Can NAD+ Supplements Be Your Secret to Better Sleep?

As you age, your cells naturally wear down, which affects how you look and feel. One key molecule that declines over time is NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). Emerging evidence suggests links between aging and age-related diseases to a decline in NAD+ (the oxidized form of NAD+).

Restoring NAD+ levels may help keep cells strong and slow down the signs of aging. NAD+ might also improve your sleep, since it’s important for the processes that regulate when and how well you sleep. Evidence is still limited, and more large-scale studies are needed to confirm its effects.

NAD+ is a molecule found in cells that plays a key role in metabolism and cellular repair. It also helps produce ATP, the main energy source that cells use, and regulates how cells respond to stress and other challenges.

Maintaining healthy NAD+ levels is important for supporting cell function, tissue health, and the factors that keep you refreshed and rejuvenated, including sleep.

NAD+ itself isn’t bioavailable, meaning your body can’t absorb it or use it, so supplements use “precursors” of NAD+ like nicotinamide riboside (NR) or nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). These precursors convert to NAD+ in the body and supplement the body’s NAD+ levels.

NAD+ is an important compound in the bodily processes that regulate when and how well you sleep.

Improve Sleep Quality

Both CoQ10 and NADH (the reduced form of NAD+) are essential for ATP (energy) production within your cells. They may also act as antioxidants.

People with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome ME/CFS, a condition characterized by debilitating fatigue and sleep-related issues, have been shown to have disrupted levels of CoQ10 and NADH. Restoring these levels may improve sleep quality.

In a small study, patients with ME/CFS saw significant improvements in how long they slept after supplementing with both CoQ10 and NADH for four weeks. However, this data was self-reported.

Reduce Drowsiness

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body responds by inducing a feeling of drowsiness. Daytime drowsiness can impact your circadian rhythm and worsen sleep disorders.

Since your body burns energy to stay awake, a lack of sleep can stress your brain over time. Overstimulation, including too much screen time before bed, can be physically and mentally demanding.

NAD+ might help your brain recover faster from tiredness by making brain recovery more efficient. Nicotinamide riboside (NR) helps increase NAD+, which is needed for processes involved with energy and repair.

One small study measured the effects of supplementing with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN)— a precursor to NAD+ daily for 12 weeks. Results showed that NMN supplementation taken in the afternoon reduced signs of drowsiness in older adults. The data was self-reported.

Might Help with Insomnia

Some preliminary research suggests that NAD+ levels may influence your circadian rhythm regulation, which plays a role in sleep patterns, and may potentially improve insomnia.

SIRT1 is an enzyme essential for maintaining a healthy sleep cycle. It helps regulate metabolism, stress response, and circadian rhythms. This cycle influences eating habits, digestion, and hormonal regulation—all of which affect your overall health.

Since SIRT1 relies on NAD+ (the oxidized form of NAD+) to function, maintaining adequate NAD+ levels may be key to supporting a healthy biological clock.

Diet can influence your NAD+ levels. A high-sugar, high-fat diet can increase stress in the body, which may reduce NAD+ levels. A healthier, more balanced diet can better support NAD+.

You may include foods that contain tryptophan, niacin (vitamin B3), and other compounds involved in NAD+ synthesis, such as NMN and NR.

Below are some foods that can help you boost NAD+:

• Meat
• Fish
• Dairy
• Cabbage
• Cucumber
• Soybeans (immature)
• Broccoli
• Avocado
• Tomato
• Carpaccio (raw beef)
• Shrimp

NAD+ supplements contain other substances that help create NAD+, like nicotinamide, also known as niacinamide (NAM)—a form of niacin, NMN, and NR. They work because they convert to NAD+ in your body’s cells.

You can supplement with NAD+ in various ways:

• Tablets
• Capsules
• Powders
• Intravenous (IV) infusion
• Subcutaneous or intramuscular injection

What to look for in a supplement:

• Does not suppress sirtuin activity: Sirtuins (SRT1s) are dependent on NAD+, and both NAD+ and SRTI are essential for cell health
• Considered GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the FDA
• Third-party tested for identity, potency, and purity, which can indicate quality
• ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited: Meets rigorous standards for commitment to quality, technical standards, and scientific rigor

The elements in NAD+ supplements are generally recognized as safe. Niacinamide is considered well tolerated at standard doses with minimal side effects (stomach ache, gas, headache) at doses up to 900-1500 milligrams daily.

NMN is also considered safe at 900 milligrams daily.

Similarly, NR may have mild side effects at 1000 milligrams, but none have been reported at 300 milligrams daily.

NAD+ supports over 500 enzymatic reactions within your body, including ATP production, the main energy source for your cells. Low NAD+ levels can affect sleep quality and how you respond to stress.

Restoring NAD+ may support cellular health, slow signs of aging, and improve sleep by regulating circadian rhythms. This could lead to better rest, fewer sleep disruptions, and potential relief from insomnia.

While early research is promising, more large-scale, placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm the effects of NAD+ supplementation on sleep and overall health.

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