A few dietary supplements, notably melatonin and valerian, are marketed
for insomnia, but studies of both have found mixed results regarding
their effectiveness. Some studies suggest that both valerian and melatonin
might be better than a placebo at helping people fall asleep or stay
asleep. But evaluations that included the studies altogether found that
the effect of both products is minimal at best. Also, neither valerian nor
melatonin have been compared with benzodiazepines or newer sleep
aids. In addition, it’s important to note that these supplements are not as
closely regulated by the FDA as medications, so there’s less assurance of
the quality and purity of the available products than with prescription
and nonprescription drugs. And there are no safety data on the regular
or long-term use of valerian and melatonin as sleep aids.