The short answer
Do you want a low dose? Do you want to skip the extra glass of water before bed? Do you dislike swallowing pills? Then I recommend a low dose melatonin strip.
A strip makes the important things easy. You get a small, set dose. You take it the same way each night. You need no water and no sugar.
Key takeaways
- All four types give you the same melatonin. What changes is the water, the sugar, and how easy it is to keep the habit.
- A strip melts before you swallow it. So it skips the step that a late dinner or lying down can slow.6,7
- Dose matters more than type. In one study of adults over 50, a small dose helped people sleep. A larger dose left extra melatonin in the body the next day.1
- Labels can be wrong. In one test, 22 of 25 melatonin gummies did not match their labels.2
What did a sleep doctor teach me about melatonin?
I learned a lot from a training class on melatonin. The teacher was a doctor who is board certified in sleep medicine and psychiatry. Four points stuck with me.
- Melatonin is a time signal. It tells your brain that night has come. It does not knock you out.
- A small dose is enough. For sleep, that means about 0.3 mg to 3 mg. With more than that, people more often feel slow the next day.
- Quality is uneven. Some products have much less than the label says. Some have much more.
- The type can matter. Melatonin that melts in the mouth can be a good fit for people whose bodies have trouble taking it in from a pill.
Why can a strip be the preferred way to take melatonin?
A pill or gummy has to reach your stomach and break down. Only then can your body take in the melatonin. Two common things can slow that step. A strip has already melted by the time you swallow. So it skips that step.
What you ate
In one test, people took a slow release melatonin tablet with food. The level in their blood hit its high point after about 3 hours. On an empty stomach, it took about 45 minutes.6 So a late dinner can change when a swallowed tablet kicks in.
How you are lying
Researchers at Johns Hopkins built a computer model of the stomach. A pill broke down in about 10 minutes when the person lay on the right side. It took 23 minutes when sitting up or lying on the back. It took more than 100 minutes on the left side.7 How you lie in bed can matter a lot.
The inside of your mouth
Your body can also take in melatonin through the inside of your mouth. In one small study, a melatonin spray used under the tongue hit its high point in about 23 minutes. A slow release tablet took 64 minutes.8 A strip that melts on your tongue may give melatonin some of that same contact before you swallow.
Put together, these are the reasons a strip can be the preferred way to take melatonin. That is most true if you eat late or take it once you are in bed.
How do melatonin strips, gummies, pills, and powders compare?
| Type | Water needed | Added sugar | Where it breaks down |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strips My pick |
None | Usually none | On your tongue, in seconds |
| Pills and tablets | A glass | None | In your stomach |
| Gummies | None | Often | In your stomach |
| Powders | A full glass | Sometimes | In the drink, before you swallow |
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Strips
A strip is a thin film. You place it on your tongue and it melts in seconds. You need no water. There is nothing to swallow whole. Each strip has a set dose. You can keep them by your bed and take one without getting up. New to strips? Read what melatonin strips are and how to use them.
Pills and tablets
Pills are the most common type and often cost the least. Many are 3 mg, 5 mg, or 10 mg. Low dose pills exist if you look for them. You need water, and some people find pills hard to swallow.
Gummies
Gummies are easy to take and taste good. Many have added sugar. In a 2023 test printed in the journal JAMA, 22 of 25 melatonin gummies did not match their labels. Some had 74 percent of the dose on the label. Some had 347 percent.2 A test in Canada looked at 31 melatonin products of many types. Some had 83 percent less than the label said. Some had 478 percent more.3
Powders and drink mixes
A warm or cold drink can be a nice way to wind down. The thing to think about is the fluid. People who wake at night to use the bathroom are often told to cut back on drinks for about two hours before bed.4 A full glass at bedtime works against that.
What matters more than the type?
Dose
More is not better with melatonin. In a study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, adults over 50 who had trouble sleeping tried three doses. The 0.3 mg dose helped them sleep well again. The 3 mg dose helped too, but it left extra melatonin in the body into the next day.1 Only 30 people took part, so think of it as a strong hint and not the last word.
For a full breakdown, see my guide to melatonin dose for adults. If melatonin leaves you foggy in the morning, read why you feel groggy after melatonin.
Timing
In that study, people took melatonin 30 minutes before bed.1 Take yours before bed, at the same time each night. Do not wait until you are already lying awake.
What is on the label
Tested products often miss their labels.2,3 Before you buy, ask if the brand has its product tested by an outside lab.
My pick
Why I recommend a 1 mg strip
Did you once sleep well? Do you feel foggy on 5 mg or 10 mg? Do you want to skip the glass of water at bedtime? Then a 1 mg strip is what I recommend. Here is why.
- The dose is inside the small range that sleep doctors point to.
- You need no water, and there is no sugar.
- It melts before you swallow. It does not wait for your stomach to break it down.
- Each strip has the same dose, so the habit is easy to keep.
That is why we chose this formula for Driffly Night Reset Strips. Each strip has 1 mg of melatonin with valerian root, lavender, chamomile, and hibiscus. It is sugar free and melts on your tongue. Every order comes with a 30 night money back guarantee.
Common questions about melatonin strips
Are melatonin strips effective?
A strip has the same melatonin you find in a pill or gummy. Studies show that small doses can help adults over 50 sleep.1 What a strip changes is how you take it. It melts on your tongue, with no water and no sugar. So it is easy to take the same small dose at the same time each night.
Is it better to take melatonin as a gummy or a pill?
Both have to break down in your stomach first. Pills need a glass of water. Gummies often have added sugar. In one test, 22 of 25 gummies did not match their labels.2 If you are choosing between the two, pick a low dose from a brand that tests its product. A strip is a third choice that needs no water and has no sugar.
What is the best form of melatonin to take?
The best form is the one that gives you a small, steady dose you will take at the same time each night. For many women over 40, I think that is a low dose melatonin strip. It is easy to keep by the bed, and you never need to get up for water.
Does dissolvable melatonin work better than gummies?
A dissolving strip melts on your tongue before you swallow. A gummy has to break down in your stomach first. That stomach step can be slowed by a late dinner or by how you lie in bed.6,7 A strip skips it. Strips also usually have no added sugar.
How much melatonin is in a strip?
It depends on the brand. Strips range from about 1 mg to 10 mg. Sleep doctors point to a small range of about 0.3 mg to 3 mg for sleep. Driffly strips have 1 mg each.
When should I take a melatonin strip?
Take it about 30 minutes before bed, at the same time each night.1 Because you need no water, you can take it once you are settled in bed.
When should I talk to my doctor?
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you use melatonin if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescription medicine. Do the same if your sleep trouble lasts more than a few weeks.
Want to know more about dose and timing? Read four reasons melatonin may not be working for you.
Sources
- Zhdanova IV, Wurtman RJ, Regan MM, et al. Melatonin treatment for age-related insomnia. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2001;86(10):4727-4730.
- Cohen PA, Avula B, Wang YH, Katragunta K, Khan I. Quantity of melatonin and CBD in melatonin gummies sold in the US. JAMA. 2023.
- Erland LA, Saxena PK. Melatonin natural health products and supplements: presence of serotonin and significant variability of melatonin content. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. 2017;13(2):275-281.
- Cleveland Clinic. How to stop frequent urination at night. Health Essentials.
- Harpsoe NG, Andersen LP, Gogenur I, Rosenberg J. Clinical pharmacokinetics of melatonin: a systematic review. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2015;71:901-909.
- European Medicines Agency. Circadin (melatonin 2 mg prolonged-release tablets): product information.
- Lee JH, Kuhar S, Seo JH, Pasricha PJ, Mittal R. Computational modeling of drug dissolution in the human stomach: effects of posture and gastroparesis on drug bioavailability. Physics of Fluids. 2022.
- Ait Abdellah S, Raverot V, Gal C, et al. Bioavailability of melatonin after administration of an oral prolonged-release tablet and an immediate-release sublingual spray in healthy male volunteers. Drugs in R&D. 2023.
Tyler Smith, RN, BSN, BA is a registered nurse and the founder of Driffly. He writes and reviews the articles in the sleep education hub. About Tyler
This article is for education and is not medical advice. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.