It seems everyone is chasing sleep. Science has consistently confirmed that good sleep is associated with overall health, recovery, immunity, and much more. Many new companies have entered the market in hopes of capitalizing on this rising demand.
As a registered dietitian, I know it’s confusing to decide what’s right for you—tablets, hot chocolate-like powders, or gummies. Beam Dream is one of the new products to hit the market that claims to aid sleep quality, restfulness, and relaxation.
I tried Beam Dream, and while it scores high in many ways, my preference leans towards Live it Up Golden Hour for supporting relaxation, inflammation, and stress (all critical to restful sleep). In this article, I’ll share:
- Is Beam Dream Worth a Try?
- What Is Beam?
- Purported Benefits
- Ingredients Breakdown
- Quality and Safety
- Cost Analysis
- Taste Review
- Why I Choose Live it Up Golden Hour
Beam Dream Quick Facts
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Key ingredients:
- Organic coconut milk powder, cocoa powder, and cinnamon powder
- Sodium
- Monk fruit extract
- Reishi mushroom, L-theanine, melatonin, and apigenin
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Flavors:
- Brownie batter
- Cinnamon cocoa (also available in a melatonin-free variety)
- Chocolate chip cookie dream
- Chocolate peanut butter
- Chocolate raspberry
- Peppermint bark
- Pumpkin spiced
- Sea salt caramel
- White chocolate peppermint
- Purported health benefits: Helps you fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed and relaxed.
- Possible side effects: Grogginess, drowsiness, headache, nausea, dizziness, restlessness
- Packet size: 30 servings
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Price:
- $65, or $2.16 per serving, for a one-time purchase
- $52, or $1.73 per serving with a subscription
- Shipping: Free only for subscription customers and orders above $100.
Bottom Line: Is Beam Dream Sleep Powder Worth a Try?
Beam Dream is more of a traditional sleep aid as it includes both magnesium and melatonin. And while I admire the product's rigorous testing and multiple flavors, I hesitate to recommend it as a daily staple because:
- The formula leans on sedation, which isn't always suitable for long-term use.
- It has a high cost per serving and a strict returns policy.
- It has a gritty texture and poor dissolvability.
I prefer a more gentle strategy for sleep and overall well-being, and for me, that's delivered by Live it Up Golden Hour. Through my personal experience, I would say Golden Hour delivers delicious taste, sleep support through ashwagandha, and better value for money.
What Is Beam?
Beam Dream is one of Beam's, formerly Beam Organics, most popular products. Started by professional athletes Matt Lombardi and Kevin Moran, this "Dream" range of products purportedly supports sleep and relaxation goals, and they also offer a greens powder.
Beam Dream is available in two formats—powder and capsules. For best results, the company recommends you have one scoop of this cocoa-based powder with hot water or milk 30-45 minutes before bed. The recommended capsule dose is 2 tablets before bedtime.
1 scoop, or 6 grams, of Beam Dream powder has
- Calories: 15
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Dietary fiber: 1 g
- Sodium (from Himalayan rock salt): 170 mg
- Iron: 0.6 mg
- Magnesium: 60 mg
- L-theanine: 300 mg
- Melatonin: 3 mg
- Apigenin: 50 mg
Beam Dream Pros
- Non-GMO and vegan-friendly
- No added sugar
- Dairy- and gluten-free
- No fillers, artificial colors, sweeteners, or flavoring agents.
- Third-party tested
- Lots of flavor options
- Available in a capsule format
Beam Dream Cons
- Focuses on sedation, which may not be recommended for long-term usage
- High price per serving
- Free shipping only for subscribers and orders over $100
- Gritty texture and requires a frother for mixing
- Contains caffeine
- No returns policy and some complaints about customer service
Beam Dream Purported Benefits
Beam Dream states that their science-backed mix is crafted for restful sleep that aligns with your body's natural rhythm. But let's see if those marketing words hold up under scrutiny.
Benefit 1: Relaxation
Beam Dream claims its sleep powder supports relaxation, and it backs this up by including magnesium and reishi mushrooms. Magnesium citrate supports the production of GABA, a neurotransmitter that calms the brain, though the amount of magnesium is somewhat small (15% DV).
Reishi mushrooms contain triterpenes, compounds thought to have sedative properties that may help induce a state of deep relaxation. In one endurance study, reishi mushrooms demonstrated the ability to balance healthy cortisol levels, which may promote a sense of calm and rest.
Benefit 2: Improving Sleep Quality
For sleep quality, Beam Dream turns to a blend of reishi mushrooms, L-theanine, and magnesium. L-theanine is well recognized for its ability to aid sleep quality. The amino acid can modulate neurotransmitters, which may help manage common causes of sleep disturbances like stress and anxiety. However, L-theanine is also associated with raising levels of GABA, which, for sensitive individuals, may lead to unwanted effects like vivid or strange dreams.
Studies have long established reishi mushrooms' ability to impact the GABAergic mechanism, which allows us to fall asleep faster and stay asleep, key markers of sleep quality. However, significant changes in sleep have been associated with higher dosages, and Beam Dream only includes 350 mg.
The combination of these three ingredients, plus 3mg of melatonin, will likely work for some people’s sleep needs and getting to sleep faster.
Benefit 3: Waking Up Refreshed
Beam relies on melatonin to support its claim of "waking up refreshed." Melatonin is known to work with the body's sleep cycle and help you fall asleep. However, melatonin is one of the most common culprits of morning grogginess and daytime fatigue, which several Beam Dream users have reported issues with. For sensitive users, the 3 mg can be excessive and may linger in the system upon waking, potentially contradicting the "refreshed" feeling.
Beam Dream Ingredients Breakdown
Beam Dreams is said to be made from all-natural ingredients that support all four stages of restorative sleep. Here's a closer look at the science behind its active ingredients.
- Melatonin (3 mg): This is a sleep hormone your body naturally produces that works alongside your body's circadian rhythm. Beam Dream contains a synthetic version of the hormone, and prolonged use is associated with irritability, daytime fatigue, drowsiness, and headaches in some people.
- Reishi mushroom: Studies have shown that this adaptogen, frequently used in Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine, may help with sleep onset, longer sleep times, and non-REM sleep. However, its effectiveness depends on the form and dosage used.
- Magnesium citrate (60 mg): This is a highly absorbable form of magnesium that may relax the nervous system and thereby help one fall asleep. However, gastric upset like diarrhea, gas, and abdominal pain are commonly reported effects.
- L-theanine (300 mg): A water-soluble amino acid commonly found in the leaves of tea plants. A meta-study found that L-theanine may aid sleep quality by influencing alpha brain waves. However, more research is required to substantiate the findings.
- Apigenin (50 mg): A plant flavonoid and powerful antioxidant that, in animal studies, has possibly helped with sleep latency. However, clinical studies on apigenin are limited.
- Organic coconut milk powder: This is consistent across Beam’s formula and provides a creamy texture.
- Sweetener: Monk fruit extract is a natural sweetener with antioxidant properties.
- Other ingredients (varies by flavor): Organic cocoa powder, natural flavors, organic tabioca fiber, spices.
Beam Dream Quality and Safety
Beam Dreams meets the quality and safety standards set by other Beam products. The product is manufactured in the USA in GMP-certified facilities using globally sourced ingredients. And, as with their other products, you can enter your packet's batch number on their website and view the third-party lab results.
Beam Dreams is a sugar-, gluten-, and dairy-free product with no artificial fillers, coloring, or additives. The mix is sweetened with monk fruit extract. I do want to point out that while most Beam Dreams flavors are allergen-friendly, their peanut butter flavor contains peanut flour, making it unsafe for those with peanut sensitivities and all flavors include coconut. There's also a hint of caffeine from the use of cocoa powder.
Beam Dream Cost Analysis
There are two buying options for Beam Dream’s sleep powder:
- A one-time purchase for $65, or $21.6 per serving, with a $6.99 shipping charge for orders under $100.
- A subscription costs $52, or $1.71 per serving. The subscription brings in savings of 20% and includes free shipping on all orders and a Beam frother with the first order.
Beam's shipping and refund policies aren't as generous as some of the other wellness brands I’ve reviewed. Additionally, Beam doesn't offer a money-back guarantee on any of its products, and some customers have complained about their customer service experience.
Beam Dream Taste Review
Beam Dream offers a rainbow of flavor choices with rich, indulgent profiles. Flavor options vary on their website and Amazon, including cinnamon cocoa, brownie batter, chocolate chip cookie dough, chocolate peanut butter, pumpkin spiced, and chocolate raspberry. Most of the flavors lean into dessert-like territory, something the brand may have consciously done so users associate the drink with a sweet treat rather than a supplement.
The overall verdict is that most of the options are quite delicious. I tried the cinnamon cocoa and brownie batter flavors, and while the use of cocoa gave it a hot-chocolate-like texture and taste, I found the flavor akin to any standard mix on the market. There was a slight hint of cinnamon in the cinnamon cocoa, but nothing really stood out to keep it as part of my evening routine.
While taste is a high point, there have been an overwhelming number of complaints about the drink's mixability and serving amounts. The powder definitely requires a blender to properly dissolve.
One Amazon customer gave the drink only a two-star rating because, "Mixability, very difficult to mix in cold beverages unless using a mechanical mixer my little coffee, frother worked fantastically. My only complaint with the product is that this is my third time trying this product. It says that it’s a 30 night supply on the bag and the most I’ve ever gotten is 21 days out of a bag."
Why I Recommend Live it Up Golden Hour
Not all sleep supplements are equal. Like most popular sleep aids, Beam Dreams focuses on sedation by featuring melatonin and magnesium. But in the long run, these may not be right for everyone. Live it Up's Golden Hour takes a non-traditional, gentler approach to good sleep.
Golden Hour is a melatonin-free, magnesium-free mix that relies on a powerful blend of turmeric, black pepper, and ashwagandha to target inflammation, restlessness, and stress. The drink supports beyond deep sleep; it complements overall well-being and aids other health goals like recovery from a daily burnout, travel, or athletic training.
Live it Up's Golden Hour is designed to help you unwind and get your body and mind primed for rest mode. With free shipping and a per-serving price of just over a dollar, it's a great way to upgrade your sleep quality and satisfy your sweet cravings with a cozy evening ritual.
FAQs About Beam Dream Powder
Does Beam Dream contain caffeine?
Yes, it does. Beam Dream contains 0.003 grams of caffeine from the cocoa powder used in most of their flavors.
Does Beam Dream contain allergens?
The chocolate peanut butter flavor contains peanut flour, which is a common allergen. The product is free from allergens like shellfish, fish, eggs, soy, dairy, and other nuts like cashews, almonds, and pecans.
Does Beam Dream have CBD in it?
No, the current range of Beam Dream powders and capsules don't contain CBD.
Can I drink Beam Dream every night?
The company says you can take their Dream sleep powder daily, but as a dietitian, I would caution against taking this supplement long-term without first talking to your doctor. The 3 mg of melatonin can be quite high, and prolonged use has been linked to lasting health effects.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice or individualized nutrition counseling. Please consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to supplements or medications. Any product or brand mentions are for general information and don’t guarantee results.
References
- https://shopbeam.com/collections/sleep-supplements
- https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep/why-sleep-important
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/natural-sleep-aids-home-remedies-to-help-you-sleep
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/melatonin-side-effects/faq-20057874
- https://www.amazon.com/Beam-Ingredients-L-Theanine-Magnesium-Supplement/dp/B0CYHS2SP3?th=1
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZdZ9l_qAbQ
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/cbd-and-melatonin-11797070#:~:text=Key%20Takeaways,benefits%20over%20using%20either%20alone.
- https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/melatonin-for-sleep-does-it-work
- https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/melatonin/side-effects-of-melatonin/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11103526/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/reishi-mushroom-benefits
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079225000292
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10929570/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6366437/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213453021001324
- https://www.reddit.com/r/LucidDreaming/comments/j8i3gh/is_gaba_a_good_supplement_for_lucid_dreaming_and/
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