Sleep & Relaxation

Mushrooms for sleep: an honest guide to Reishi

Quick answer: If you have been searching for mushrooms for sleep, the one you will meet most often is Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), known in Chinese as Ling Zhi. It has been one of the most respected mushrooms in traditional East Asian practice for over two thousand years, and it is traditionally taken in the evening, often as a slowly simmered tea. Research is ongoing and no mushroom holds an authorised health claim in the UK, so we keep our wording careful, but we can help you choose between our capsules, powder and dried slices.

Key facts

• Latin name: Ganoderma lucidum.
• Other names: Ling Zhi in Chinese and Reishi in Japanese.
• What it looks like: A hard, glossy, reddish bracket fungus that grows on hardwood. It is too woody to eat and tastes slightly bitter and earthy.
• Traditional use: Valued in East Asian practice for over two thousand years, usually simmered as a tea and traditionally taken in the evening.
• Formats and prices: Capsules 60 for £24.49, 90 for £34.80 or 100 for £38.99, powder from £26.99, dried slices from £5.99.
• Growing and testing: Cultivated on gluten-free oats and tested in US and German certified laboratories. Free UK delivery over £30.

Reishi for sleep and relaxation: why the evening?

Reishi has a long history as an evening mushroom. In traditional East Asian practice, it was usually prepared as a tea and drunk later in the day. That is the main reason it sits in this collection, and it is why so many people today make it part of their evening.

It helps to be clear about what that means. A tradition tells you how people have used something for a long time. It does not tell you what it will do for you. For many people the evening ritual of a warm Reishi tea is a big part of the appeal.

Reishi is a functional mushroom, not a psychoactive one. You cannot eat it like a button mushroom because it is far too woody, which is why tea, capsules and powder are the usual ways to take it.

What does the research say?

Scientists have been studying Reishi for many years, and new papers appear regularly. Most of that work is early-stage: laboratory studies, animal studies and small human trials. It is interesting, but it is not the kind of evidence that lets anyone say what a Reishi supplement will do for a particular person.

In Great Britain, food supplements can only make health claims that are on the official register of authorised nutrition and health claims. No mushroom, Reishi included, has an authorised claim. So you will not see us saying Reishi helps sleep, and if another seller does, it is fair to ask what they are basing it on.

Reishi capsules, powder or tea: which suits you?

Reishi mushroom capsules are the easiest choice and skip the bitter taste entirely. We sell three sizes. Reishi 90 (£34.80) is described as 100% pure mushroom extract with no fillers. Reishi 60 (£24.49) and Reishi 100 (£38.99) contain Reishi mushroom powder. All three use vegan vegetable capsules. You can compare them with other species in our mushroom capsules range.

Reishi powder comes in 60g for £26.99 or 120g for £44. It dissolves into warm drinks, golden milk or herbal tea. Its earthy, slightly bitter edge works best alongside strong flavours. See the full mushroom powder collection for other species.

Dried Reishi slices are the traditional route. A 50g bag costs £5.99, a cheap way to see if you enjoy it, and a 500g bag is £26.95 for regular brewers. They live alongside our other dried mushrooms.

How do you make Reishi mushroom tea?

Reishi tea is easy. Put a few dried slices in a pan of water and bring it to a gentle simmer. Leave it for 20 to 30 minutes, then strain out the slices and pour. The colour deepens the longer it simmers, and so does the bitterness, so start at the shorter end if you are new to it.

A spoon of honey, a slice of lemon or a little cinnamon softens the flavour. Some people brew a larger pot and keep it in the fridge to reheat. With Reishi tea, the ritual is part of the point: the simmering, the smell and the slow cup are much of the appeal.

How should I take Reishi capsules or powder?

Follow the serving on the label of the product you buy. The capsules and powder have different servings, so do not swap amounts between them. Store everything sealed, somewhere cool and dry.

Building a Reishi evening routine

Reishi is a popular choice for an evening wind-down routine, mostly because of that long tradition of drinking it later in the day. Some people take their capsules with an evening meal. Others stir powder into warm milk or a caffeine-free herbal tea. Tea lovers simmer a pan of slices while they tidy the kitchen.

The best routine is the one you will actually keep. Pick a time that fits your evening and stick to it, and you will soon stop needing a reminder.

Buying checklist: choosing Reishi in the UK

• Taste: Dislike bitter flavours? Capsules are the simplest option.
• What is inside: Reishi 90 is pure extract with no fillers; Reishi 60 and 100 contain mushroom powder.
• Tradition: Dried slices let you make Reishi tea the way it has been made for centuries.
• Testing: Ours is tested in US and German certified laboratories.
• Value: The 500g slices and 120g powder have the lowest price per gram.
• Honesty: Be wary of sleep promises. No mushroom has an authorised health claim in the UK.

Want to learn more about the mushroom itself? Our main Reishi mushroom page covers it in more depth.