Could Olive Oil Compounds Help People Sleep Better?

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Could compounds found in olive oil help people sleep better? Research into oleocanthal and other phenolic compounds has opened up interesting possibilities, according to George Sakkas, a professor at the University of Thessaly. However, findings from animal studies and indications of reduced fatigue in humans do not amount to a proven treatment for insomnia.

Sakkas says researchers now face the challenge of turning a biological hypothesis into clinically established evidence.

What are olive oil polyphenols?

Polyphenols are naturally occurring bioactive compounds found in olive oil, particularly extra virgin olive oil. Key examples include oleocanthal, oleacein and hydroxytyrosol.

Researchers study these compounds for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, including their potential effects on mechanisms linked to cellular stress and inflammation.

The key question is whether these effects could contribute to better sleep or reduce some of the consequences of poor sleep.

Sakkas stresses, however, that this remains a research hypothesis rather than proof that the compounds have a direct sleep-inducing effect. Olive oils also contain different amounts and ratios of these compounds.

What have studies found?

Sakkas points to two studies, published in 2023 and 2025, that examined oleocanthal in mice used as models of Alzheimer’s disease.

The studies recorded changes in sleep-related indicators, with results varying according to the animals’ age and the dose administered.

Importantly, researchers examined sleep itself rather than relying solely on general health indicators. However, they assessed sleep through periods of inactivity rather than electroencephalography (EEG).

As a result, the findings cannot establish that oleocanthal improves deep sleep, nor can researchers automatically apply the results to people with insomnia.

The findings also specifically concern oleocanthal and cannot necessarily apply to every polyphenol found in olive oil.

What does human research show?

Human research has also produced some interesting findings.

One example is the OleoMetS study, co-authored by Prokopis Magiatis of the Department of Pharmacy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Georgios Samoutis and their colleagues.

The study involved 102 adults with metabolic syndrome. Over 12 weeks, researchers compared a preparation rich in oleocanthal and oleacein with a placebo.

The participants recorded a significant reduction in fatigue, among other findings.

Sakkas says the study highlights the importance of research into specific phenolic compounds in olive oil. The questionnaire also included aspects related to sleep, but the reduction in fatigue does not, by itself, establish an improvement in sleep quality.

He describes the finding as one that warrants further research rather than evidence that the compounds can treat insomnia.

Better sleep is not the same as less fatigue

Sakkas stresses the distinction between improved sleep and reduced fatigue.

A person may feel more energetic without experiencing fewer nighttime awakenings. Conversely, a change in sleep duration does not necessarily mean that the person feels more rested the following day.

Researchers therefore need separate measurements for sleep, fatigue and everyday functioning.

They must also distinguish occasional or persistent sleep difficulties from diagnosed insomnia. Otherwise, researchers risk presenting a positive finding as an answer to a question that a study did not actually examine.

Could a spoonful of olive oil before bed help?

There is currently insufficient evidence to recommend taking a spoonful of olive oil before bed, or to establish a specific amount or timing for improving sleep.

Sakkas also stresses the difference between olive oil as a food and a concentrated extract with a defined composition.

Researchers cannot simply convert an experimental dose of a specific compound into a number of spoonfuls of olive oil.

Nor does “natural” automatically mean harmless. One animal study reported liver changes at the highest oleocanthal dose tested.

Sakkas says this finding does not indicate a risk from normal dietary use of olive oil, but it highlights the need to assess the safety of concentrated preparations separately.

What comes next?

Sakkas says his research team is planning a controlled clinical trial involving people with persistent sleep difficulties.

The study will assess a combination of defined olive oil polyphenols and compare it with a placebo over eight weeks. Researchers will record both potential benefits and adverse effects.

For now, Sakkas says the public should view olive oil polyphenols as a serious area of research rather than a “magic” sleep aid.

He does not recommend self-treatment with extracts or stopping existing treatment. People with persistent sleep difficulties should seek an assessment of the underlying cause.

For chronic insomnia, cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) remains the first-line treatment, he says.

Research into olive oil polyphenols could eventually identify new options, but Sakkas argues that evidence must come before promises. Olive oil, he concludes, deserves the same rigorous scientific scrutiny as any other health intervention.

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