Do you have difficulties turning your brain off at night?
Do you have irregular sleep patterns that leave you tired all the time?
Do you tend to ruminate over mistakes, grievances, or unfinished projects?
Do you worry about every detail of your life…and the lives of your family and friends?
Do you have bad habits that prevent you from getting to bed at a decent hour (like eating unhealthy snacks while binge-watching your favorite TV show)?
If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, you aren’t alone.
Many Americans have sleep problems, which can interfere with their daily functioning.
What Can You Do?
Knowing your specific “sleep type” can help you understand what your body needs to get restorative sleep.
Recently, BrainMD’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Nicole Avena, highlighted a few different sleep types on an episode of The Dr. Oz Show. Here are some of the helpful insights she shared on the show…
3 Sleep Types + Tips for Better Sleep
Short Sleepers
It’s recommended that adults get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Some people are short sleepers, those who get 6 or less hours of sleep each night. Getting less than 6 hours of sleep can have a negative impact on overall health and physical/mental performance.
Despite a common misconception, short sleepers and those who deal with serious, consistent sleep loss aren’t the same. The latter may struggle to fall and stay asleep, and their overall sleep quality may be poor.
By contrast, short sleepers may be able to function adequately, if not optimally. Since many short sleepers can function well enough to get through the day, they may see no reason to improve their sleep pattern.
Light Sleepers
A light sleeper may find it difficult to stay asleep all night. These individuals may wake up to random noises and may have problems getting back to sleep. Due to these sleep disruptions, they may roll out of bed feeling like they haven’t gotten quality sleep.
People with this sleep type tend to remember their dreams. Since a person needs to be awake for their dreams to be encoded, there’s a good chance a light sleeper will remember their dreams more often than other types of sleepers.
Some suggested changes for light sleepers:
Avoid caffeine and sugar in the afternoon and evening
Turn off all screens at least 2 hours before bed
Discipline yourself to get exercise every day, early in the day
Never hit the snooze button; force yourself to get up when you shut off the alarm
Heavy Sleepers
Ever known someone who’s “out like a light” as soon as their head hits the pillow? Chances are, they’re a heavy sleeper.
Minor disturbances that would wake up light sleepers probably won’t even register with this type. This works well for the heavy sleeper until it’s time to wake up.
Heavy sleepers usually struggle to get up in the morning and may sleep through their alarm clock. These individuals rarely remember their dreams because they don’t wake up, or don’t wake up long enough, for them to be encoded.
Though this type is likely to get quality sleep, they may feel like they need even more sleep. Adjusting the bedtime routine to begin earlier in the evening may be an effective strategy for heavy sleepers.
5 Practical Tips for Any Sleep Type
Regardless of your sleep type, here are some top tips to help improve your sleep:
Don’t Take Naps
Instead of taking a nap to make up for loss of sleep, power through until bedtime to get back on a regular sleep schedule. Taking naps when you feel sleepy during the day can compound the nighttime sleep cycle disruption. Work on maintaining a regular sleep schedule – go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time each day, including on weekends.
No Late Exercising
Instead of going for a late-night run or taking an evening exercise class, make sure to finish exercising at least four hours before you want to go to sleep. Although regular exercise can be beneficial in preventing serious sleep issues, doing vigorous exercise late in the evening may energize you and keep you awake.
Comfortable Room Temperature
Make sure the temperature inside your bedroom is comfortable and on the cooler side. When you go to sleep, your body temperature tends to drop, which may help you fall asleep. The temperature inside your bedroom can dramatically affect the quality of your sleep.
Try Sound Therapy
If you struggle to block out noise, try sound therapy, which can induce a peaceful mood and help lull you to sleep. Consider soothing nature sounds, wind chimes, a fan, or soft music. Slower classical music, or any music that has a slow rhythm of 60 to 80 beats per minute, may help with sleep onset.
Resolve Emotional Problems
Instead of going to bed worried or angry, try to settle emotional problems before going to sleep. Send a positive text, email, or write down an issue to deal with the next day.
Once all matters have been resolved or tabled, forget about them. Clear your mind of stress so you can enter a relaxed state that can lead to peaceful sleep.
Better Sleep Awaits!
If you’re one of the estimated 70 million Americans who have trouble sleeping, try some of these tips for getting a better night’s sleep.
Remember that we’re all unique individuals and what works for one person may not work for another. Keep trying new techniques until you find something that works for you.
Sweet dreams!
At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality supplements to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD.
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical or healthcare advice from a physician, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new health regimen.
Meet Our Expert
Nicole Avena, PhD
Dr. Nicole Avena completed her PhD in Neuroscience and Psychology from Princeton University, followed by a postdoctoral training fellowship at The Rockefeller University in New York City. She is a research neuroscientist and expert in the fields of nutrition, diet and addiction, with a special focus on nutrition during early life and pregnancy, and women’s health. In addition to over 100 peer-reviewed scholarly publications, Dr. Avena has written several books, including What to Eat When You’re Pregnant, What to Feed Your Baby and Toddler and What to Eat When You Want to Get Pregnant.
Meet the Author
Keith Rowe
Keith has been a member of the BrainMD team for the past 7 years. Serving as copywriter and editor, he has written 400 blogs and has been involved with the launch of 32 new supplements. He takes many BrainMD supplements daily and his favorite is Neuro-C Vitamin C due to its efficacy and energizing citrus flavor.
You’re exhausted.
You’ve tried melatonin. You’ve tried magnesium. You’ve even tried cutting off caffeine at 2 PM.
And still, you find yourself staring at the ceiling at 3 AM, wondering what it’s going to take to finally get a good night’s sleep.
You’re not alone.
Roughly one in three American adults reports not getting enough sleep on a regular basis.(1) And here’s the real kicker: most of those people aren’t dealing with the same problem. One person is stressed out and can’t wind down. Another is dealing with physical discomfort. Another is overwhelmed by racing thoughts.
And yet most sleep supplements treat all of them exactly the same.
That’s where BrainMD’s new line of sleep supplements comes in.
Designed by sleep medicine doctor and psychiatrist, Dr. Shane Creado, these three new melatonin-free formulas are built for real people with real sleep issues. They’re science-backed, targeted, and designed to meet your body where it is.*
In this blog, we’ll walk through each one, show you how they fit into the bigger BrainMD sleep ecosystem, and explain why personalized sleep support is the future of sleep upgrades.
And if you’re not sure which one to start with, that’s okay too. We’ll talk about how to find your best match—and why sometimes, it takes a little trial and error to get there.
Why One-Size-Fits-All Sleep Supplements Fall Short
Not all sleep problems are created equal.
Stress-related sleep issues don’t work the same way as physical discomfort-related sleep disruptions. Restlessness from mental hyperactivity is different from jet lag or night-shift circadian chaos.
And yet, most over-the-counter supplements treat all sleep problems with one blanket approach: melatonin.
Melatonin can be helpful for some people, but it isn’t a cure-all. And in certain populations—especially children, teens, and those taking certain medications—melatonin can be problematic. A 2023 review of melatonin safety raised concerns about its widespread use in young people, noting insufficient long-term data and potential hormonal impacts.(2)
That’s one reason BrainMD chose to go melatonin-free with its new line of sleep supplements.
But the real breakthrough isn’t just what they left out. It’s what they put in.
Each of the three new formulas is designed to address a specific type of sleep disturbance:
Deep Comfort Sleep targets extreme discomfort, gut-related issues, and promotes a healthy inflammatory response.*
Stress Relief Sleep helps lower cortisol and soothe the wired-tired brain.*
Quiet My Mind Sleep calms mental overactivity and supports focus-driven brains (think shift workers and frequent flyers).*
These formulas don’t try to knock you out. They try to help you restore balance—physiologically, neurologically, and emotionally.*
That’s what real sleep science is all about.
Three Sleep Formulas. One Groundbreaking Shift in How We Think About Rest.
Instead of offering one all-purpose pill to “knock you out,” BrainMD created three highly targeted, melatonin-free formulas—each one addressing a specific reason people can’t sleep.*
This isn’t marketing fluff. It’s real sleep science in action.
Sleep disruption isn’t just a matter of “I’m not tired.” It can be driven by physical discomfort, high levels of cortisol, or mental hyperactivity—and each of those issues has different root causes, biological pathways, and clinical support options.*
Here’s how the new sleep supplement line breaks down:
Deep Comfort Sleep
For sleep that’s sabotaged by physical discomfort or gut-related issues
What it targets:
Minor aches or body tension*
Occasional joint or body discomfort*
Gut-brain axis disruption(8)*
Fatigue that isn’t resolved with rest*
What it’s made for:
This formula is built for people who wake up tired, feel stiff or achy at night, or have gut imbalance.* It’s especially relevant for adults over 40 or anyone with autoimmune tendencies, joint stiffness, or digestive struggles.*
Why it works:
Boswellia(7), and other specific agents that help support a healthy inflammatory response(6) help attain and balanced, whole-body calm so your system can finally enter a true rest-and-repair state.*
Stress Relief Sleep
For wired brains, tight chests, and cortisol that won’t quit.*
What it targets:
High cortisol levels*
Sleep-onset anxiousness*
Mid-night wakeups tied to stress*
Emotional exhaustion*
What it’s made for:
This is the formula for people who can’t shut off their brain—or who wake up at 2 AM feeling like their fight-or-flight system is still in overdrive.* Think: grief, burnout, job loss, divorce, or just life.*
Why it works:
It supports your adrenal rhythm and helps reduce stress hormone output with ingredients like ashwagandha(9), phosphatidylserine(10), and calming adaptogens that have been shown to reduce nighttime cortisol and improve sleep onset latency.*
Quiet My Mind Sleep
For the racing-thought crowd—think overthinkers and night owls.*
What it targets:
Overactive thoughts*
Mental restlessness*
Shift work, frequent travel, or inconsistent sleep-wake cycles*
Seasonal sleep disruption*
What it’s made for:
If your brain doesn’t know how to “power down,” this is your formula.* It’s safe for adults and teens 14+, and it’s especially useful for people with hyperactive tendencies, neurodivergent patterns, or chaotic sleep schedules.*
Why it works:
This blend focuses on calming the nervous system with nutrients that promote GABA signaling(11) and serotonin balance—like magnesium, saffron(13), L-theanine(12), and lion’s mane.(14)* These help the brain slow down, reduce mental noise, and support deeper REM cycles.*
Each formula is clean, melatonin-free, and built to be part of a system, not a Band-Aid.* You won’t find mystery blends or pixie-dusted herbs here—just targeted, evidence-based ingredients with a clear purpose.*
Coming up next: how these products fit into the BrainMD sleep ecosystem, and why Dr. Shane Creado might just be your new favorite sleep whisperer.
Designed by a Doctor. Built for Real Life.
What sets these new sleep formulas apart isn’t just what’s in them—or what’s left out.
It’s who created them—and the clinical reality they were designed to serve.
Dr. Shane Creado isn’t your average supplement formulator. He’s a double board-certified sleep medicine doctor and psychiatrist who works with Olympic athletes, professional sports teams, and high-performing professionals who can’t afford to be groggy, foggy, or chemically sedated.
His book Peak Sleep Performance for Athletes has become a modern manual for optimizing rest as a tool for mental sharpness, emotional resilience, and physical regeneration.(15) And now, that same expertise is built into every capsule of this new line of high-quality sleep supplements.
"Sleep optimization is the last frontier in peak performance.” - Shane Creado, MD
But Dr. Creado’s approach isn’t just for athletes. It’s for anyone who’s sick of “sleep hygiene” tips that don’t work, tired of melatonin dependence, or stuck cycling through supplements that don’t address why they’re not sleeping in the first place.
These formulas were built to fill the gaps Dr. Creado saw time and again in his clinical practice:
People with physical discomfort, whose sleep never really restores them.*
People with feelings of anxiousness or trauma, who dread the moment their head hits the pillow.*
People with attention issues or stress-fueled busy brains that just…won’t…turn…off.*
And because these formulas are melatonin-free and NSF-certified, they’re appropriate for teens, athletes, and professionals with sensitive systems or drug testing requirements.*
They’re not meant to be addictive. They’re not meant to zonk you out.
They’re meant to reset your system, naturally.*
So… Which One Should I Try First? (And What If I Don’t Know?)
This is the question everyone asks. And the honest answer?
It depends.
Some people know exactly what’s keeping them up at night: a sore shoulder, a racing mind, a life falling apart. Others just know they’re tired of being tired. Either way, choosing the right sleep formula shouldn’t feel like guesswork—but it also doesn’t require perfection.
Here’s the reframe: Not having a single, perfect answer doesn’t mean this approach is vague or unscientific. It means it’s personalized.
In medicine, this is called biochemical individuality—and it’s why even MDs regularly adjust treatments based on how a person responds. It’s not trial-and-error. It’s trial and insight.
We see this all the time:
Some people respond better to ashwagandha than L-theanine*
Some sleep deeper on saffron than magnesium*
Some need nervous system support, while others need their physical discomfort dialed down first*
That’s not a flaw. That’s your body’s way of telling you what works.
Our Advice?
Start with the formula that matches your dominant sleep struggle—aches, stress, or mental overactivity.* Give it a solid two weeks.* If it doesn’t get you where you want to go, try layering in another or switching to a different one.*
Sleep is a system, not a switch that you can turn off and on like a light. And BrainMD’s sleep ecosystem is designed to support that system holistically.*
Also worth noting: some of these products pair beautifully with existing BrainMD formulas like Calm My Brain, NAC, Everyday Stress Relief, or Brain Curcumins. This isn’t a one-and-done approach. It’s a toolkit.
The BrainMD Sleep Lineup at a Glance
Still not sure which sleep formula is right for you?
This quick-reference chart breaks down all five of BrainMD’s core sleep and relaxation products—including the three new melatonin-free formulas, plus the two foundational classics Put Me To Sleep Naturally and Restful Sleep.
Whether your challenge is falling asleep, staying asleep, or shutting down a racing brain, this guide will help point you in the right direction.*
Each of these formulas stands on its own. But taken together, they form the foundation of BrainMD’s comprehensive, personalized sleep ecosystem—one that honors the fact that no two brains (or sleep problems) are alike.*
Pro Tip: If you’ve had mixed results with melatonin, focus on the melatonin-free options first.* They offer a completely different approach to sleep support—one that’s often more sustainable for long-term use.*
Final Thoughts: Sleep That Meets You Where You Are
Here’s the truth no one tells you: You’re not broken. You’re just mismatched.
Most people struggling with sleep don’t need another generic sleep aid. They need a protocol that actually understands what they’re going through—and meets them there.
That’s what BrainMD’s new sleep supplement line is about.
It’s not about knocking you out.
It’s about helping your body do what it already wants to do: rest and repair.*
Whether your challenge is stress, physical discomfort, or a mind that just won’t stop running, there’s now a formula built for that exact issue.* One that doesn’t rely on melatonin. One that’s backed by a doctor who’s seen it all.*
And one that plays well with your body—not against it.*
So, if you’ve been burned by sleep supplements in the past—or if you’ve never really found the right fit—this is your invitation to try again.
You deserve sleep that works for you.*
Let BrainMD help you find it.*
At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality supplements to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical or healthcare advice from a physician, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new health regimen.
Meet Dr. Shane Creado
Shane Creado, MD is a double board-certified sleep medicine doctor and psychiatrist who specializes in optimizing brain performance through better sleep. He’s worked with Olympic athletes, professional sports teams, and elite performers across the world—from the NBA to the PGA to the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Dr. Creado is the author of Peak Sleep Performance for Athletes and serves as the VP for the Americas for the International Society for Sports Psychiatry. He is also the creator of the Overcoming Insomnia course for Amen University and consults with Amen Clinics on clinical strategy and supplement formulation.
His mission: to deliver personalized, non-pharmacological sleep supplements that help real people feel and function better—without dependency, grogginess, or guesswork.
Learn more at shanecreado.com or follow @peaksleepperformance on Instagram.
References:
CDC. 1 in 3 adults don’t get enough sleep. https://sleepeducation.org/cdc-americans-sleep-deprived/
Videnovic A, Zee PC. Melatonin use in children: Safety concerns. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37451058/
Xie L, et al. Sleep drives metabolite clearance from the adult brain. Science. 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24136970/
Hogenkamp, et al. Acute sleep deprivation increases portion size and affects food choice in young men, Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2013 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23428257/
Abbasi B, et al. Magnesium supplementation in insomnia. J Res Med Sci. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23853635/
Daily JW, et al. Efficacy of turmeric extracts and curcumin. J Med Food. 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27533649/
Ganpeng, et al. Effectiveness of Boswellia and Boswellia extract for osteoarthritis patients: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 2020 https://bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12906-020-02985-6
Mayer, et al. The gut-brain axis, Annual Review of Medicine, Vol 73, 2022. https://tinyurl.com/2b5n2wdy
Chandrasekhar K, et al. A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults Indian J Psychol Med. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23439798/
Starks, et al. The effects of phosphatidylserine on endocrine response…J Int Soc Sports Nutr July, 2008 https://tinyurl.com/hc8he4du
Arora, et al. GABAergic implications in anxiety and related disorders, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Sept 2024. https://tinyurl.com/5rk46hbt
Hidese, et al. Effects of L-theanine on Stress-Related Symptoms and Cognitive Functions in Healthy Adults Oct, 2019 https://tinyurl.com/2dnhcj3a
Lopresti AL, et al. Effects of saffron on sleep quality in healthy adults with self-reported poor sleep. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32056539/
Lee KE, et al. Hericium erinaceus (Lions Mane) improves mood and sleep disorders…. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, April 2019 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31118969/
Creado SA. Peak Sleep Performance for Athletes. 2020. https://tinyurl.com/58prxh3k
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