Early research suggests that saffron may benefit sleep in various populations (including those with insomnia). Still, more research is needed to feel confident about this effect and to determine optimal dosing.
Saffron may enhance several aspects of sleep as measured by various tools, most notably the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The most consistent benefits seem to be for sleep quality and sleep duration.[1][2][3] This effect appears to be the strongest in people with type 2 diabetes, but further research is needed to confirm whether this is a true effect rather than an artifact of limited research.[1]
Saffron’s effect on sleep is supported by animal research, which found that crocin and crocetin, major active compounds in saffron, significantly increased non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep in mice.[4] Additionally, safranal, another active compound in saffron, was found to dose-dependently increase sleep duration in mice.[5] However, the doses and route of administration used in these studies were not representative of human use.