GABA, 5-HTP or Tranquil: a formulator's decision tree for sleep

"Something for sleep" is the most common request we get, and it's the wrong question. Sleep fails in different ways, and the useful tool depends on which way yours fails. Here's the decision tree we actually use.

If your problem is a racing mind at lights-out

That wired, thoughts-won't-stop pattern is where GABA earns consideration. GABA is your nervous system's main calming neurotransmitter; supplemental GABA is used to support relaxation and a sense of calm, typically at 500–750mg before bed. We sell it as a powder so you can find your own level — start at a quarter teaspoon and adjust. The evidence on supplemental GABA is genuinely mixed (how much crosses into the brain is debated), which is why ours is priced like a powder and not like a miracle. Plenty of people find it helps them unwind; some feel nothing. That's the honest range of outcomes.

If your problem is mood-adjacent — low, flat, sleep shallow

5-HTP is a step earlier in the chain. Your body makes serotonin from it, and serotonin becomes melatonin — the sleep hormone — at night. The studied range for sleep and mood support is typically 100–300mg daily; ours is from Griffonia seed, declared in milligrams. It suits the person whose sleep problem travels with mood, appetite for comfort food, and grey-season flatness.

One hard rule, and we mean it: do not combine 5-HTP with antidepressant medication (SSRIs and related) without a doctor's guidance. That interaction is real. If you're on medication, talk to your prescriber first — or message us and we'll tell you the same thing for free.

If your problem is tension — body wound tight, jaw, shoulders

Tranquil is our herbal blend for that pattern: the person who's calm-ish mentally but physically strung. Blends trade dose depth for breadth, so we'll say what we always say — the label declares every ingredient in milligrams, and if what you want is one specific herb at its studied dose, buy that herb instead.

The honest bit

If you snore heavily, wake gasping, drink your last coffee at 5pm, or scroll in bed until midnight, no capsule in this catalogue is your first fix. Sleep hygiene is boring advice because it's true. And persistent insomnia — weeks, not days — deserves a professional conversation, not a bigger stack.

Choosing

Racing mind → GABA. Mood-coloured sleep → 5-HTP (medication rule applies). Physical tension → Tranquil. Still unsure? The quiz asks exactly these questions, and the Stay Vivid range covers the rest.