose roots have been used since ancient Greek and Roman times as a sleep promoter. It plays a role prior to and during N1 (first sleep stage), when the body needs to feel calm, relaxed, and drowsy in order to move to N2 (second sleep stage). By working synergistically with a natural amino acid known as GABA, valerian root extract ensures a more relaxed, calm state.

Highlights:

• Works synergistically with GABA to ensure a less stimulated response
• Together, the two promote a more relaxed, calm mind and body
• Promotes restful sleep

Dosing:

Sleep + Clarity contains 300 mg of valerian standardized to a clinically beneficial dosage of 0.8%.

Citations:

• Leathwood, Peter D., Françoise Chauffard, Eva Heck, and Raphael Munoz-Box. “Aqueous Extract of Valerian Root (Valeriana Officinalis L.) Improves Sleep Quality in Man.” Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior 17, no. 1 (1982): 65–71.
• Oxman, Andrew D., Signe Flottorp, Kari Håvelsrud, Atle Fretheim, Jan Odgaard-Jensen, Astrid Austvoll-Dahlgren, Cheryl Carling, Ståle Pallesen, and Bjørn Bjorvatn. “A Televised, Web-Based Randomised Trial of an Herbal Remedy (Valerian) for Insomnia.” PLOS ONE. Public Library of Science. Accessed June 16, 2020.
• Santos, Maria, Fernanda Ferreira, António Cunha, Arsélio Carvalho, and Tice Macedo. “An Aqueous Extract of Valerian Influences the Transport of GABA in Synaptosomes.” Planta Medica 60, no. 03 (1994): 278–79.
• Morazzoni P, Bombardelli E. “Valeriana officinalis: traditional use and recent evaluation of activity.” Fitoterapia 66: 99-112 (1995)

Ingredient story:

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, which refers to a group of herbs that have been used in Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine) for thousands of years to promote longevity, enhance vitality, support a healthy immune response, enhance focus, and help reduce everyday stress and fatigue.

The Sensoril® Ashwagandha in our supplement is derived from a unique extract of the leaves and roots of the Withania somnifera plant that have been studied in 14 human clinical trials. It has been shown to decrease cortisol (a key marker of stress) and relieve occasional sleeplessness.

Highlights:

• Decreases cortisol, a key marker of stress
• Reduces malondialdehyde (MDA), a key marker of oxidative stress
• Relieves occasional sleeplessness

Dosing:

Sleep + Clarity contains a clinically beneficial dosage + standardization level of 125 mg of Sensoril® Ashwagandha.

Citations:

• Auddy B, Hazra J, Mitra A, Abedon B, Ghosal S. “A standardized Withania somnifera extract significantly reduces stress-related parameters in chronically stressed humans: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study.” JANA. 2008;11(1): 50-56.

Ingredient story:

Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid produced naturally in the brain. When GABA binds to its receptor (GABA-A), it renders the neuron less responsive to stimulation. In essence, it suppresses or inhibits the central nervous system to reduce excitability and, when bound, produces an immediate calming effect that may support a reduction in stress, anxiety, and sleeplessness.

Highlights:

• Reduces excitability
• Promotes relaxation + calmness

Dosing:

Sleep + Clarity contains a clinically beneficial dosage of 100 mg of GABA.

Citations:

• Abdou, Adham M., S. Higashiguchi, K. Horie, Mujo Kim, H. Hatta, and H. Yokogoshi. “Relaxation and Immunity Enhancement Effects of γ-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Administration in Humans.” BioFactors 26, no. 3 (2006): 201–8.
• Gottesmann, Claude. “GABA Mechanisms and Sleep.” Neuroscience. Pergamon, April 22, 2002.

Ingredient story:

Sourced from Japan, Venetron® is a patented, purified, powdered extract from the leaves of a wild perennial plant native to Central Asia and warm regions in Europe: Apocynum venetum L. (or “Rafuma” in Japanese). It has been used for centuries to promote sleep health. By binding to the GABA-A receptor, it reduces excitability and produces a calming effect.

Venetron® has been shown to impact multiple stages of sleep—including N1 and N2, where it has been clinically shown to help sleep initiation, and N3, where it has been shown to enhance non-REM sleep time.

Highlights:

• Improves initiation + maintenance of sleep
• Helps you fall asleep faster + stay asleep
• Reduces feelings of nervousness, restlessness, + irritation

Dosing:

Sleep + Clarity contains a clinically beneficial dosage + standardization level of 50 mg of Venetron®.

Citations:

• Yamatsu, Atsushi, Yusuke Yamashita, Isafumi Maru, Jinwei Yang, Jin Tatsuzaki, and Mujo Kim. “The Improvement of Sleep by Oral Intake of GABA and Apocynum Venetum Leaf Extract.” Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology 61, no. 2 (2015): 182–87.
• Nakata, A. et al. “Effect of an Apocynum venetum leaf extract (venetron™) on sleep quality and psychological stress improvement.” Japan Pharmacology Therapeutics (JPT), no. 46 (2018): 117-125.