The science behind Snoozy Stars

What it is:Melatonin is not a sedative. It is the hormone your pineal gland releases when the light fades: the signal that starts the night. Body temperature drops, alertness falls, the sleep window opens. Evening screens, late light, stress, shift work and age all delay or blunt that signal.In your body:Taken 30 minutes before bed, melatonin tops up the evening signal rather than knocking you out. It binds the MT1 and MT2 receptors in the brain's master clock (the suprachiasmatic nucleus), which lowers the clock's alerting drive and brings the timing of sleep forward. Because it works on timing, not sedation, it does not change the structure of your sleep the way sleeping pills do, and immediate-release melatonin is cleared within a few hours.What the research says:A meta-analysis of 19 randomised trials (1,683 people) found that melatonin shortened the time to fall asleep, increased total sleep time and improved sleep quality compared with placebo. In older adults with insomnia, a physiological 0.3 mg dose restored sleep efficiency, while 3 mg raised plasma melatonin far above the physiological range and into the next day. A systematic review of dosing concluded that the lowest effective doses are in the 0.3 to 2 mg range, taken about an hour before bed. A controlled study found 0.5 mg shifted the body clock about as effectively as 3 mg.

Sources: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]

What it is:Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin your body cannot store for long. In its active form it is the cofactor for more than 100 enzymes, including the one that turns 5-HTP into serotonin, the raw material for melatonin.In your body:By supplying the cofactor, B6 supports your own evening melatonin production, so a low dose of added melatonin is enough. B6 also helps make GABA and dopamine and is involved in regulating hormonal activity.What the research says:In a placebo-controlled study, 250 mg of vitamin B6 before bed increased dream vividness and recall, a sign of its effect on sleep-related brain chemistry. Nutrition reviews describe B6 as a limiting factor in melatonin synthesis.

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What it is:B12 is needed to make red blood cells and protect nerve fibres. It is found naturally only in animal foods, so vegetarians, vegans, people over 50 and anyone on acid-reducing medication are often low.In your body:B12 supports normal energy metabolism and nerve function, and it acts on the circadian system: it increases the body clock's sensitivity to light and helps keep the sleep-wake rhythm in phase with the day. That makes it a natural partner for melatonin, which works on the same clock.What the research says:In a placebo-controlled study in healthy volunteers, two weeks of vitamin B12 improved self-rated sleep quality, concentration and the feeling of being refreshed on waking.

Sources: [9]

What it is:Pantothenic acid is the building block of coenzyme A, the molecule at the centre of energy metabolism in every cell.In your body:Coenzyme A is needed to burn carbohydrates and fats for energy and to make steroid hormones and neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine. The adrenal glands have a particularly high demand for B5.What the research says:The evidence for B5 is mainly mechanistic and nutritional: EFSA accepted that pantothenic acid contributes to normal mental performance and to the synthesis and metabolism of steroid hormones and some neurotransmitters.

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What it is:Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a water-soluble antioxidant your body cannot make. It is concentrated in the adrenal glands and the brain, and it is used up faster during stress and illness.In your body:Vitamin C protects cells from oxidative stress, is needed to make collagen, carnitine and the neurotransmitter noradrenaline, and supports the normal function of immune cells.What the research says:A 2017 review summarised how vitamin C supports both the innate and the adaptive immune system and how deficiency raises susceptibility to infection.

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What it is:The soft blueberry taste comes from natural flavouring, and the deep blue comes from a natural colour rather than synthetic dyes.In your body:A gummy only works if you take it. The stars are the small, pleasant ritual that gets you to put the phone down and go to bed at the same time every night, which is the part of sleep hygiene that matters most.

What it is:Maltitol is a sugar alcohol made from starch, with roughly half the calories of sugar and a much smaller effect on blood sugar. It gives the stars their chew and sweetness without added sugar and without the sticky, tooth-coating finish of a candy gummy.In your body:No sugar before bed means no blood-sugar spike, no sticky teeth and nothing that argues with your toothpaste. As with all polyols, very large amounts can have a laxative effect; two stars a night are far below that.