Why More People Are Taking Lion's Mane Before Bed
Lion's Mane has long been viewed as a morning supplement for focus and productivity. But new research into how the brain repairs, reorganizes, and consolidates memories during sleep is leading more people to ask a different question: could nighttime be the better time to take it? Here's what the science says, and why we paired Lion's Mane with Reishi to create our Deep Sleep Bundle.
Forager's Kingdom Editorial · 8 min read
Updated June 2026
Lion's Mane Has Been Marketed as a Morning Supplement. But Is That Really the Best Time to Take It?
For years, Lion's Mane has been grouped alongside coffee, energy drinks, and other supplements people reach for first thing in the morning. That's understandable—many people take it to support focus, mental clarity, and long-term cognitive health.
But unlike caffeine, Lion's Mane isn't a stimulant. It doesn't provide a temporary energy boost or force the brain into a more alert state. Instead, researchers have become interested in Lion's Mane for a very different reason: its potential to support the brain's natural processes over time through consistent use.
That distinction raises an interesting question.
If Lion's Mane isn't designed to provide an immediate effect, does the time of day you take it matter? More specifically, could taking it before bed better align with the brain's own overnight recovery cycle?
Before answering that, it helps to understand what your brain is actually doing while you sleep.
Mad S. ✓ verified buyer
“I started with Lion’s Mane and sleep was improved. I added Reishi and now sleep amazingly well. About ten nights straight now, I have had a good night’s sleep.”
Your Brain Doesn't Rest While You Sleep
Although your body may be still, your brain is remarkably active throughout the night. While you sleep, it cycles through different stages, each responsible for a different aspect of recovery. Deep sleep helps restore the body, while REM sleep plays a critical role in learning, memory consolidation, emotional processing, and maintaining healthy neural connections.
During these overnight hours, the brain is also busy clearing metabolic waste through the glymphatic system—a recently discovered network often described as the brain's natural cleaning process. At the same time, it strengthens important neural pathways, prunes unnecessary ones, and reinforces the memories and skills formed during the day.
In other words, many of the brain's most important restorative processes don't happen while you're awake—they happen while you're asleep.
Which makes one question even more compelling: if the brain performs so much of its repair overnight, could supporting those natural processes before bed be more beneficial than taking Lion's Mane first thing in the morning?
Lisa M. ✓ verified buyer
“This bundle has helped so much with giving me restful nights. I wake up with so much less brain fog.”
Why Researchers Are Interested in Lion's Mane at Night
Lion's Mane doesn't work like a sleep aid. It doesn't make you drowsy or force you to fall asleep. Instead, researchers have studied it for how it may support the brain while it performs many of its most important restorative functions overnight.
Lion's Mane contains unique compounds called hericenones and erinacines, which have been shown to stimulate the production of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF)—a protein involved in the growth, maintenance, and survival of neurons. Because NGF plays an important role in learning, memory, and healthy brain function, researchers have become increasingly interested in how Lion's Mane may support the brain over time through consistent use.
Human studies have also reported improvements in sleep quality, fatigue, anxiety, and overall cognitive function following regular Lion's Mane supplementation. While more research is still needed, these findings have led many people to view Lion's Mane less as a "morning focus supplement" and more as a way to support the brain's natural overnight recovery.
Why Lion's Mane Alone Isn't the Whole Story
Supporting the brain is only one part of getting better sleep. The other half is helping the body transition into—and stay in—a restorative sleep state.
That's where Reishi (Ganoderma tsugae) comes in.
Often called the "Mushroom of Immortality," Reishi has been studied for its calming and adaptogenic properties. Rather than acting as a sedative, research suggests it may help regulate the body's stress response, promote relaxation, and support deeper, more restorative non-REM sleep. One study found Reishi increased total sleep time while reducing nighttime movement, while more recent research suggests these effects may be influenced through the gut-brain axis and sleep-regulating neurotransmitters.
In other words, Lion's Mane supports the brain's overnight recovery, while Reishi helps create the conditions for that recovery to happen. That's why we pair them together in our Deep Sleep Bundle—because better sleep isn't just about falling asleep; it's about supporting both the brain and body throughout the night.
Supporting Better Sleep Starts With Supporting Both the Brain and Body
Lion's Mane and Reishi each play a different role in overnight recovery. Together, they support two complementary aspects of healthy sleep.
Lion's Mane
Reishi
Deep Sleep Bundle
Two Mushrooms. Two Jobs.
When taken 30 minutes before bedtime, Reishi and Lion's Mane act as a complete nighttime routine that helps you wind down, stay asleep, and wake up restored.
Reishi helps wind down
Lion's Mane helps promote deeper sleep
Natural & non-habit-forming
How to Use the Deep Sleep Bundle
The Deep Sleep Bundle is designed to fit into the nighttime routine you already have. There are no capsules to swallow and no complicated preparation.
1. Take Both Extracts 30 Minutes Before Bed
Shake both bottles, then take one serving of Reishi and one serving of Lion’s Mane. Reishi supports winding down, while Lion’s Mane supports important processes that continue in the brain overnight.
2. Choose the Method That Works for You
Take the extracts directly under the tongue like a tincture, or add them to your favorite nighttime tea, water or another evening beverage. Both extracts can be taken together.
3. Use Them Consistently
Some people notice better sleep quickly, while others experience a more gradual shift. Take both extracts nightly and evaluate the pattern over time—not one isolated night.
That’s the entire routine: two mushroom extracts, approximately 30 minutes before bed.
What to expect, honestly
Lion’s Mane and Reishi are not sedatives, so you shouldn’t expect to feel “knocked out” after taking it.
The best way to evaluate it is through consistent use and by paying attention to how your sleep and mornings feel over time. Individual experiences vary, but here are a few helpful checkpoints.
Days 1-7
Some people report sleeping better the very first night, while others experience a more gradual shift. Both responses are normal.
Pay attention to how restful your nights feel and whether you notice any difference in your energy or mental clarity the following morning.
Week 2
By the second week, subtle changes may start becoming more consistent.
Instead of noticing one better night, you may begin seeing a pattern of more restful sleep, clearer mornings or less of the brain fog that normally follows you into the day.
Week 4
After a month of consistent use, the difference may feel more established.
This is when you can step back and evaluate the larger picture: the overall quality of your sleep, how often you wake up feeling rested and whether better mornings are becoming part of your normal routine.
Real results from real customers
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Deep Sleep Bundle
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Honest answers to the questions you'd ask
Can I take Lion's Mane before bed every night?
Yes. Lion's Mane is not a stimulant and is commonly taken as part of a consistent daily routine. Many people choose to take it in the evening to support the brain's natural overnight recovery processes.
Will the bundle make me drowsy?
The extracts are not sedatives and are not designed to create a “knocked out” feeling. Reishi supports relaxation, but the routine should be evaluated by the quality of your sleep and how you feel the next morning—not how strongly you feel it at bedtime.
When should I take the extracts?
Take one serving of each extract approximately 30 minutes before bed, following the serving directions on the bottles.
How do I take them?
The extracts can be taken under the tongue or added to tea, water or another evening beverage. Because they are liquid extracts, they will not leave the gritty texture associated with mushroom powders.
How quickly should I expect to notice something?
Some customers report sleeping better the first night, while others experience a gradual shift. Consistent use over several weeks makes it easier to evaluate changes in sleep quality, morning energy and mental clarity.
Can I take Lion’s Mane without Reishi?
Yes. Lion’s Mane can be used on its own. The Deep Sleep Bundle pairs it with Reishi because Reishi provides a different kind of support for the wind-down portion of the nighttime routine.
Studies Referenced In This Article:
Xie, L., et al. (2013). Sleep Drives Metabolite Clearance from the Adult Brain. Science.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24136970/
Rasch, B., & Born, J. (2013). About Sleep's Role in Memory. Physiological Reviews.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23589831/
Tononi, G., & Cirelli, C. (2014). Sleep and the Price of Plasticity. Neuron.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25442941/
Mori, K., et al. (2009). Improving Effects of the Mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on Mild Cognitive Impairment.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18844328/
Nagano, M., et al. (2010). Reduction of Depression and Anxiety by 4 Weeks of Hericium erinaceus Intake.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20834180/
Vigna, L., et al. (2019). Hericium erinaceus Improves Mood and Sleep Disorders in Patients Affected by Overweight or Obesity.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31118969/
Friedman, M. (2015). Chemistry, Nutrition, and Health-Promoting Properties of Hericium erinaceus.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25544776/
Cui, X. Y., et al. (2012). Ganoderma lucidum Extract Promotes Sleep Through a GABAergic Mechanism.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22543475/
Zhang, Y., et al. (2021). Ganoderma lucidum Polysaccharides Improve Sleep Through Modulation of the Gut-Brain Axis.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33810387/