Branded lemon verbena extract from Monteloeder assists with relaxation and sleep quality in teens, says recent study

A recent study found that Monteloeder’s RelaxPLX, a natural lemon verbena extract, may be able to help teenagers with their sleep quality and relaxation.¹ Growing up, sleep is especially beneficial for physical development, immune function, balancing mood, and supporting brains with consolidating learning. The press release mentioned that according to health experts, teenagers between the ages of 13 to 18 years old should be getting around eight to 10 hours of sleep each night.¹

According to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2024 “Sleep in America” report, around 80% of teenagers are having sleep deficits and due to a lack of sleep, their social wellbeing, mood, and daily functioning are affected.¹

“Teenagers are especially sensitive to the effects of limited sleep and emotional changes,” said Mariana Ortega-Rufino, MS, science marketing manager of Suannutra, in a press release.¹ “During puberty, hormonal shifts can influence the circadian rhythm, making restful sleep more difficult to achieve.”

“Limited sleep in teenagers is often linked to trouble focusing, lower academic performance, and changes in mood,” added Ortega-Rufino.¹

The recent study was a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical trial and was published in Applied Science². 44 healthy teenagers were recruited to gather data and were between the ages of 12 to 16 years old and were experiencing sleep and stress issues. The study was orchestrated by Pau Navarro. To gather data, the teenaged participants were given a placebo or one 400 mg dose of RelaxPLX an hour before going to bed over the course of 12 weeks.

Researchers observed significant improvements in sleep behavior in participants taking RelaxPLX, compared to placebo, based on Enhanced Adolescent Sleep Wake Scale (ASWS) scores. Participants that received the RelaxPLX supplement also showed improvements in stress, based on the Perceived Stress Scale for Children (PSS-C) questionnaire. Among the key stress indicators participants felt improvements in were feelings of being worried, rushed, or nervous.¹ With regard to physiological biomarkers, results from the study also showed that teens taking RelaxPLX experienced a 21% drop in salivary cortisol levels, while the placebo group saw a 9% increase. Changes in cortisol were faster and stronger among female participants.

“Previous clinical studies conducted on lemon verbena have shown significant improvements in sleep- and stress-related parameters. However, these studies were focused on adult populations,” explained Jonathan Jones, PhD, Chief R&D Officer at Monteloeder.¹ “There are very few sleep studies conducted on healthy children and teenagers. Adolescence in particular can be a highly challenging period.”

“What stands out in this study is the triple validation it achieved via feedback from the teenagers through questionnaires, physiological biomarker data, and observations from both the psychologist and parents,” Jones further added.¹ “Our natural formula offers a safe, science-backed way to help teens manage occasional stress, manage emotional balance, and maintain mental wellbeing.”

References

1. Monteloeder. Monteloeder’s lemon verbena extract shown to help promote relaxation and sleep quality in teens https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/monteloeders-lemon-verbena-extract-shown-to-help-promote-relaxation-and-sleep-quality-in-teens-302483632.html (accessed Jun 17, 2025).
2. Navarro, P.; García, A.; Villa, R.; Nobile, V.; Parisi, O.I.; Lirangi, C.; Amone, F.; D’Ambrosio, E.; Caturla, N.; Jones, J. Lippia citrodora (Lemon Verbena) Extract Helps Reduce Stress and Improve Sleep Quality in Adolescents in a Double-Blind Randomized Intervention Study. Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 5856. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15115856