Sleep patches are stickers that contain melatonin and can be applied directly to your skin before bed. Some often contain additional ingredients like valerian root and passion fruit extract for added sleep benefits. melatonin supplements lack. So how do they compare to cheaper melatonin tablets? I tested seven types of patches from three popular patch brands: Patch Brand, the deep And Good Patch. As someone who frequently turns to melatonin supplements, here’s how my experiences with patches differ.

How do sleep patches work?

Sleep patches claim to work faster than melatonin supplements because they bypass the stomach system and are absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Applying the melatonin patch directly to your skin provides slow release overnight. Patches claim to help you stay asleep longer compared to tablets. However, sleep patches are new on the market and there are very few medical studies on this subject.

Another benefit of sleep patches is the additional ingredients. Patches often include: natural materials Scientifically linked to sleep, calmness and reduced anxiety, such as:

• valerian root
• passion fruit
• Magnesium
• Bacopa monnieri
• Hop
• ashwagandha
• black pepper extract
• Lavender
• L-Theanine
• lemon balm
• tart cherry extract

As with any supplement, be sure to talk to your doctor before trying melatonin for sleep problems. There may be an underlying condition that needs attention.

Patch Brand

Patch Brand The most well-known of the brands I tested. It offers eight different vitamin patches to address a variety of wellness needs, including sleep, increased energy, calmness, or recovery.

A box of patches costs $12 and contains 15 patches. Moreover, if you subscribe, you can save 20%. This was the cheapest melatonin patch I’ve ever tried, as each patch costs about $0.80. It is also one of the most affordable on the market.

Sleep Patch

This 1.5 inch square patch is thin and clear. Each sticker-like patch contains 3 mg melatonin, 2.5 mg bacopa monnieri extract, 4.5 mg valerian root extract, 3.5 mg passion fruit extract, 1 mg vitamin B2, 750 mcg magnesium citrate, 500 mcg hops, and 15 mcg . vitamin D Can be worn for up to 8 hours.

The Patch Brand’s Sleeping Patch was the first product I tested, but after two weeks it remained my top pick. Each patch features a moon symbol that melts into your skin upon application. Even though it looked like a sticker, it wasn’t distracting throughout the night. I put one under my watch band and didn’t really feel it. The patch also didn’t leave any sticky residue when I took it off in the morning. Also, I think the amount of melatonin it contains is excellent; not too much (anything over 5 mg may be too high for sleepers) and not too little either. Every time I tried the Sleep Patch I fell asleep immediately.

Deep Patches

the deep It is unique in that it only makes patches for sleep. Each product is drug-free, not tested on animals, vegan and has slow-release technology. Their products are laboratory tested for purity and made in the USA. The patches are meant to be worn on the lower part of your wrist, and you should change each wrist every night.

A box of sleep patches will cost you between $25 and $29, depending on the product you choose. This works out to around $5 to just under $6 per patch. It was the most expensive patch I tried.

Night Sleep

Nightly Sleep patch is your most popular and essential sleep patch. Contains 4 mg melatonin, 8 mg ashwagandha, 3 mg valerian root, 5 mg lavender, 1 mg L-theanine, 1 mg passion flower, 1 mg black pepper extract and 0.5 mg lemon balm. You can wear the patch for up to 12 hours.

Stay Asleep

The Stay Asleep patch contains a slightly higher amount of melatonin. Each patch contains 5 mg melatonin, 4 mg ashwagandha, 4.5 mg magnesium, 3 mg valerian root, 5 mg lavender, 1 mg L-theanine, 1 mg passionflower, and 1 mg black pepper extract. You can wear the patch for up to 12 hours.

Super Sleep

The Super Sleep patch contains the highest amount of melatonin. Each patch contains 6 mg melatonin, 4.5 mg ashwagandha, 5 mg valerian root, 6 mg lavender, 1 mg L-theanine, 1 mg passionflower, and 1 mg black pepper extract. You can wear the patch for up to 12 hours.

Even though Deeps had the largest sleeping patches, it was by far the most comfortable. I liked that each patch was made from a material that felt like a sports band. It moves with your skin and leaves no residue when peeled off. The Nightly Sleep patch is my favorite and a close second among the best overall (just below The Patch Brand). It has 4 mg of melatonin, it was enough to make me sleepy, I didn’t overdo it. I also love that it contains valerian root, lavender, passion flower, and lemon balm; These are also included in the bedtime tea I drink every night. The only reason this is my second favorite is the higher price.

I also enjoyed the Stay Sleep and Super Sleep patches. The amount of melatonin in the Stay Asleep patch is the same as the amount I take in tablet form, and I get extra benefits with the added ingredients. When I tested both, I had no problems sleeping. However, the Super Sleep patch has a slightly higher dose than the 5 mg I am used to. I would urge someone to try a lower dose before going to 6mg.

Good Patch

Similar to The Patch Brand, Good Patch has a wide range of patches for wellness needs other than sleep. This includes skincare, energy and focus patches. Good Patch tests third-party ingredients and the patches are vegan, paraben-free and latex-free.

A pouch costs between $12 and $16 and contains 4 patches. You can find this brand at: Aim.

sleep

Slumber patch is the newest Good Patch sequence and does not contain melatonin. One patch contains L-theanine, magnesium and tart cherry extract. The website and sachet do not specify how much of each ingredient it may contain. Can be worn for up to 12 hours.

night night

The Nite Nite patch is unique in that it is made from hemp. One patch contains 15 mg of hemp, 3 mg of melatonin and black pepper extract. The website and the sachet do not specify how much black pepper extract it may contain. The patch can be worn for up to 12 hours.

Dream

The Dream patch contains the highest amount of melatonin of any product I’ve ever tested. One patch contains 10 mg melatonin. It also contains hops, valerian root and black pepper extract; however, the website and sachet do not specify how much of each ingredient it may contain. The patch can be worn for up to 12 hours.

I wouldn’t recommend The Good Patch’s sleeping patches. While I love Slumber, a melatonin-free option from the brand, I drank the bedtime tea the night I tried it and felt similar effects (not to mention the bedtime tea is cheaper). Additionally, the brand does not tell the consumer how much of the added ingredients are included in each patch. I wouldn’t recommend the Dream patch either. It contains the maximum amount of 10 mg melatonin. experts recommend. I would caution anyone who is not used to melatonin supplements from this product. Try something with a smaller amount first. Moreover, my other biggest gripe with the brand is that it leaves sticky marks on my wrists after removal. It took a day to come off even after a shower.

Are sleeping patches really worth it?

If you’re having trouble getting into bed and are interested in supplements, melatonin is a good place to start. I’ve been taking melatonin supplements during tossing and turning nights for over seven years and have personally had little to no problems with it. But melatonin supplements feeling dizzy the next day, as they sometimes do to me. Although some sleep patches claim to be an exception, I did not experience this. During my testing with sleep patches, I noticed that I felt the same way I did when I took melatonin tablets in the morning: a little tired and confused. If you’re looking for melatonin that won’t make you a little foggy in the morning, sleep patches aren’t the solution for you.

While I love the ease and fun of melatonin patches, I ultimately still prefer tablets. Although the melatonin in patches worked slightly faster than the tablets, the difference was minimal. Tablets are also cheaper and available in lower melatonin doses. I have been taking Nature Made Melatonin tablets for years. One bottle costs about $10 and contains 90 tablets. There is 5 mg of melatonin in each tablet and even if I take one pill every night, it is enough for me for 90 days. Sometimes I cut them in half so one bottle can potentially last me 180 days.

If price isn’t an issue, sleep patches may be worth it for you. They’re fun, painless, easy to apply, and sometimes contain extra sleep-inducing ingredients like valerian root or lemon balm. Sleep patches may be more useful, especially if you are traveling. Make sure you get patches that don’t leave any sticky skin, like The Patch Brand or Deeps.