Three small metal tins filled with smooth yellow balm are arranged on a rustic wooden surface, with fresh mint leaves placed around them. One tin is open with its lid resting nearby, creating a clean, natural skincare or lip balm presentation.

WellnessAugust 5, 2026

Lemon Balm: A Natural Way to Sleep Better

Could a simple herbal supplement help you sleep more deeply? This study explores how lemon balm improved sleep quality, increased deep sleep, and helped participants wake feeling more refreshed, while highlighting the need for further research.

Original study

Di Pierro, F., Sisti, D., Rocchi, M., Belli, A., Bertuccioli, A., Cazzaniga, M., Palazzi, C. M., Tanda, M. L., & Zerbinati, N. (2024). Effects of Melissa officinalis Phytosome on Sleep Quality: Results of a Prospective, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, and Cross-Over Study. Nutrients, 16(23), 4199. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16234199

At a Glance

In a small 2-week study involving 30 adults who often woke up feeling tired, taking lemon balm supplements helped them sleep better. It boosted the amount of deep, restful sleep they got, shortened the time spent in dream sleep (REM), and made them feel like they slept better overall.

Main Points of the Study

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For two weeks, participants took either a lemon balm supplement (400 mg of Melissa officinalis phytosome) or a placebo 30 minutes before bedtime each night. There was a one-week break between the two treatments, known as a washout period.

Researchers measured sleep quality using a smartwatch that tracks movement and by asking participants to fill out questionnaires. There were no noticeable differences in physical activity or self-reported anxiety between the two groups.

It's worth noting that at the time of the study, three of the authors worked for Pharmextracta, the company that provided the lemon balm supplement.

What we think

Two laboratory researchers wearing white lab coats collaborate at a microscope in a modern biomedical research laboratory, surrounded by scientific equipment, glassware, and workstations. — Researchers work together in a state-of-the-art laboratory, examining samples under a microscope while discussing their observations. The image highlights scientific collaboration, innovation, and the pursuit of discoveries that advance medical research and improve patient care.

This study helps us understand how lemon balm might improve sleep, but we need more research to directly compare it with current sleep medications and better understand how it works before we can recommend it as a real alternative. Earlier research has shown that lemon balm might help with sleep by reducing anxiety, but this study didn’t find any changes in anxiety levels.

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