Ashwagandha for Sleep Quality
Ashwagandha appears to modestly improve sleep quality, but the evidence is still preliminary: trials are short, samples are small, and many were industry-funded. It is not a substitute for first-line approaches such as CBT-I.
Why this grade7-layer evidence engine
Two meta-analyses (PMID 34559859, n=400; PMID 39083548, n=254) and two double-blind RCTs (PMID 32818573, n=80; PMID 32540634, n=144) point in the same direction: ashwagandha modestly improves sleep quality, sleep onset, and sleep efficiency, with a moderate pooled effect (SMD around -0.59) that is clearest at doses of 600 mg/day or more taken for at least 8 weeks. That consistency is what earns a positive, B-level read.
The grade stays at preliminary rather than strong for concrete reasons. Heterogeneity between trials is high (I-squared roughly 62% in the main meta-analysis and 98% in the 2024 one), samples are small to medium, and at least two of the underlying RCTs were industry-funded, raising bias concerns. The signal is also stronger for stress- or anxiety-related sleep problems than for general insomnia.
Authorities are supportive but cautious, which fits B. NIH ODS, Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and the Sleep Foundation all describe a possible benefit while stressing limited evidence, small studies, and unsettled long-term safety. Notably, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine does not mention it, the FDA only lists the plant (and has warned manufacturers against disease claims), and WHO treats it only as a traditional-use herb.
Scoring transparency
All scores computed by a 7-layer evidence engine — fully auditable▸View the full decision path (audit trail)
- compute_raw_score — 加權公式: L2×0.30 + L3×0.25 + L5×0.25 + L11×0.10 + L1×0.10 = 0.558
- tier_from_score — 依分數區間映射至 tier letter
- apply_hec_rules — 高品質 SR/MA 顯示 positive (1 篇 > 0 negative)
- tier_strict_requirement_check — Tier 條件達標，未降階
- detect_disputes — 偵測到 0 個 hard + 1 個 soft dispute
- decide_status — 依 tier + dispute 結果決定 status