L-Theanine - 100 MG
L-theanine is an amino acid that plays a key role in a healthy sleep cycle. It relieves stress and anxiety while helping you relax, to make it easier to fall asleep. It then promotes better sleep after you dose off.
It even offers additional benefits, such as improving your brain power, focus, immune system, and overall health. For all of these benefits to be seen at optimal levels though, at least 200 mg of l-theanine must be consumed each day (1).
As just 100 mg of l-theanine is present in every Olly Sleep Gummies serving, the effects are likely to be very minimal and it is unlikely to produce the results you desire.
Melatonin - 3 MG
Melatonin is a hormone that is naturally secreted by the pineal gland in the human brain. It is vital for the regulation of a healthy sleep wake cycle, but melatonin production can easily be impaired by trying to fall asleep in an environment that is too bright (2).
In fact, a melatonin deficiency is one of the most common causes of insomnia and other sleep disorders. As a result, oral melatonin supplements have become a popular way to help you fall asleep and stay asleep.
For a melatonin supplement to work though, it ideally needs to contain 5 mg of melatonin. As Olly Sleep Gummies contain just 3 mg of melatonin per serving, they will have much less of an effect on sleep disorders than taking melatonin supplements that boast an optimal dose. 3mg is normally recommended as a test dose to see how it effects you.
Chamomile Extract (Flower) - 17 MG
Chamomile flower extract is famous for its ability to help people naturally relax. This effect is caused by the presence of a chemical called apigenin, which is proven to reduce stress and anxiety and help people experience a calm sensation (3).
This will not only help you fall asleep and stay asleep, but it can also prevent conditions that are known to stop you getting restful sleep, such as inflammation and digestion .
The problem is, to experience these benefits, you need to consume between 1.1 and 15 grams of chamomile flower extract a day. As Olly Sleep Gummies contain just 17 mg per serving, it is nowhere near powerful enough to have any real effect.
Passionflower Extract (Aerial Parts) - 17 MG
Passionflower extract has long been used as a traditional medicine in the Americas to treat insomnia, anxiety, hysteria, and even seizures.
Scientists hypothesise that it can increase the brain's production of gamma aminobutyric acid, better known as GABA. GABA is proven to reduce activity levels in certain cells throughout the brain, which will help you to relax and make it easier to fall asleep (4).
Unfortunately, very few scientific studies have ever been done on Passionflower extract, and even fewer have been done without at least one other ingredient being present.
This means there is no proof that its presence in Olly Sleep Gummies will have any benefit to your sleep wake cycle at all.
Lemon Balm Extract (Aerial Parts) - 16 MG
Lemon balm extract is obtained from a plant in the mint family that is rich in vitamin c and a variety of minerals.
In recent years, there have been multiple studies that suggest it can offer effects that are beneficial for improving sleep quality, including helping you relax and feel calm, boosting your mood and cognitive functions, and reducing stress and anxiety (5).
The problem is, none of these claimed benefits of lemon balm have ever been proven. This means, while it is possible it can help Olly Sleep Gummies promote a restful night sleep, it is just as likely to do nothing at all.
Other Ingredients
The Other Ingredients the label claims Olly Sleep Gummies contain includes glucose syrup, beet sugar, water, gelatin, citric acid, natural flavors, pectin, colouring (from purple carrot, black carrot, and blueberry juices), vegetable oil (coconut and canola), and carnauba wax.
These are all natural ingredients that aren't used for how they can affect sleep, and are instead present to make each chew taste good and have a pleasant texture.
It should be noted though that there are two types of sugar present, which is not ideal in a product designed to be used right before bedtime.
Resources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6836118/
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/melatonin-what-you-need-to-know
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995283/
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/passionflower
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4245564/