Does your child have trouble falling or staying asleep? These days, kids encounter more daily stimulation than ever, with iPads, TV, Zoom classrooms, and even overscheduling! And if your child struggles to sleep, the impact could be far-reaching. Studies show that lack of quality sleep has negative effects on children’s development, learning, and mental health.¹

To promote better sleep, many parents are adding kids’ sleep supplements to their bedtime routines. To find what works, and more importantly, what’s safe, we conducted a hands-on test of the leading brands for kids’ sleep supplements.

We spoke with pediatric nutrition expert and registered dietitian Rachel Rothman (MS, RD, CLEC), to help guide us through the dos and don’ts of kids’ sleep supplements. Read on to find out why we selected Hiya Bedtime Essentials as the best brand for safe kids’ sleep.

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How do I Choose the Right Bedtime Supplement for My Child?

To help us evaluate kids’ sleep supplements, Rothman laid out the most important factors to look for:

❤️ Safe Ingredients: “I look for supplements which demonstrate support for healthy sleep, and avoid habit-forming or potentially dangerous ingredients, like melatonin,” says Rothman.

🦷 Easy to Consume: Although kids tend to favor them, Rothman recommends avoiding gummies. Gummies can contain uneven amounts of active ingredients, and often get stuck in kids’ teeth, leading to cavities and weakened enamel.

❌ No Added Sugar: “I always prefer supplements that don’t have added sugar,” says Rothman. Consuming sugar before bed can make it difficult for a child to fall asleep and can reduce sleep quality.³

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Wait - Melatonin Isn’t Safe for Kids?

In 2022, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) issued a warning advising parents to stop the routine use of melatonin in children, citing reports of overdose, calls to poison control centers, and emergency room visits.⁴

“There is evidence that long-term use of melatonin can impact development in children,” Rothman says. “For instance, melatonin has been linked to delayed puberty.”⁵

‍Given these concerns, TCD has decided against giving our kids melatonin-based supplements, like Olly or SmartyPants. We feel the risk involved in melatonin use for kids is too high.

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So What is the Safest, Healthiest Option for Kids' Sleep Supplements?

In our hands-on test, we evaluated three leading melatonin-free sleep supplements: Hiya Kids Bedtime Essentials, Zarbee's Gentle Bedtime Gummies, and L'il Critters Melatonin-Free Bedtime Supplement Gummies. For us, Hiya’s combo of active and sleep-supporting ingredients, zero sugar, and non-gummy form made it the clear winner.

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Ingredients

Hiya Wins With the Best Natural Ingredients

Looking at the ingredient lists of our brands, there was no question that Hiya was the healthiest option for kids’ sleep supplements:

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Hiya is the only product in our test that is sugar-free. The added sugars in other products—like glucose syrup and sucrose—can actually make it harder for kids to fall asleep and cause cavities.⁶

Chamomile flower extract is a proven and safe ingredient that promotes sleep in children.⁷ Hiya, Zarbee’s, and L’il Critters all contain this go-to extract. Only Hiya contains additional calming, safe ingredients like GABA, marine magnesium, and L-theanine.

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GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, is found in extracts of passion flower and lemon balm, which can help induce sleep and lower stress.⁸ Magnesium and L-theanine are also popular for prompting quality sleep without drowsiness the next day.⁹

Hiya also includes vitamin B6, choline, and calcium, which further support brain health during sleep.^10,11,12

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Safety

Hiya Wins by Being Safe for Kids 2+

Beyond avoiding melatonin and added sugar, Hiya’s chewable tablet is safe for ages 2+. Notably, this is when sleep troubles often begin to arise - as toddler moms, we can confirm!

Gummies, on the other hand, can be a choking hazard for young children.¹³ Olly’s and Smartypants’ gummy supplements are not safe for kids under the age of 4.

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Taste

It’s a Tie!

Taste is important for any kid’s supplement, and TCD kids enjoyed the flavors of all three brands. Hiya’s “Tropical Burst” flavor managed to be deliciously fruity without the added sugar. Zarbee’s and Lil Critters Raspberry Lemon, Apple, and Cherry Peach flavors were well liked—but as already mentioned—contain unnecessary sugar.

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Hiya Bedtime Essentials - The Best Kids’ Sleep Supplement!

Hiya Kids Bedtime Essentials is our top choice for a safe and effective kids’ sleep supplement. It contains proven ingredients, skips the melatonin and added sugar, and its tablet form is safe for kids ages 2+.

Our expert, Rachel Rothman, agrees. “Along with environmental changes, I recommend Hiya Bedtime Essentials when parents are looking for a solution to help with their children’s sleep!”

Ready to try Hiya? With TCD, save 50% on your first order plus get free shipping. Hiya also offers discounts for families with more than one child.

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^{1. https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/childs-need-sleep}

^{2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6587181/}

^{3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8848117/}

^{4. https://aasm.org/american-academy-of-sleep-medicine-advises-parents-seek-medical-advice-before-giving-melatonin-children/#:~:text=Today%2C%20the%20American%20Academy%20of,regulate%20our%20sleep%2Dwake%20timing.}

^{5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6362935/}

^{6. https://www.ayaanshhospital.com/side-effects-of-sugar-on-your-childs-sleep/#:~:text=If%20your%20child%20is%20having,away%20at%20their%20sleep%20tank.}

^{7. https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/herbs-for-kids-feature}

^{8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7527439/}

^{9. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-aids/natural-sleep-aids‍}

^{10. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-b6/‍}

^{11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7352907/‍}

^{12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9815122/‍}

^{13. https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/foods-and-drinks/choking-hazards.html}

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