Reishi Mushroom for Sleep: Does It Work? Dosage, Timing and Side Effects

Does reishi help you sleep?

It hasn’t been shown in people. Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum, also called lingzhi) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries as a calming, “spirit-settling” herb. Modern research is promising in animals and has looked at tiredness in people, but no finished, well-designed trial has yet measured reishi’s effect on human sleep.

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So think of reishi as one part of a routine you enjoy, not a sleep aid. Nothing about it works on the first night.

What the research shows

The honest summary: promising in animals, some support for less fatigue in people, and no direct human sleep trial yet. Note the survey: a small number of people sleep worse on reishi, so pay attention to how it affects you.

How reishi might affect sleep

Reishi contains two main groups of active compounds:

• Triterpenes (such as ganoderic acids), which give reishi its bitter taste and are thought to be behind its calming reputation.
• Polysaccharides, including beta-glucans, which interact with the immune system. The rat study suggests immune messengers may play a part in reishi’s effect on sleep.

Laboratory research has identified compounds shared by several traditionally “calming” mushrooms that may act on the brain’s sleep pathways, but how much of this applies to people taking a supplement isn’t yet known. Read more: what are adaptogenic mushrooms?

Does reishi make you sleepy?

Not usually. Reishi isn’t a sedative, and no human trial shows it causes drowsiness. In the rat study, the extra sleep came from several days of dosing, not one dose. Some people say they feel calmer in the evening; others notice nothing.

Can reishi make you feel sleepy or tired?

Drowsiness isn’t a recognised effect of reishi, though dizziness is a reported side effect. If reishi leaves you drowsy or light-headed, move it to the evening and don’t drive until you know how it affects you.

Can reishi keep you awake?

Occasionally. In a survey of 1,374 reishi users, about 3% reported insomnia. Reishi drinks made with cacao or coffee also contain caffeine, and EFSA found a 100mg dose can affect sleep in some adults, particularly close to bedtime. Reishi cacao has far less, but if you’re sensitive, have it earlier.

Reishi mushroom dosage: how much to take

There’s no standard reishi dose, and no dose has been tested for sleep. How much you take depends on the form, because extracts are far more concentrated than dried mushroom.

How many mg? Capsule labels give milligrams of extract (1,000mg is 1g). The extract ratio shows how much mushroom went in: 1g of a 10:1 extract comes from about 10g of dried mushroom. Start with the lowest amount on the label, take it daily, and give it two to four weeks.

When to take reishi: morning or night?

No study has tested the best time of day, so it comes down to the form and how it suits you. Taking it at the same time every day matters more than the exact hour, and taking it with food can help if it upsets your stomach. If it leaves you more alert, take it earlier in the day.

Why we suggest the afternoon or early evening for reishi cacao

Plain cocoa powder has about 2.3mg of caffeine per gram, so even an 8g serving of pure cocoa would hold only about 18mg; ours is a blend, so it has less. The NHS puts a cup of tea at about 75mg. It’s small, but people vary, so enjoy it mid-afternoon or after dinner and switch to a caffeine-free drink nearer bed. See how long caffeine lasts and what’s in a cup of reishi cacao.

If you’d rather have a herbal tea in the evening, our guide to the best tea for sleep ranks seven by the evidence.

See also sleeping well when the clocks go back and natural remedies for insomnia.

How to take reishi: tea, cacao, capsules or tincture

Our Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex blends reishi mushroom with cocoa, maca, cinnamon, coconut sugar and stevia, so it tastes like hot chocolate rather than mushroom. Stir 2 teaspoons (8g) into warm milk or water in the afternoon or early evening. It’s also a popular swap for an evening glass of wine; see our alcohol-free nightcaps and reishi cacao benefits. For a DIY version, see how to make mushroom tea.

Reishi is often mixed into cacao drinks; our ceremonial cacao guide explains what cacao contains, including its caffeine.

Reishi gummies

Gummies are convenient, but they often contain much less reishi extract than capsules or powders, plus added sugar, which isn’t ideal last thing at night. Check how many milligrams of extract are in each gummy and what the extract ratio is before comparing prices.

Reishi vs melatonin, magnesium and CBD

Magnesium is the only one with an authorised health claim: it contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and normal psychological function. Many people combine reishi with magnesium or CBD in an evening routine. Read more: magnesium for sleep, CBD for sleep and melatonin in the UK.

The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.

Reishi vs ashwagandha for sleep

Ashwagandha has more human sleep research than reishi: a 2021 review of five trials found a small benefit for sleep, clearer at 600mg a day or more over at least 8 weeks. Reishi has mainly animal data plus a human trial on tiredness. Ashwagandha also has more safety cautions (pregnancy, liver, thyroid), and the FSA is reviewing its safety. Some people use both at different times of day. See reishi vs ashwagandha and when to take ashwagandha.

A simple evening routine with reishi

Reishi is most useful as part of a wind-down routine rather than on its own. A simple version:

1. In the afternoon or after dinner, have your reishi. If it’s a reishi cacao, which contains a little natural caffeine, make it an early evening drink rather than your last one of the day. See is hot chocolate good before bed?
2. Nearer bed, switch to a caffeine-free drink such as a herbal tea, or plain reishi tea.
3. Dim the lights and put screens away while you drink it.
4. Do something calm: read, stretch or try box breathing.
5. Go to bed and get up at the same times every day, including weekends.

Our Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex is a cacao drink made with reishi, cocoa and coconut sugar, designed as a cosy afternoon or early evening drink. Many people pair it with our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex; magnesium contributes to normal psychological function. For more ideas, see how to sleep better.

What to expect, week by week

iIf poor sleep has lasted weeks and affects your daytime, see your GP. See insomnia and sleep deprivation.

Side effects and who should avoid reishi

Reishi is generally well tolerated as a food or drink. Reported side effects include an upset stomach, nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, an itchy rash and, in a small number of people, trouble sleeping. There are rare case reports of liver injury, mostly with concentrated reishi powders taken alongside other medicines.

iSpeak to your GP or pharmacist before taking reishi if you:

• take blood thinners such as warfarin, or have a bleeding disorder, as reishi may increase bleeding risk
• take immunosuppressants, or are having cancer treatment
• take medicines for blood pressure or diabetes
• have liver disease
• have surgery coming up (stop about two weeks before)
• are pregnant or breastfeeding, as there isn’t enough safety research

iStop taking it and see a doctor if you notice yellowing skin or eyes, dark urine or unusual tiredness.

We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding. They’re for adults (18+) only.

How to choose a good reishi supplement

1. Choose an extract. Raw reishi is too tough to digest well; extraction makes its compounds available.
2. Check the part used. Fruiting body extracts contain the triterpenes reishi is known for. Some cheap products use mycelium grown on grain, which can be mostly starch.
3. Look for stated beta-glucans or triterpenes, or an extract ratio, rather than just “reishi powder”.
4. Check for third-party testing, including heavy metals, as mushrooms absorb them from what they grow on.
5. Pick a format you’ll actually take every day.

Compare mushrooms in lion’s mane vs reishi vs cordyceps and the best mushrooms for anxiety.

For an easy evening ritual, see our healthy hot chocolate guide and recipe.

See also the best CBD oil for sleep in the UK.

For side effects, medicine interactions and who should avoid it, see our full reishi mushroom guide.

Related guides

• Best mushroom supplements in the UK, and how to check extract quality.
• For another adaptogen people try at night, see ashwagandha for sleep.
• For how to read the extract ratio and sugar on a gummy label, see mushroom gummies: do they work?
• What’s in Grass and Co DREAM, a reishi, sage and magnesium capsule.
• Not sure which form to take in the evening? Compare reishi powder, tinctures and capsules.