Can Taking Collagen Help You Sleep Better?

I still remember the first time I heard about collagen. I was at a facial, and my esthetician asked me if I’d like to upgrade my service with a collagen mask that would help firm and plump my skin.

One enthusiastic “Yes!” later, and my skin was softer, smoother, and plumper than it had been in years.

Collagen has been buzzing around the skincare world for decades. But can it help with sleep too?

As someone who struggles with getting my recommended eight hours of sleep a night, I was definitely curious about the connection between collagen and sleep.

I reached out to Ashley Short, a board-certified naturopathic practitioner and the owner of Rooted Holistic Co., to discover whether taking collagen can help you sleep better. Read on to find out more.

What is collagen?

Let’s start with the basics—what is collagen, anyway?

“You can think of collagen as something that helps hold the body together,” Short explains.

She adds that this structural protein helps support the skin, bones, ligaments, cartilage, joints, and other connective tissues.

The body produces collagen naturally by using amino acids from certain foods like bone broth, chicken, or fish.

Sadly, collagen production slows down as people age, which is why you may notice that your skin has less elasticity and firmness than it did when you were in your 20s, for example. 

The sleep connection: glycine in collagen

Collagen contains glycine, which is an amino acid that helps calm neural activity in the central nervous system.

“Glycine is involved in a few sleep-related functions, like body temperature regulation and nervous system regulation,” says Short. She adds that taking glycine before bed may help with reducing fatigue and improving sleep quality.

Because glycine helps reduce core body temperature, it’s in turn a key trigger for sleep onset. This helps activate NMDA receptors in your brain, and then helps regulate circadian rhythm. 

Short cautions that, when it comes to glycine content, not all collagen supplements are the same.

“The amount of glycine can vary depending on the product and its amino acid profile, so taking collagen doesn’t guarantee you’re getting a specific amount of glycine,” she says.

How collagen may help you sleep

Instead of a direct connection from collagen to sleep, Short recommends thinking about it this way: “Rather than collagen = sleep, I would say collagen = glycine = sleep improvement,” she explains.

Here are two ways collagen—and, in turn, glycine—are connected to sleep.

Lowers core body temperature for bedtime

“Our bodies love a schedule,” Short says. “As nighttime approaches, our body temperature tends to drop to prepare us for sleep.”

She points to some studies, like this 2015 study in Neuropsychopharmacology, which show that glycine helped lower core body temperature.

However, Short says that taking glycine on its own can be more beneficial than taking collagen, since glycine is more powerful by itself.

Promotes calm and relaxed muscles

Feeling stressed out before bed? Collagen (or, more specifically, glycine) may be just the ticket. Glycine helps regulate cortisol levels, aka your body’s primary stress hormone, which in turn can help you sleep better if you’re able to unwind. 

Because collagen also has anti-inflammatory properties, it may be able to help with chronic inflammation that causes worse sleep.

“Collagen has been shown to help reduce inflammation in the body, especially in the joints,” says Short. “This is an example of how supporting the body can result in improved sleep.”

How to take collagen before bed

It’s pretty easy to incorporate collagen into your wind-down routine.

“Collagen can be mixed into almost every drink, but for bedtime, something like tea or even just plain water will do,” Short advises.

All you have to do is stir the powder into your drink about 30–60 minutes before you want to go to sleep and, well, drink up.

Short does caution that different collagen powders have different textures, so it might take some time to find the one that works best for you.

“Collagen can have a smooth texture,” she says. “Some notice it, some not so much. I have also noticed that some higher quality collagen powders have better textures than others.”

If you’re not a fan of collagen powder, never fear. Short says you can also get collagen from drinking warm bone broth before bed.

What to expect and potential side effects

The good news is, most people can take collagen without experiencing any harmful side effects—and the good tends to outweigh the bad.

“Many people have seen improvement with their skin, hair, joints, sleep, recovery, and energy,” says Short.

However, there are a few potential side effects to look out for:

• Bloating
• Fullness
• Nausea
• Unpleasant aftertaste from collagen supplements
• Allergy risks since collagen often comes from bovine, egg, and marine sources

So, does collagen actually help with sleep? The short answer is, maybe.

While collagen itself isn’t necessarily the catapult for better rest, the amino acid in it—glycine—can definitely assist with regulating stress, cooling down body temperature, and calming the brain, which can all lead to a better night’s sleep.

FAQs

Is it better to take collagen in the morning or at night?

Short says it’s more about finding a routine that works for you, rather than which time of day is best. “Although timing isn’t crucial when it comes to collagen, I think that practicality is key,” she says.

She specifically points out that for skin or connective tissue support, timing doesn’t matter—but for sleep specifically, evening may work better.

“This does not guarantee that the body will directly use it for sleep,” she says.

Does collagen make you sleepy? 

Honestly? No. “Although it contains glycine, it typically does not cause a sleepy feeling,” Short says. “Collagen is more of a tool that can support sleep, rather than directly cause it.”

Can I mix collagen powder into warm tea before bed?

Absolutely. “This is a great way to take collagen,” says Short. “Warm tea helps many people relax and wind down, especially chamomile and other bedtime blends.” She also says that since most collagen powders are hydrolyzed, the heat won’t break down or affect the collagen.