hintlSleepsaffron

Does Saffron Have a Positive Effect on Sleep Quality? What Two Studies Show

サフラン · saffron · Last updated:

hintl editorial team / Sleep Research Desk

Sleep genre desk — research review

木製の器に盛られたサフランの糸(赤橙色の細い雌しべ)
Research data last updated: |How this works

Key points

Multiple human studies report a positive effect.

For sleep quality · 2 studies · 499 participants

hintl Evidence Score 69/100 (2 studies, confidence moderate).

Evidence at a glance

How does saffron affect sleep quality?

promising
69/100 Evidence ScoreConfidence: moderate2 studies1 RCT
How the 69 is built
Study design base
meta-analysis or systematic review
+40/40
RCT bonus
1 RCT
+5/15
Study count bonus
2 studies
+4/10
Participants bonus
Total 499 participants
+10/20
Consistency bonus
human studies agree
+10/10

Scoring method

Multiple human studies report a positive effect.

  • 2 human studies (499 participants total)
  • Studies point in broadly the same direction
  • Still unknown: few longer-duration studies

  • There are reports that saffron may have a positive effect on sleep quality.
  • The evidence score is 69, indicating moderate reliability.
  • This information is useful for people who feel they have issues with sleep quality or their mood upon waking in the morning.

Saffron is an ingredient obtained from a plant.

It is generally taken in forms such as food.

It is said that saffron may have a positive effect on sleep quality and the amount of time spent sleeping.

According to research reports so far, results have shown improvement in assessments related to sleep quality. In other words, incorporating saffron may have some effect on the sense of sleeping soundly.

This knowledge is based on a systematic review (a method that gathers and organizes the content of multiple papers) using 5 RCTs (randomized controlled trials: a reliable method in which participants are randomly assigned to compare effects). This review summarized research including a study involving 379 participants.

Regarding the effects of saffron, verification has also been conducted in the form of actually having participants take the ingredient.

One study was conducted on 120 adults with a tendency toward insomnia. This study was conducted over a 15-day period, examining what kind of changes taking saffron brings about in sleep and mood.

A placebo (a fake drug that looks the same as the investigational drug but contains no active ingredient) was used for comparison. In other words, this method was used to distinguish between the effects of saffron itself and changes due to other factors. As a result of the study, reports indicated improvement in assessments related to sleep quality and in an indicator called the ISQ total score.

Currently, the evidence score for saffron is set at 69.

This indicates "moderate" reliability. That said, there are several points to consider regarding the results of the research.

To date, 2 studies on saffron have been reported.

One of the studies cited here was conducted over a relatively short period of 15 days. Therefore, there are still aspects that are not known regarding what effect it would have if continued over a longer period. In addition, it may not suit everyone, and it should be noted that not all phenomena have been confirmed.

StudyDesignNumber of ParticipantsDurationMain Result
Nutrition and metabolic insights (2023, PMID:37484523)Systematic review379Not statedA positive effect was reported
Sleep medicine (2021, PMID:34438361)Randomized controlled trial (RCT)12015 daysA positive effect was reported

A total of 499 people participated in the research. This includes 379 participants in the systematic review that compiled 5 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and 120 adults with a tendency toward insomnia.

Since people with a tendency toward insomnia are also included among the research subjects, this can serve as material for comparison with your own condition.

This report is based on 2 studies.

The study designs include systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

The overall reliability is considered moderate.

What effect is saffron said to have on sleep quality?

Research has reported that saffron has a positive effect on sleep quality. This content is based on multiple studies.

Who were the subjects in saffron research?

This includes 120 adults with a tendency toward insomnia, among others. The systematic review also includes 379 participants.

How reliable is the information on saffron?

The reliability of this research data is considered moderate. These are based on 2 studies.

There are 2 reports suggesting that saffron may have a positive effect on sleep quality. The evidence score is 69, indicating moderate reliability. However, there are also limitations, such as some studies having a short duration or a limited number of participants. It's important to consider this in light of your own physical condition. Please also try the self-check assessment.

References

This page's evaluation is based on the following peer-reviewed studies (2). Each link goes directly to the primary source (PubMed / DOI).

  1. Saffron and Sleep Quality: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.systematic review · Nutrition and metabolic insights · 2023
  2. An investigation into an evening intake of a saffron extract (affron®) on sleep quality, cortisol, and melatonin concentrations in adults with poor sleep: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-dose study.randomized controlled trial (RCT) · Sleep medicine · 2021

Things to keep in mind

  • Supplements are not medicines. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or take medication, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Related items

Evidence Scores are computed mechanically from the published research (PubMed / Semantic Scholar / OpenAlex): study design, participant numbers, and consistency across studies. An LLM is used only to extract study data, never to decide a score.

This is research-based information, not medical advice, and not a diagnosis. Consult a qualified professional about your own situation.

How the Evidence Score is calculated

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hintl editorial team / Sleep Research Desk

Sleep genre desk — research review

We continuously check the published research and translate the technical language into plain terms. The policy is to report a trend in the research, never a flat claim that something "works".

This article was produced by an editorial system from published research and is managed by the editor-in-responsibility (Takuya Hirata, representative of AJARA LLC).