Does apigenin help you sleep?
Not proven in people yet. We found no trial of apigenin capsules on their own for sleep. The best human evidence is for chamomile, a herb that contains it, and even that is mixed.
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Does an apigenin supplement help you sleep?
Nobody knows yet. Apigenin makes mice and rats sleepy. But we searched the medical research and found no trial of apigenin capsules on their own for sleep in people.
The only trial we found with a set dose gave 50 mg of apigenin in a mix with magnesium and L-theanine. L-theanine is a substance found in tea leaves. Its sleep results came from two herbs, ashwagandha and rhodiola, in a separate morning pill, not the mix.
| What was tested | Who, and for how long | What it found |
|---|---|---|
| Apigenin capsules alone | No trial found | No human evidence for sleep yet. |
| 50 mg apigenin in an evening mix | 103 healthy, active adults, 2 weeks | No clear sleep gain from the mix. |
| Chamomile extract, 270 mg twice a day | 34 adults with long-term insomnia, 4 weeks | No clear change in sleep diaries. |
| Chamomile, 10 studies together | 772 people | Better sleep quality scores. No extra sleep time. |
| Apigenin from food | 1,936 adults in Italy | More apigenin was linked to better sleep. Not proof. |
Sources: Mastrofini 2026; Zick 2011; Kazemi 2024; Godos 2020
So a capsule is a guess built on animal studies and chamomile. Before you buy one, see what chamomile itself showed below.
What is apigenin, and where does it come from?
Apigenin is a plant chemical called a flavonoid. It’s in parsley, celery, onions, chamomile, thyme, oregano, basil, tea, oranges and grapefruit.
Lab studies in rats suggest it acts on calming brain signals. A 2026 study found apigenin plus magnesium helped mice sleep longer. A mouse is not a person, though.
In people, one study of 1,936 Italian adults linked eating more apigenin with better sleep quality. It only spotted a link. In people who were overweight, it found no link with any group of these plant chemicals.
Want more apigenin anyway? Parsley, celery and oranges are easy ways to add it to meals.
Is chamomile better than an apigenin supplement?
It has more human studies, so it’s the better tested of the two. A 2024 review pooled 10 studies with 772 people.
| Sleep measure | What the 2024 review found |
|---|---|
| Sleep quality score | Better, across 5 studies. |
| Getting to sleep | Easier in 3 of 4 studies. |
| Waking in the night | Fewer wakings in 2 of 3 studies. |
| Total sleep time | No gain. |
| How you feel in the day | No change in 3 studies. |
Source: Kazemi 2024
That is the mixed part. Chamomile may help you sleep more soundly, but it didn’t give people more hours. Only one study checked the strength of its product.
For long-term insomnia, the result was weaker. In 34 adults, chamomile extract made no clear change to sleep time or night waking. The US government’s centre for complementary medicine (NCCIH) says there’s very little information on chamomile for insomnia.
NCCIH says chamomile is likely safe in the amounts found in teas. So if you want to try it, a cup of chamomile tea in your wind-down is the gentle place to start. It’s a herbal tea, not tea from tea leaves.
How much apigenin, and is it safe?
There’s no proven dose. The mixed-pill trial used 50 mg a night for 2 weeks. No side effects were linked to that evening mix.
Two weeks in healthy people tells you little about months of use. The trial was also paid for by a supplement company. We found no long-term safety study of apigenin capsules.
Chamomile has known cautions. They come from studies of the herb, not of apigenin capsules. Still, check with a pharmacist first if you:
| If you | Why |
|---|---|
| Are allergic to ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies | A chamomile allergy is more likely. |
| Take the contraceptive pill | Chamomile might make it work less well. |
| Take warfarin (a blood thinner), a sedative (a medicine that makes you sleepy) or another regular medicine | Clashes with chamomile have been reported, or may happen. |
| Have breast or womb cancer, or another condition oestrogen can worsen | Chamomile might act a little like oestrogen, a female hormone. |
| Are pregnant or breastfeeding | Little is known. The NHS says not to take herbal medicines. |
| Have kidney or liver problems | The NHS says not to take herbal medicines. |
Sources: NCCIH; NHS herbal medicines
Side effects of chamomile are uncommon. They may include feeling sick, dizziness and allergic reactions, which can be severe.
Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber. For the trial in full, see ashwagandha and magnesium together.
What helps sleep more than a supplement?
The NHS says insomnia usually gets better by changing your sleeping habits. That’s free, and it’s where to start.
Six NHS sleep habits to start tonight
- Only go to bed when you feel sleepy.
- Get up at the same time every day, even after a bad night.
- Relax for at least 1 hour before bed, for example with a bath or a book.
- Keep your bedroom dark and quiet. Use blinds, an eye mask or ear plugs if you need to.
- Exercise during the day, but not in the 4 hours before bed.
- Avoid tea, coffee, alcohol and smoking for at least 6 hours before bed.
Source: NHS: insomnia
Sleep aids from a pharmacy can’t cure insomnia. They may help for 1 to 2 weeks, and you shouldn’t take them longer.
More help: sleep hygiene, CBT for insomnia and L-theanine for sleep.
When to speak to a GP
The NHS says to check with your doctor before taking anything for your sleep problems. See a GP if:
- Changing your sleep habits hasn’t helped your insomnia.
- You’ve had trouble sleeping for months.
- Poor sleep is making daily life hard to cope with.
- You snore or your breathing stops and starts while you sleep. You may be sent to a sleep clinic.
A GP may offer CBT, a talking therapy that helps you change the thoughts and habits that keep you awake. See also sleep apnoea.