A clinical trial assessing the efficacy and safety of Ziziphus spinosa seeds compared to placebo for people with insomnia

Insomnia — difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early — affects a significant portion of the population and can seriously impact daytime functioning, mood, and overall health. While sleeping pills are commonly prescribed, they carry risks of dependence and side effects. This study investigates a natural alternative: Ziziphus spinosa seeds, which have been used in Chinese herbal medicine for centuries to promote sleep and calm the mind. This is a crossover trial, meaning all participants will try both the Ziziphus spinosa extract and a placebo at different times, with a washout period in between. Researchers will measure sleep quality, how long it takes to fall asleep, total sleep time, and how people feel during the day. Safety will be monitored throughout. To be eligible you need to be aged 18 to 70, have insomnia meeting the clinical definition (DSM-V criteria) with a meaningful level of severity (score of at least 10 on the Insomnia Severity Index), and meet the Chinese medicine diagnosis of 'Heart Deficiency.' People who have other sleep disorders such as sleep apnoea, who are using sedatives they are unwilling to stop, who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or who have serious organ disease are not eligible.