Mushrooms for Sleep and Relaxation: What the Research Shows
Reishi is the mushroom most often sold for sleep, yet we found no human sleep trial. Here is what exists for reishi and lion's mane, and what proper evidence not found means.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Safety first. Supplements can cause side effects and interact with medicines. Read mushroom safety and interactions before you use any mushroom product.
Reishi for sleep: proper evidence not found. We searched PubMed in October 2026 for human trials of reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) and sleep quality. The only sleep-specific result was a study in mice, which is preclinical and cannot tell us what happens in people. This page explains what that mouse study is, what small human findings exist for lion's mane, and what to do about poor sleep.
Reishi: what exists
GBIF lists Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P.Karst. as an accepted name; check which species and plant part a product label names. [1]| Question | What the source found | Our label |
|---|---|---|
| Does reishi improve sleep in people? | No human sleep trial found in our PubMed search | Proper evidence not found |
| Animal work | In mice treated for 14 days, one blended recipe (reishi extract, broken spore powder and Ganoderma sinense powder) shortened sleep latency and lengthened sleep; the authors say effects vary with how the extract is prepared [2] | preclinical (animals) |
| Fatigue in people | A trial in 132 patients with neurasthenia tested a reishi polysaccharide extract and reported larger falls in fatigue scores than placebo; sleep was not the measured outcome [3] | promising but limited, for fatigue in that group only |
Traditional use: reishi is described as widely used in many Asian countries for conditions including neurasthenia, cancer and diabetes. [3] More is on the reishi guide. Tradition describes how it has been used; it is not proof that it improves sleep.
Lion's mane
Hericium erinaceus (Bull.) Pers. is the other mushroom with sleep-related human data, and the data are weak for sleep itself.- A trial in 77 people with overweight or obesity and a mood or sleep complaint, over 8 weeks, reported decreased depression, anxiety and sleep disorder scores; the abstract we read does not describe a placebo comparison. [4]
- A trial in 30 women tested sleep quality with a standard questionnaire as one of several measures, but the abstract we read reports its main findings for depression and general complaints, not sleep. [5]
- A 2025 systematic review lists reduced sleep disorder symptoms among its summary findings and notes that evidence quality and standardization are limited. [6]
Label for lion's mane and sleep: insufficient evidence. See the lion's mane guide.
What has better support
Routines, light and bedroom setup are covered at sleep hygiene and natural sleep aids compared. The overall goals page is better sleep.Frequently asked questions
Does reishi help you sleep?
Proper evidence not found: we found no human sleep trial. A mouse study of a blended reishi recipe reported shorter sleep latency, but animal results do not show the same in people. [2]
Is lion's mane good for sleep?
A small trial reported lower sleep disorder scores in people with overweight or obesity, but the evidence is insufficient. [4]
Is it safe to take mushrooms with sleep medicines?
Ask a pharmacist or prescriber first; we did not find a source that settles it for specific medicines.
Do mushroom supplements make you drowsy?
We did not read a source on that, so we cannot say. Ask a pharmacist about your own medicines.
What should I do about long-term poor sleep?
See a clinician, because many sleep problems have causes that a supplement will not address. Start at better sleep.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety and who should ask first
- Anyone taking sedatives, sleep medicines or alcohol regularly should ask a pharmacist before adding any supplement; see supplements, sedatives, sleep medicines and alcohol.
- Reishi has its own safety pages on liver reports and medicine cautions; read them before using it.
- Mushroom coffee and some blends contain caffeine, which can affect sleep; see caffeine, alcohol and sleep.
- Loud snoring, gasping, or sleepiness that affects driving needs a clinician; see sleep safety and when to get help.
References
- GBIF Secretariat. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy species match for Hericium erinaceus, Ganoderma lucidum, Cordyceps militaris, Ophiocordyceps sinensis, Pleurotus ostreatus and Lentinula edodes. Read 2026-10-22.
- Li K, Liu W, Wu C, et al. The anti-fatigue and sleep-aiding effects vary significantly among different recipes containing Ganoderma lucidum extracts (mouse study). Heliyon. 2024. PubMed 38770283. Read 2026-10-22.
- Tang W, Gao Y, Chen G, et al. A randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of a Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide extract in neurasthenia. J Med Food. 2005. PubMed 15857210. Read 2026-10-22.
- Vigna L, Morelli F, Agnelli GM, et al. Hericium erinaceus improves mood and sleep disorders in patients affected by overweight or obesity. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2019. PubMed 31118969. Read 2026-10-22.
- Nagano M, Shimizu K, Kondo R, et al. Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intake. Biomed Res. 2010. PubMed 20834180. Read 2026-10-22.
- Menon A, Jalal A, Arshad Z, Nawaz FA, Kashyap R. Benefits, side effects, and uses of Hericium erinaceus as a supplement: a systematic review. Front Nutr. 2025. PubMed 40959699. Read 2026-10-22.