If you’ve ever had trouble falling asleep, chances are you’ve heard of melatonin. I’ve personally been popping melatonin capsules for years now – purely because they seemed like the best option. But in truth, I continued to have sleep issues and would often wake up groggy. When I heard about HealthyCell’s REM Sleep gels, I decided to put them to the test… how would they stack up against melatonin? 

Spoiler alert: the difference was MAJOR. After just one night of REM Sleep gels, I felt more rested than I maybe ever have in my adult life. Below is a breakdown of why these gels are so much more effective than melatonin alone. (You can also skip right to the good stuff and check out REM Sleep for yourself here.)

The Trouble With Melatonin

If you hang out in the late-night, why-can’t-I-sleep corners of Facebook, it feels like everyone and their mom (including my mom, actually) is taking melatonin these days. And it makes sense! Melatonin is a naturally occurring sleep hormone that plays a role in regulating our circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle. 

But, there’s a few problems with taking *just* melatonin to help you sleep: 

1. It doesn’t do the whole job. Melatonin may make you drowsy, but it probably won’t knock you out. And it’s actually really easy to undo its effects: a little extra TV, a few minutes scrolling on your phone, or even a racing mind can overpower it. 
2. We’re taking way too much. A healthy starting dose for an adult is around 1 mg. But most options out there start off at 5-10mg – and I’ve seen doses up to 60mg (!!). Yes, that is 60 times more than the amount you should be taking.
3. The morning hangover. Melatonin may get you some shut-eye, but odds are that you’ll experience some grogginess and low energy the next morning.

If you can relate to any of the above, REM Sleep might be your saving grace. It combines a perfect 1 mg of melatonin with 7 other sleep-supporting ingredients to support every stage of your sleep cycle.

What REM Sleep Does Different

Unlike most melatonin you encounter, HealthyCell’s REM Sleep comes in a gel form – via their patented MicroGel™ technology – because gel absorbs into your body 165% better than pills! Meaning you’re getting better access to all those sleep-boosting nutrients. (Plus, anecdotally, the natural tart cherry flavor is more delicious than any pills I’ve ever swallowed.)

REM Sleep contains a precise formulation of powerhouse ingredients to support you across all four stages of sleep.

Here’s how it works: 

Step 1: Falling Asleep

This is the hardest part for a lot of people (myself included!), but HealthyCell has it figured out. Our trusty 1 mg of melatonin combines with calming lemon balm and GABA to help you relax and unwind, as your body transitions into the first stage of sleep.

Step 2: Lowering Your Body Temp

Did you know that your body actually cools off as you move into the second stage of sleep? This is the deep relaxation stage where your core temperature and heart rate decrease. Here, glycine, magnesium, and calcium in REM Sleep help your body cool down and get restful sleep.

Step 3: Achieving Deep, Lasting Sleep

This third stage is the deepest sleep you’ll get all night – and achieving enough of this level of sleep is what allows you to wake up refreshed and not sluggish. Healthycell includes L-theanine, and vitamin B6 to help your body get as much of this restorative sleep as possible.

Step 4: Tapping Into REM Sleep

REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement (named after what your eyes are doing behind your eyelids), and it’s the stage of sleep where your body stays perfectly still while dreams occur. The 5HTP, vitamin B6, and GABA in REM Sleep help you achieve this state which is responsible for improving your creative abilities!

When it comes to quality of sleep, there’s nothing I’ve tried that comes close to REM Sleep. Between the incredibly well thought out combination of ingredients and the more effective MicroGel™ format, it’s basically the best thing ever. Seriously, waking up after my first night taking REM Sleep felt unlike any morning I’d experienced in ages. I was fully rested. I wasn’t groggy. I wasn’t angry at the world. I was actually, truly energized. And it was amazing!

Melatonin or REM Sleep?

For me, the answer’s simple. Melatonin is absolutely an essential ingredient when it comes to sleep support. But it’s such a small part of the picture. 

Healthycell’s REM Sleep goes so far beyond just helping me feel drowsy like melatonin does. It actually supports me throughout the entire night, ensuring that my body makes the most out of every single stage of sleep and that I wake up feeling fully refreshed, rested, and revitalized. 

And that’s the kind of sleep I want to have every single night.

If you’re curious about trying REM Sleep for yourself, I say go for it! And save 10% with code: PRIMARY10 while you’re at it.