Research-Based

Primal Sleep Review – Is This Primal Harvest Supplement Legit?

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By Jack Cincotta, MS

Reviewed by Juliana Tamayo, MS, RDN - Last Updated

primal sleep by primal harvest review

Sleep problems are very prevalent in today’s world. And while medications are sometimes used to help, many people are turning towards a variety of sleep supplements to improve sleep while also minimizing the chance of side effects.

Of course, the sleep supplement industry is huge. And the quality, safety, and effectiveness vary greatly from product to product, which is why it’s important to make informed and educated decisions.

In this article, we’re going over one sleep supplement in particular called Primal Sleep. You’ll learn about the ingredients, potential benefits, safety and quality aspects, pricing, and everything else to see if Primal Sleep is truly a fit for your nighttime ritual.

Primal Sleep Review Highlights

  • Primal Harvest contains a lot of natural herbs for stress and anxiety, so it seems geared towards people who have stress-related sleep issues
  • It contains melatonin, which some people are looking to avoid
  • All pricing options are $1 or less per serving, which makes it a budget-friendly option
  • To get the best results, you’ll need to take it consistently for a while and also practice good sleep habits

About Primal Sleep

Primal Sleep is a natural sleep supplement made by Primal Harvest, a well-known supplement company that has produced a wide variety of other supplements.

More reviews of Primal Harvest products:

Primal Sleep is designed to support deep, restful sleep and total relaxation. 

It’s formulated with a variety of herbal extracts, such as valerian and chamomile to support relaxation and help you unwind. And there are several other ingredients too, such as magnesium, melatonin, and GABA, all designed to promote calmness and improve sleep quality. 

primal sleep

They say all it takes is two nightly capsules and you’re on your way to a deeper, more restful sleep, without any of the side effects of common sleep aids, such as daytime drowsiness. 

Primal Sleep Benefits

Ultimately, Primal Sleep is meant to get you a better night’s rest. Here are the specific advertised benefits:

  • Deeper, More Restful Sleep
  • Increased Calmness & Relaxation
  • Decreased Stress

Deeper, More Restful Sleep

Primal Sleep by Primal Harvest is advertised to result in deeper, more restful sleep. Their formula has a number of different ingredients that they say enhance sleep quality, including valerian, melatonin, and l-tryptophan. 

This is important because it’s not just about the number of hours you sleep, but also the quality of that rest. And you’re much more likely to feel better if you have both on point.

Increased Calmness & Relaxation

Another claimed benefit of Primal sleep is increased calmness and relaxation. Feeling all wired up before bed is obviously not conducive to a good night’s rest. 

But Primal Sleep is designed to help you calm down both physically and mentally, with natural compounds such as lemon balm, chamomile, and GABA. 

Decreased Stress

Excessive stress can disrupt a good night’s sleep, which can be very annoying especially since it’s those most stressful days that require more rest. 

Well, Primal Sleep claims to help you break this cycle with potent anti-stress ingredients, including magnesium, lavender, and lemon balm. 

Now, if you’re struggling with your sleep, these benefits surely sound enticing. But does Primal Sleep actually deliver on these claims?

Keep reading to see if it’s the one you should buy. 

Primal Sleep Ingredients

Primal Sleep by Primal Harvest contains nine active ingredients. It’s a combination of herbs, minerals, amino acids, and melatonin.

Below is the full line-up of the Primal Sleep ingredients:

  • Valerian Root 4:1
  • L-Tryptophan
  • GABA
  • Chamomile
  • Lemon Balm 
  • Hops
  • Lavender
  • Melatonin
  • Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate
primal sleep by primal harvest supplement facts

Valerian Root 4:1 (150mg)

Valerian root is an herb used for many years as a relaxant and sedative. Various compounds in valerian can increase GABA levels in the brain, as well as serotonin and adenosine.

This ultimately results in increased relaxation and sleepiness. And there is evidence that valerian can improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety in some cases, especially when stress is a factor. 

You can find valerian in many other sleep products too, such as Relaxium Sleep (which also has many other of the same ingredients as Primal Sleep).

L-Tryptophan (100mg)

L-tryptophan is an amino acid. It may have relevance for sleep given that it is converted into 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), and then serotonin, which is a mood-enhancing brain chemical.

Plus, some serotonin gets converted into melatonin at night, which is important for quality sleep. 

And research shows that tryptophan can improve mood while also improving sleep quality and reducing night-time awakenings. However, the best benefits are from over 1g, which is a lot more than what’s in Primal Sleep. 

GABA (100mg)

GABA (which stands for gamma-aminobutyric acid) is an amino acid and a neurotransmitter. In the brain, GABA mainly has inhibiting effects, which means that it can calm down excess brain activity.

GABA also generally increases physical relaxation, so having enough GABA is important for feeling calm and not uptight.

The only issue is that GABA as a supplement doesn’t cross the blood-brain barrier very well, so some people don’t always benefit from it.

But even still, there is some evidence that GABA supplements can reduce stress and, to a lesser degree, improve sleep. 

Chamomile (100mg)

Chamomile is an herb that has been used in traditional medicine for many years to help with sleep and relaxation. 

This herb has many bioactives that seem to affect GABA, serotonin, dopamine, and other brain chemicals. Plus, chamomile can also decrease the body’s stress response.

Altogether, these effects are likely why chamomile has been shown to reduce general anxiety and improve sleep quality

Lemon Balm (100mg)

Another herb in Primal Sleep is lemon balm, which is also widely used for its calming properties. This herb can increase GABA production in the brain, which may offer anti-anxiety effects in particular, helping you to wind down a bit more easily at night. 

Many other sleep supplements use lemon balm too, such as Prestige Labs Sleep Multiplier

Hops (50mg)

Yet another herb in this formula is hops. Most people know of this herb from its use in beer, but it may also have some relaxant properties. 

It’s not as well-researched as some of the other herbs, but it still seems to increase GABA activity and promote relaxation. 

Lavender (50mg)

The final herb in Primal Sleep is lavender, which is yet another one used over the years for calming, sleep-supporting properties. 

Lavender can increase GABA levels and may also improve slow-wave sleep. Together, these effects may lead to decreased anxiety and agitation, along with improved sleep quality

Melatonin (3mg)

Melatonin is a hormone produced naturally by the body to regulate sleep and the circadian rhythm in general (which is the body’s natural sleep/wake rhythm). 

There is evidence that melatonin supplements can improve sleep quality too, especially in people with primary sleep disorders (such as insomnia). People have noticed fewer awakenings and other aspects of improved sleep quality.

However, the long-term effects are unknown. 

Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate (100mg)

Magnesium bisglycinate chelate is a highly bioavailable form of magnesium, an essential mineral. Adequate magnesium levels are essential for deep sleep and mental health in general.

This is because magnesium helps to control stress levels, boost GABA and other calming brain chemicals, and ease muscular tension. 

So, magnesium can help you unwind both physically and mentally. Overall, the research shows that getting enough magnesium can improve sleep quality and duration

So supplementing can be beneficial, especially since many people find it hard to get enough from their diet alone. 

Does Primal Sleep Work?

Primal Sleep likely works for sleep quality and relaxation. It’s formulated with several research-backed ingredients known for their ability to improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and promote calmness. 

And while the doses aren’t very high for most ingredients, this doesn’t seem to be a huge deal since they offer very similar effects. 

primal sleep by primal harvest
Source: Primal Harvest Instagram Page

Of course, individual results will vary. And it is unlikely that Primal Sleep will instantly improve your sleep or lead to massive sleep improvements even over the long run.

But it is well-formulated overall and has the potential to moderately improve sleep quality, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. 

How Does Primal Sleep Compare?

Primal Sleep is a pretty good sleep supplement, although we wouldn’t rank it at the very top. It certainly is better than most sleep formulas out there, though, because it has research-backed ingredients, a fully transparent label free from proprietary blends, and at least decent doses. Whereas a lot of supplements contain ineffective compounds, hide behind blends, and don’t put nearly enough of the right stuff in. 

NooCube Sleep Upgrade

Now, one of the features that may not be for everyone is melatonin. So, if you don’t want melatonin, a potential solid option is NooCube Sleep Upgrade.

This product has a few of the same ingredients as Primal Sleep, including magnesium, lavender, and lemon balm, but it’s melatonin-free. And the doses for those other ingredients are higher than what Primal Sleep offers. 

Luna Gentle Sleep Aid

Another sleep product with a very similar formula to Primal Sleep is Luna Gentle Sleep Aid. It contains valerian, chamomile, lemon balm, hops, melatonin, and GABA, as well as passionflower and theanine (which aren’t in Primal Sleep). 

Luna Gentle Sleep Aid is also higher-dosed overall compared to Primal Sleep. So it appears to be an even better formula for promoting quality sleep and relaxation. And yet it’s also priced lower than Primal Sleep at $21.95 for 30 servings vs $29.95. 

Who is Primal Sleep Best For?

Primal Sleep is best for people who are looking to improve sleep quality, especially those whose sleep issues stem from excessive anxiety and stress. This is because Primal Sleep is particularly designed to promote relaxation and mental calmness while also improving sleep quality. 

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Several well-researched ingredients
  • May have synergistic effects for sleep, relaxation, and stress reduction
  • Fully transparent label
  • Budget-friendly price
  • Save 20% with a subscription

Cons

  • A few ingredients are underdosed
  • Contains melatonin, which may not be for some people
  • May cause drowsiness

How to Take Primal Sleep

The serving size of Primal Sleep is two capsules. The instructions state to take two capsules with a glass of water about 30 minutes before bed. And they strongly recommend consistent, long-term use for the best results. 

Is Primal Sleep Safe?

Primal Sleep is generally safe for most people to take. There are still possible side effects, though, such as:

  • Drowsiness/sedation
  • Headache
  • Mood changes
  • Allergic reactions
  • Upset stomach or other digestive symptoms

Also, it’s a pretty high dose of melatonin (compared to what the body produces naturally), and the long-term effects of melatonin supplementation are not well-known. 

Primal Sleep is made in the USA in a cGMP, FDA-registered facility. It is free of gluten, dairy, soy, and other major allergens. It is not vegan since it contains gelatin in the capsule.

Where to Buy Primal Sleep

You can buy Primal Sleep on the Primal Harvest website

There are 30 servings (60 capsules) per bottle. The regular price is $29.95, but you can also save money by purchasing two, three, or four bottles, OR with their Subscribe & Save program, which cuts off 20%.

Below are the prices for those reduced-cost options:

  • Two Bottles: $55.90
  • Three Bottles: $77.85
  • Four Bottles: $99.80
  • Subscribe & Save: $23.96/bottle 

Overall, you’ll pay anywhere from $0.80 to $1 per serving, which definitely makes Primal Sleep one of the most affordable sleep supplements out there. This is actually a great deal considering the number of quality ingredients in it. The doses aren’t anything huge, but still high enough (and considering the possible synergistic effects), so it’s a good value overall.

Verdict: Primal Sleep Review

Overall, Primal Sleep by Primal Harvest is a quality sleep supplement. It’s formulated with research-backed ingredients known to improve sleep quality, reduce stress and anxiety, and promote calmness. While some of the ingredients aren’t dosed very high, many of them offer similar benefits, which likely negates some of those issues. 

Plus, Primal Sleep is one of the most affordable sleep products out there, at no more than a dollar per serving. 

As long as you’re okay with melatonin, Primal Sleep definitely seems to be a low-cost yet quality sleep option worth checking out. 

Ratings

  • Ingredient Quality: 4.5
  • Ingredient Dosage: 3.5
  • Effectiveness: 4.2
  • Safety: 3.9
  • Value: 4.4
  • Comparison to Alternatives: 4.2
  • Company Trustworthiness: 4.3

Overall Rating:
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Jack Cincotta, MS

Jack Cincotta is a certified holistic health coach through AFPA and a board-certified holistic health practitioner through AADP. He has written hundreds of articles on nutrition and supplementation. Jack has a M.S. degree in Psychology and is passionate about researching the science behind nutrition. He often uses research-backed supplementation protocols for many of his clients to optimize results.