You’ve probably seen the rows and rows of gummy vitamins available for purchase in the pharmacy section of your local superstore. Initially, they were invented to appeal to children by eliminating the often-bitter taste and hard swallow aspect of traditional vitamins. Today, however, the gummy vitamin market includes nearly as many adult vitamins as it does children, hence the creation of gummy sleep aids. Do they work? Are they safe? Will they damage your teeth if you take them right before bed? Here’s the 411 on those tasty, chewable sleep concoctions to help you decide if they’re for you.

Many Contain All-Natural Products

There’s always a benefit to choosing mild, natural methods for improving your sleep quality, and while the best forms out there include regular exercise, a balanced diet high in antioxidants and following a solid bedtime routine, you may occasionally need something a little extra to nudge you over that abyss into a long and restful sleep.

If you find that you must use sleep aids, opt for ones that contain natural ingredients such as melatonin, valerian root, lavender, lemon balm, chamomile and passion flower. Ingredients like these work to help calm anxiety, settle digestion, and to sedate you in a way that won’t leave you feeling hung over in the morning. These ingredients are also touted as being non-addictive, which means you don’t have to worry about developing a tolerance to them.

All Appeal to Children

On the negative side, all gummies appeal to children, and even if you’re using an all-natural sleep-aid, you’d want to have it approved by your pediatrician before allowing your child to take it. Sadly, a lot of the gummy sleep aids on today’s market don’t have childproof caps. If you purchase one without this necessary barrier, make sure to keep it locked away out of your child’s reach, and never talk about your gummy sleep aids as “Mommy’s candy” or Daddy’s treat.”

May Contain Corn Syrup and Sugar

Unfortunately, not all combinations of natural ingredients taste good together. This is why you’ll often find extra, non-active ingredients on the label as well, and some of them may not be the best ones to take before bed or after brushing your teeth due to decay.

Sugar, corn syrup, glucose syrup and vegetable oil may be fairly common, but there are natural gummy supplements out there that don’t include these. Read the labels well before purchasing, and don’t expect your gummy sleep aid to taste like candy. That’s not why it was created. It’s better to take something that’s proven to be beneficial for you, even if the taste is just a little off. A strong taste or smell will also help steer children away from the bottle.

So, are sleep gummies a good idea? Possibly. A healthy lifestyle and strong stress management skills are better options, but if you need the added convenience of a medication to help you fall asleep, opt for one that’s all-natural with no harmful, inactive ingredients, and take it only as directed.