SunSet is an evening formula with Affron® saffron extract, botanical ingredients, magnesium and L-theanine. Affron® has been studied separately in people dissatisfied with their sleep. That study helps explain the scientific interest in the ingredient, but it was not a trial of the complete SunSet formula.
Why the Extract Matters
Saffron comes from the stigmas of Crocus sativus. Research uses more than a culinary spice: it uses prepared extracts with controlled characteristics. Affron® is a proprietary standardised extract, so the findings mainly apply to the form and serving that were studied.
The plant’s name alone is not enough to compare products. Raw material, extraction method, standardisation and amount of extract may differ. A study of Affron® therefore cannot automatically be applied to every saffron product.
How the 2021 Study Was Designed
In a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 120 adults with unsatisfactory sleep were assigned to one of three groups:
- placebo;
- 14 mg of Affron® per day;
- 28 mg of Affron® per day.
Participants took a capsule about an hour before bed for 28 days. The main outcome was self-reported sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Diary. The researchers also used several questionnaires about insomnia symptoms, restoration, mood and daytime function, and measured evening melatonin and cortisol levels in saliva.
What the Researchers Found
Compared with placebo, both Affron® doses were associated with greater improvement in the main sleep-quality measure. Mood on waking, the overall score on an insomnia-symptom questionnaire and the proportion of participants meeting its criteria also changed. Differences in sleep improvement between the 14 mg and 28 mg doses were small.
However, several other diary and questionnaire measures did not differ significantly. Evening melatonin increased, while cortisol did not change relative to placebo. The authors reported no substantial adverse events.
| Question | What the study reported |
|---|---|
| Participants | 120 adults reporting unsatisfactory sleep |
| Duration | 28 days |
| Comparison | 14 mg and 28 mg Affron® versus placebo |
| Main finding | Self-reported sleep quality improved |
| Measures that did not all change | Several other questionnaire and diary items |
| Laboratory measures | Melatonin increased; cortisol did not change |
What the Study Does Not Prove
The trial was short and relied mainly on self-report. It did not use polysomnography or a sleep tracker, did not study people with a doctor-confirmed chronic sleep disorder, and did not assess long-term use.
A change in a questionnaire score does not mean insomnia was treated. Nor does a rise in evening melatonin automatically explain the self-reported result; that relationship needs separate research. Finally, the trial tested Affron® alone, not a blend of saffron with valerian, magnesium, L-theanine and SunSet’s other ingredients.
What More Recent Evidence Adds
A 2022 meta-analysis combined several randomised trials of different saffron preparations and found improvement in some sleep questionnaires versus placebo. The authors also noted that efficacy and long-term safety across different doses need confirmation. A pooled result does not make all extracts interchangeable.
In a 2026 Affron® study, 86 women aged 50–70 with low mood and poor sleep took part. After 12 weeks, the extract group reported less sleep-related impairment in daytime function, but the sleep-disturbance scale itself did not differ significantly from placebo. This adds nuance: a positive result on one measure does not guarantee changes in all others.
How Affron® Fits into SunSet
SunSet contains Affron® alongside extracts of lavender, valerian, rhodiola, chamomile, peppermint, passionflower, catnip, jujube and passion fruit, as well as magnesium and L-theanine. The formula contains 12 ingredients in total.
One tablet weighs 1,000 mg, but that is the weight of the whole blend, not the amount of Affron®. The tablet therefore cannot be directly compared with the 14 mg or 28 mg of extract studied. The trial explains interest in one ingredient; the effect of the finished combination would need to be tested separately.
How to Take SunSet
Take one SunSet tablet each evening before bed. The pack contains 15 tablets. It may be easiest to make it one fixed part of an evening routine along with a consistent bedtime, a quiet final hour and dimmed lighting.
If you feel drowsy after taking it, do not drive. Do not combine SunSet with sedative medicines or alcohol without consulting a healthcare professional. The product is not a medicine. Persistent difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking, loud snoring with pauses in breathing or pronounced daytime sleepiness calls for medical assessment.
The Affron® study offers a moderately encouraging but limited result: the main self-reported sleep measure improved, while some other assessments and cortisol did not change. For SunSet, this supports the scientific interest in a specific ingredient; it is not a promise about the complete formula.
