In This Article
In This Article
Trouble sleeping? You are not alone.
Up to 40% of American adults suffer from insomnia every year.1
Sleep experts recommend getting at least 7 hours of bedtime. And yet 35% of all U.S. adults sleep fewer hours.2,3
Insomnia symptoms include:4
Registered dietitian Elise Harlow says that inadequate and/or poor quality sleep can affect more than just your energy the next day.
"Studies show that sleep can have a profound impact on even seemingly unrelated things. This includes your appetite, sugar cravings, mental health, and immune system," she adds.
Elise Harlow is a registered dietitian with a Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences. She is the founder of an online nutrition consulting and coaching business.
Elise helps people use the power of food to lead healthier lives. She works with various clients, including those who want to achieve a healthier weight, improve their gut health, lower cholesterol, manage their blood sugar, or balance their hormones.
I definitely have moments of insomnia. There are nights when I could sleep like a baby and nights when it seems impossible.
I have tried melatonin supplements, lavender tea, and even sleeping pills. Som Sleep™ is in the same category as these sleeping aids — but better in many ways.
Inadequate and/or poor sleep quality can affect more than just your energy the next day. Studies show that sleep can have a profound impact on even seemingly unrelated things such as your appetite, sugar cravings, mental health, and immune system.
Som Sleep™ is a beverage that can help you fall asleep faster and sleep better the whole night. The company claims it is a drug-free and non-habit-forming option.
(We checked the nutritional information, and it’s true. It has no ingredients that can make you addicted or dependent.)
The sleep aid is available in two variants:
Som Sleep comes in 8-oz cans. Each can contains the following:
The company uses a proprietary blend of melatonin, L-theanine, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) for their sleep aid.
Som Sleep does not say how much there is of each ingredient. But they make up a total of 375 mg.
One (1) can also contains 2 mg of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and 40 mg of magnesium.
The sleep hormone increases in the body when it's dark outside. Its main job is to maintain a healthy and normal sleep cycle.
Luis F. Buenaver PhD, CBSM, a sleep expert at John Hopkin Medicine, recommends taking 1 to 3 mg two hours before bedtime. (Som Sleep contains 3 mg of melatonin).
You can use a melatonin supplement to try and improve your sleep problems. It can also help you adjust your schedule when traveling to a different time zone.
Dr. Buenaver explains that while melatonin cannot make you sleep, it places you in a state of “quiet wakefulness” to promote sleep.5
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a neurotransmitter that is naturally produced by the human brain.
It can relieve anxiety and promote relaxation by reducing beta waves and increasing alpha wave activity in your brain.6
L-theanine is an amino acid that occurs naturally in green tea. It can help you relax by decreasing stress and improving your mood.7
When taken together, GABA and L-theanine can help you get a better night’s sleep by:8
A mixed supplement also improves rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. This can put you into a deep sleep.
Studies show that you can use magnesium as a natural sleep aid. Magnesium supplements encourage good sleep by helping you:9
Vitamin B6 also prevents stress-related sleep issues. However, a supplement containing melatonin, magnesium, and vitamin B complex provides better results.
Scientific research supports the use of this combination of ingredients in treating insomnia.10 Though I should mention that Som Sleep is missing vitamin B12.
Som Sleep’s original formula contains 40 calories. It has a total carbohydrate content of 15 grams, including 8 grams of sugar.
Meanwhile, the sugar-free version (Zero Sugar Som Sleep) only has 10 calories. It has 8 grams of carbohydrates, including 8 grams of erythritol.
Erythritol is an abundant polyol (sugar alcohol) in fruits and vegetables. The natural sweeter is used to substitute sugar and artificial sweeteners.
Unlike sugar, erythritol is non-glycemic and has minimal effects on blood glucose. It is a good option for diabetics or anyone who wants to lower their diabetes risk.
Som’s sleep drinks are available in berry flavor. They taste great, albeit slightly different.
Zero Sugar Som Sleep has a more natural flavor while the Original Som Sleep leaves an artificial taste in your mouth. (Think Diet Coke).
Thankfully, I was able to improve its taste by refrigerating it. Even though it tastes like a lemon-lime seltzer, Som Sleep is a non-carbonated drink.
Som Sleep should be safe for consumption. Apart from being a drug-free and non-addictive sleep product, they are FDA-compliant and NSF-certified.
If you have a specialized diet or food sensitivity, Som can also safely meet your needs. Their sleep drinks are:
Melatonin supplements are associated with short-term side effects. These include headaches, dizziness, nausea, and drowsiness.11
Some people also report more vivid dreams when drinking Som’s sleep aid. This is probably from the melatonin since it increases REM sleep.12
Magnesium citrate, the form of magnesium used in Som Sleep, may also cause dizziness, stomach upset, stomach cramps, loose stools, and sweating.13
Som Sleep offers original and zero sugar variations of their drink. Here's how much they cost:
Each can will cost you $2.50 with one-time payment. But you can get a 20% discount if you opt for a subscription.
Subscribers can purchase a 12-pack for $23.99 and a 24-pack for $47.98. This brings down its price to $1.99 per can.
You can choose to have your orders sent every 30, 45, or 60 days. The company provides free economy shipping for all orders.
However, they charge an additional $5 on trials, $10 on standard shipping, or $25 on priority shipping.
The science behind it says it can. But I decided to try it out myself. Before I talk about my experience, I’d like to fill you in on the details:
Som recommends drinking their sleep aid 30 minutes before you go to bed. Since I wanted to fall asleep by 11, I should be drinking at 10:30 p.m.
On the first night, I forgot to take it early. So I ended up drinking at 11 and falling asleep at 11:40 p.m. I woke up the next day at around 8:30 a.m. and felt groggier than usual.
I took it on time the second night. I drank an entire can of Som at 10:30 and hit the sack at 10:55 p.m. I woke up the next day at 8:00 a.m. and felt a bit tired.
By the third night, I wasn’t even done with the whole can when I started yawning. I went to bed at 10:45 p.m. and woke up at 7:30 a.m. feeling refreshed.
I noticed the same trend on the fourth and fifth nights. I would fall asleep faster and wake up earlier without even finishing my drink.
By the end of my experiment, I was back to my usual sleep pattern.
Som Sleep drinks can be an effective sleep aid. It can help people who have trouble sleeping get a good night’s sleep.
You can drink it if you want to fall asleep faster or stay in bed longer. Som is also useful if you have sleep problems and want to adjust your sleep schedule.
That said, we do not recommend it for daily use since it’s unlikely that you will need it that long. As soon as your sleep-wake cycle returns to normal, you can stop drinking.
If your insomnia persists for several weeks, we suggest seeing a health professional. They can properly assess your condition and provide medical treatment if necessary.
