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Saffron and Sleep Quality: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

  • 2023-01
  • Nutrition and metabolic insights 16
    • Seyyed Kiarash Sadat Rafiei
    • Setare Abolghasemi
    • Mahsa Frashidi
    • Shiva Ebrahimi
    • Fatemeh Gharei
    • Zahra Razmkhah
    • Najmeh Tavousi
    • Behnaz Mahmoudvand
    • Melika Faani
    • Narges Karimi
    • Amir Abdi
    • Mahsa Soleimanzadeh
    • Mahya Ahmadpour Youshanlui
    • Sayedeh-Fatemeh Sadatmadani
    • Reyhaneh Alikhani
    • Yasamin Pishkari
    • Niloofar Deravi

Study Design

Type
Review
Sample size
n = 379
Population
379 participants from 3 countries
Methods
Systematic review of randomized clinical trials; search of PubMed, Central, Google Scholar, Scopus up to 2022; Cochrane risk of bias tool; criteria of Stevinson and Ernst

Background

Sleep quality is defined as an individual's consent to sleep experience. Poor sleep quality has important adverse health outcomes. There are drugs to treat sleep disorders but consumption of these drugs is accompanied by adverse effects whereas herbal treatments have fewer side effects. Saffron is spice obtained from Crocus sativus flower. Several articles have been done on its effects on the quality of sleep and its safety. This review for the first time critically evaluates effect of saffron on sleep quality improvement.

Method

The search technique aims to get all related published data-based up to 2022 articles. PubMed, Central, Google Scholar, and Scopus were examined. Only full reports were evaluated (abstracts were excluded). The first screening was done by title and abstract. Then full text of articles was read and irrelevant articles were removed. Duplicate articles were also removed by Endnote. By using Cochrane risk of bias tool assessment, a quality score based on probability of bias was given. Methodological characteristics were also evaluated using the criteria of Stevinson and Ernst.

Result

In the systematic review, 5 randomized clinical trials with 379 participants from 3 countries were identified. In placebo-comparison trials, saffron contains a large treatment.

Conclusion

It seems that saffron has a beneficial influence on duration and quality of sleep. Saffron, crocin, and safranal induce hypnotic effects by increasing the duration of sleep. Research conducted so far provides initial support and safety for use of saffron to improve sleep quality.

Research Insights

  • Gardenia→Increased Sleep Duration

    Saffron, crocin, and safranal induce hypnotic effects by increasing the duration of sleep.

    Effect
    Beneficial
    Effect size
    Small
  • Saffron→Improved Sleep Quality

    It seems that saffron has a beneficial influence on duration and quality of sleep.

    Effect
    Beneficial
    Effect size
    Small
  • Saffron→Increased Sleep Duration

    Saffron, crocin, and safranal induce hypnotic effects by increasing the duration of sleep.

    Effect
    Beneficial
    Effect size
    Small

Adverse Events Reported

  • Saffron→Overall tolerability

    Research conducted so far provides initial support and safety for use of saffron to improve sleep quality.

    Finding
    Reported
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