I was watching TV when I saw a commercial for a supplement called Dream Water. Dream Water is basically a small bottle of water that has ingredients – which we'll cover below- to help you fall asleep. A liquid sleep aid supplement is definitely something I had not seen before so I decided to take a look at Dream Water. Does it work? What is its ingredients? Does Dream Water have any side effects? So, let's take a deep dive review of Dream Water and see if it's right for you. Also see the Relaxium Sleep review.
Dream Water Research
I was unable to locate any clinical studies on Dream Water itself. That said, I have a good idea that it might help some people fall asleep based on its ingredients. That said, does the combination of ingredients in Dream Water work better than any of the individual ingredients alone? Let's next take a look at the sleep evidence of the ingredients in Dream Water.
Dream Water Ingredients
Dream Water's active ingredients form a proprietary blend they call “SleepStat.” In order, as they appear on the label, here are the 3 ingredients:
- GABA
- Melatonin
- 5 HTP
Each of these 3 ingredients adds up to 150 mg total.
That said, we are not told is how much GABA, melatonin, and 5 HTP is in this sleep supplement. All we are told on the label is that it is a proprietary blend (which they call “SleepStat”).
Let's briefly review each ingredient and see what the research says.
GABA
GABA is short for Gamma Amino Butyric Acid. GABA is a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) that does have a calming, sedative effect on nerves. That said, in order for GABA supplements to help insomnia, GABA would have to pass through the blood-brain barrier that protects the brain and central nervous system.
According to a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it appears that GABA supplements cannot cross the blood brain barrier. Even so, GABA supplements do appear to calm nerves outside of the central nervous system and this is likely why GABA is in Dream Water.
Interestingly, some older research has shown that GABA can increase growth hormone levels when given to healthy people (5 grams of GABA was used in this study). Higher amounts of GABA however decrease growth hormone levels.
Melatonin
The hormone, melatonin, is made in the brain, specificlaly in the pineal gland. Melatonin levels rise at night and decrease during the day. In fact, it is the lack of sunlight (or any light) that causes the release of melatonin. The darker your bedroom, the more melatonin you make.
A good amount of melatonin research finds that it can help those who have issues with their sleep/wake cycles. These are technically called circadian rhythms. There is also some evidence that melatonin helps insomnia as well.
Melatonin has also been studied for a number of other conditions. Some research hints that melatonin may help migraine headaches. Other researchers find melatonin may help some forms of cancer There may be something to this but women should speak to their doctor before taking melatonin supplements.
Teenagers usually don't have any trouble sleeping (because they make a LOT of melatonin) but just in case, young adults should avoid melatonin. Some research shows that melatonin might effect the development of the gonads.
Likewise, be aware that melatonin may also interact with blood thinner medications and diabetes drugs .
Melatonin might increase blood pressure and heart rate in those who have high blood pressure. In theory, this risk may be increased when used with 5 HTP supplements.
5 HTP
This is also called 5 hydroxy tryptophan. It's called this because 5-HTP “looks” like the amino acid, tryptophan. Most people have heard about how the tryptophan in warm milk helps people sleep right? Tryptophan is made into the brain chemical called serotonin which has a calming effect on the body. 5-HTP also kind of “looks” like serotonin as well.
It's well known that 5 HTP can raise serotonin levels.
This however is what may make 5HTP potentially harmful. There is a condition called serotonin syndrome, where serotonin levels go too high. This can lead to dangerous elevations in blood pressure and heart rate. The risk of this may be increased in people who take antidepressant drugs.
In the late 1980s over 30 people died from a rare white blood cell disorder called eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS). All of the people who 
died were taking tryptophan supplements.
Since 5 HTP looks like tryptophan, might it also increase EMS? I don't know. I am not aware of any cases of EMS stemming from 5 HTP supplements but I thought I would mention it.
As I outlined in my book Nutritional Supplements What Works and Why, the link between tryptophan supplements and EMS is contentious. Some say that EMS was due to an impurity (sometimes called Peak X) in a batch of tryptophan made in Japan. Others say it was tryptophan itself that caused EMS in susceptible individuals (this is because the Peak X impurity was not found in all cases of EMS). Regardless what caused the EMS outbreak of the late 1980s, I believe both tryptophan and 5 HTP supplements should be used with caution.
5 HTP is also found in the weight loss supplement 1 Db Goddess.
Dream Water Side Effects
As far as I can tell, Dream Water has not been tested in published peer-reviewed studies. To my knowledge also, the specific combination of 3 ingredients in Dream Water – GABA, 5 HTP and Melatonin has also not been adequately tested for safety either in published peer-reviewed studies.
That said, I am reasonably confident that in healthy people Dream Water is safe for short-term use. The levels of GABA, melatonin and 5 HTP are probably low enough that healthy people may not experience adverse effects if Dream Water is used occasionally.
Of the 3 ingredients in Dream Water, I think both GABA and melatonin are probably the safest overall for most people. It is the 5HTP ingredient that gives me some concern.
In theory, 5 HTP may interact with:
- Antidepressant medications
- Parkinson's medications
- Over the counter cough suppressants
- Pain medications
- Supplements used for depression (like St. John's Wort)
The evidence for these interactions is not concrete and is based for the most part on worst-case scenarios. Still, given the seriousness of serotonin syndrome causing drastic increases in blood pressure and heart rate, I think it was worth mentioning.
The Dream Water website (DrinkDreamWater.com) does state that they do not recommend long term use of their product. They also state Dream Water should not be combined with any medications – including alcohol. The company goes on to say that people should consult their doctor if they experience any adverse effects from Dream Water. I feel these statements are appropriate and congratulate the Dream Water company for saying this.
Melatonin might cause vivid dreams or nightmares, especially if too much is used. How likely this is to happen with Dream Water I don't know.
- Stop taking dream water at least 2 weeks before having surgery
- Don't take dream water if you are pregnant/breastfeeding
- Dream Water is not intended for people under 18
What's The Active Ingredient?
Of the 3 different ingredients in this sleep supplement:
- GABA
- Melatonin
- 5 HTP
I believe melatonin is the main active ingredient. I see more evidence for melatonin than the other ingredients. Is it possible the combination of all 3 ingredients works better than melatonin by itself? Sure, its possible. But, that would take studies to prove for sure. I'm not aware of any Dream Water vs. melatonin research.
How Much Does Dream Water Cost?
Dream Water is sold via its website and at over 30,000 locations such as Walmart and Walgreens. The product comes in two sizes:
- 2.5 oz “sleep shot“
- 8 oz size bottle
Both sizes of Dream Water have zero calories. Both the 2.5 oz sleep shot and the 8 oz version are said to have the same concentration of ingredients.
On the Dream Water website, a 6 pack of the Lullaby Lemon Sleep Shot (2.5 oz) costs $19.95. A 12 pack costs $38.99 and a 24 pack is $71.99.
A 6 pack of the 8 oz Lullaby Lemon costs $19.99. A 12 pack costs $33.99 and a 24 pack costs $59.99.
Since nighttime trips to the bathroom can interrupt sleep, taking Dream Water at least an hour before bedtime -or using the smaller 2.5 oz Sleep Shot – might be a good idea.
Can You Take Dream Water On A Plane?
The product is sold in every major airport so it better be allowed on planes. Fortunately, yes, the smaller 2.5 oz Dream Water bottles state they are TSA Compliant. The 8 oz bottle likely is not TSA compliant.
Who Makes Dream Water?
The company is called Sarpes Beverages LLC also known as Dream Products LLC which was founded in 2009. The company website is DrinkDreamWater.com. The company is located at 2001 Tyler St Suite # 5 Hollywood, FL 33020.
Does Dream Water Work?
The ingredients seem logical to me so I would not be surprised if some people say Dream Water worked for them. Indeed, if you read the comments below, you will find people who say just that. Does Dream Water really work better than melatonin? I can't say for sure.
I work long hours on my feet and often have very un-restful nights. My husband bought me a small shot bottle of Dream Water as a joke but I tried it anyway. Within an hour of taking it, I felt sleepy, much earlier than usual. I don’t remember waking up once during the night-my usual is 3 or 4 times. The next morning I awoke refreshed, not woozy like most mornings. Hubby said I was much less restless during the night too. I don’t know if it was psychological, or if it really worked, but I’m game enough to try it again on occasion.
Lauren, I have since tried Dream Water myself (I saw it at Walmart and thought what the heck) and I dont think its a placebo effect. The first time I tried it, I used 1/2 bottle (to be safe) and I literally could not keep my eyes open. I did wake up more groggy than usual the next day. The following night I used a whole bottle. While it didn’t have the same effect of forcing my eyes closed, I did sleep in less than an hour of using it. I wonder if we build up a tolerance to it over time? I’m not sure of this though.
I’m middle aged and have problems falling asleep due to anxiety issues. Received a free sample from Grocer’s and didn’t think much of it. The following weekend told my roommate that I would try it, just in case I had some weird reaction to it (hadn’t read anything negative about it yet). Took the small shot of snoozeberry and about 30 minutes later felt very groggy. While falling asleep had the sensation of heart slowing or “murmuring” (not racing) and had the vague thought that I might just slow down so much I’d die. LOL.
Awoke the next morning, felt a bit groggy, and described the feelings I’d had to my roommate. We got to researching more on it and then I find out that it shouldn’t be taken with other medications such as: All the ones I take! LOL.
It worked really well but generally, I’m of the opinion, if you’re healthy enough to take it, you won’t need it, and if you need it, you’re probably on other meds or need to be and shouldn’t be taking it. 🙂 I’d love to take it again for the sleep result, but not with the interactions. Just my humble opinion, that’s all. 🙂
Faintly, thanks for sharing and your “humble opinion” was very well said 🙂
Hi Joe,
Would you take this with allergy medications with a decongestant? That is the only med besides Tylenol I take at the present. I have suffered with insomnia for over 9 years. I usually take it before bed since I cough a lot if I don’t. Allergic to dust, mold, cats (yes I have 2), and every tree and grass alive, so not optional.
Phyllis, I’m not sure but if your decongestant makes you drowsy, there may be an interaction. run the ingredients past your doctor or pharmacist and see if they can offer any insights on this.
My mom bought me a bottle today. She’s so cute. But anyway, I started a new job and I wake up at about 7. My old job I didn’t wake up till 10 so I haven’t been going to sleep till usually 2 am. I’m really just not a morning person. I’ve had sleep issues for a long time anyway and I currently take Benadryl and melatonin to induce sleepiness daily. I take ambien here and there. I also am prescribed Xanax which I take 2 mg daily and 10 mg adderall daily for add. Just wondering if Any of the above would be potentially hazardous with dream water?
Hi Jenn, I would not mix Dream water with the other sedatives you are taking. Melatonin is also in dream water and I think it might combine with the melatonin, Benadryl and Ambien you are already taking. The same goes for the other stuff in Dream Water too. I’m pretty conservative when it comes to supplements but I would be extra cautious since you are taking those other sleep aids. Since you are already taking other sleep meds, why dont you take dream water to your doctor or pharmacist and see what they say.
yes moms are cute aren’t they 🙂
Hi Joe,
I actually tried dreamwater before it even hit shelves since the owner of the company visited my college to speak to my class. I actually got to try the product and it did help me get to sleep and sleep a full night’s sleep. However I *can* confirm the nightmares many have talked about. There has been a lot of research into melatonin and it’s affect on REM sleep. High dosages of melatonin or individuals who are sensitive to it, can induce nightmares and even night-terrors in some.
Anyway, Since the day I first tried it, I haven’t tried it since, up until a week ago when I saw it at my local Walgreens. I saw it, remembered “Snoozeberry” from class, and how it made me groggy / get some well-needed sleep that week as I had alot of trouble sleeping in college. Anyway, I bought a couple, went home, and tried one. within an hour, I felt that similar groggy feeling and passed out pretty quick. I actually just took one about 20 min ago and am getting ready for bed as I already do feel my eyes feeling a bit heavy. I *have* had one nightmare the other day after taking it, but I also have nightmares sometimes when taking melatonin on it’s own.
The reason it causes nightmares is this:
Melatonin causes you to go into REM faster. There have been MANY studies done on REM sleep / nightmares, and the most common belief is that nightmares are your body’s way of dealing with stressful situations that are on your mind, that would normally cause an anxiety attack or worse in while you are awake. Your brain uses your dreams to process these *stressful* situations and think them through because it is a protection mechanism to help prevent the damaging effects of stress on the body. Now you could ask, “Why do nightmares / dreams make no sense”… or you dream about something you have no idea why you may have dreamt of it. The reason for this is your subconscious worries, desires, thoughts in general. Maybe you have a nightmare about watching someone get shot… maybe you happened to overhear the news 2 hours earlier before you went to bed about someone being shot on the news. you subconsciously hear it, and rather than letting your body react right then and there, it waits until you’re asleep, allowing your body to deal with that stressful thought and process it more efficiently.
I wish i had a link to the research article I read back in college about it, but I did quite a bit of research on dreams and the subconscious for a research paper where I explained that dreams are a subconscious reality.
Anyway Don’t take dreamwater if you don’t want to sleep… some people think it’s for “relaxation”… this is FALSE… it will put you to sleep
Ryan, that’s fascinating, thanks for passing along that information. When the creator of Dreamwater came to your college, did he try to sell everybody on the idea of using Dream Water? Im just surprised that your college would allow somebody to speak who created a supplement that has no published peer reviewed proof of safety or efficacy. Did the college give any reason why he was speaking at your college?
Funny you mentioned REM sleep. I know the son of the doctor who first observed REM and named it “REM sleep”
I received a sample from CVS about 3 weeks ago. And Yesterday night I just could not fall asleep. I remembered the sample I was given; and I thought (What can happen). It worked. I was asleep about half and hour later. But this morning I felt so groggy. My sister told me it was because I didn’t get my full 8 hours of sleep. All in all – it served it’s purpose.
Jenn, this morning I was pretty groggy also. I didn’t take dream water; I thought it might be to our turning the clocks 1 hour ahead over the weekend?
I tried dream water before reading this. Wish I didn’t. Plus it worked but didn’t at the same time. I work third and have a loud neighbor so its hard to get and stay asleep. I took it after I got off and quickly felt tired. 2 hours later I woke up. Fell back asleep an hour later and again in 2 hours I woke up. Feeling really tired. Never again.
You better not to drink it if u have a medical condition i.e chrones?
I have not taken dream water yet but I am still unsure if drinking this substance will cause any major injuries such as bleeding or death. I would like to take it because I am a teen between 16-17 but have sleeping issues because I have a disorder were I end up sleeping but end up feeling the same thing like I did in the dream. For example lets say if you were kicked or bitten in the dream and jumped up in the night and still feel the pain. So I am asking you as a friend is this right for me.
Jackson, I dont think dream water will kill you or cause bleeding. If you are taking any medications, I’m not sure of the interaction so its best to check with a pharmacist, doctor or dietitian. Mostly people are reporting side effects such as waking up groggy and having bad dreams with dream water.
ive been taking dream water for a few days now and i get bad dreams whenever i take it – really works though – i get tired within 30 mins
Ralf, several people have also said that Dream Water causes bad dreams. So interesting that so many different people would say the same thing!
I drink the dream water one night because I have insomnia and I had terrible nightmares. It was like I was having an out of body experience. Will never drink another bottle!!!
Tried this last night, it didn’t do anything for me at all. I used ichill before, drinking half worked perfectly, but i can’t find it anywhere.
Chris, I looked up IChill (I’ve never heard of it) and it looks like the active ingredients are melatonin (which Dream water has) and valarian root (which dream water doesn’t have). Thanks for letting me know about this product!
this stuff is very expensive – i will rather take an ambian
i got a two pack from local store, i took one and my wife took another. my wife says it didn’t work for her…she has severe sleeping issues, but looks like it worked for me and i am tired & fatigue all next day. it could any reason…i just wanted to experience it to see the results.
Hey! I took two Dream Waters (2.5 oz Bottle). The first night I felt that it had worked and I told myself that I was satisfied with the results, but the second night, I felt that it didn’t work at all! I’m thinking about just taking two at a time or maybe even three because I’m extremely fixated on dreaming. I’m at my happiest when I’m in my dreams due to my ease of lucid dreaming. I’m freakin’ rich!, so $3 a bottle is nothin’ to me!
Demitri, I’m out of my area of expertise but when you say you are happiest when you are dreaming has me a little concerned. Please speak to somebody – a doctor etc to try to discover why you are feeling this way. Sleeping a lot can be a sign of depression and I’d rather you discover the cause of this rather than taking more dream water – or any sleep aid. Since you’re “freakin rich”, I’d rather you get happy and enjoy that money in the real world.
I took a sample of Dream Water (the small shot bottle) and I had the best sleep Ive had in a while. Fell asleep about 30min after taking it, slept ALL through the night (which never happens) and woke up for work the next morning with no grogy feeling at all. Im on Anxiety medicine and had no side affects happened. Ive only taken it that one time but would definitely try it again! Other then managing my anxiety, I don’t suffer from any medical problems
I too am from the uk and got a couple of samples from the airport on the way back.
I’ve used it twice now, both times after having a heavy night out drinking. I can fall asleep really easily, that’s not the problem, but when drunk i have rubbish nights sleep and awake up early not being able to go back to sleep. This dream water though definitely helps me, It helps me relax and get the uninterrupted sleep I need and totally kills the hangover.
Maybe a little drowsy but maybe thats the hang over.
Great stuff, question is, when is it going to be available here??
Atreyu, since both dream water and alcohol are depressants I would not combine them. Im glad you didnt notice any problems but I dont know what they would do when combined.
I’m from the UK and we don’t get dream water here, so after a trip to the states a couple of weeks ago I bought some free samples home I acquired from the airport – anyway, after trying dream water on three separate nights (not on the run) each night I had the worst dreams. It did make me very sleepy about 20mins after drinking a shot bottle, however this was then followed by pretty freaky dreams to tell you the truth. In my theory for myself, its good to get me off to sleep, however the sleep I have feels pretty uneasy! Thanks for the info Joe!
Jessica glad I was able to help and Cheerio! 🙂
I was googling Dream Water to see what others might say about it. I was recently traveling and saw it for sale and bought a bottle as I occasionally have sleep issues. I did have insane dreams so that part of it worked. What I didn’t like was that I felt lethargic the next day, had no energy and could not fulfill my work functions. I won’t use it again!
I am a young adult female with a history of acute drug abuse. Last night I tried Dream Water for the first time and chased it down with a very small glass of wine (which in hindsight I realize was probably a stupid idea). I drank the entire mini-bottle of Dream Water around 12:20am not really expecting much and watched tv because I didn’t feel tired.
By 1am I was tripping out so bad I couldn’t even see my surroundings. I stumbled to the bathroom, locked the door, thought twice and unlocked the door, and proceeded to dry-heave my guts out (though at the time I felt and believed that I was violently spewing gallons of liquid and the “fact” that I “couldn’t breathe” certainly did not help). To this moment I STILL do not understand how there was not vomit all over the bathroom floor when I returned later, but perhaps I was merely hallucinating the excessive floor vomit.
Eventually I crawled to my mother’s room and begged her to help me until she bolted out of bed and attempted to soothe me. I found it impossible to control my volume and eventually my hysteria awoke every person in my house, including my toddler sister. At this point my mom and 14-year-old brother are simply trying their best to calm me down and get me to sleep, but for the longest time nothing would work. My insides were warm, my body was freezing, I was sweating and shaking so badly that at once point I wondered if this was a seizure. I was absolutely terrified of being alone and even more afraid to fall into the black abyss of sleep. I was completely convinced I would never come back.
Obviously my family’s attempts to calm me essentially worked, and I woke up the next afternoon around 12pm very weak and with a couple of bruised ribs (not really sure where that came from) but I’m just thankful to be alive.
I can honestly say I will NEVER forget the terror I experienced last night. My mind was gone. I am certainly not blaming the product, but trust me, unless you’re seriously asking for trouble, DO NOT– I repeat, DO NOT mix it with alcohol, drugs, or take it and fight sleep. You will lose your mind.
Jade WOW! I am glad you are feeling better! You are right its not a good idea to mix Dream Water and alcohol since both are depressants. As bad as you felt, things might have been worse. Given your past addictions, I think its best to steer clear of any supplement or product that might make you addicted. Again, I am VERY glad you are doing better and I hope that you were able to enjoy your Thanksgiving.