A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-dose trial investigated the effect of saffron extract on sleep quality, cortisol, and melatonin concentrations in adults with unsatisfactory sleep. The 28-day trial randomly allocated 120 participants with self-reported sleep problems to three groups, each being instructed to take a different dose of either 14 mg or 28 mg of saffron, or a comparable placebo 1 hour before bed. The primary outcome measured was sleep quality, evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Diary (PSD). Additional sleep questionnaires included: (1) the Insomnia Symptom Questionnaire, (2) Profile of Mood States, to measure participant’s moods upon waking, (3) Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire, to evaluate QOL as it relates to sleep, and (4) the Restorative Sleep Questionnaire. Researchers also measured salivary melatonin and cortisol at baseline and on day 28, finding a significant increase in melatonin and decrease in cortisol in both saffron groups, with no comparable changes in placebo. Results also found a significant difference in sleep quality between saffron and the placebo based on the PSD, with significant increases of 24.60% in saffron 14 mg and 22.26% in saffron 28 mg, and a non-significant increase of 8.43% in the placebo group. Additional findings included improved mood upon wakening and reduced rates of insomnia in the saffron groups.