Does Cordyceps Keep You Awake? Cordyceps, Sleep and Timing

Cordyceps does not usually keep you awake. It is not a stimulant, caffeine is not among its compounds, and its main compound, cordycepin, is shaped like adenosine, the body's own sleep-pressure signal. The human studies on cordyceps measured exercise capacity rather than alertness, so most people take it in the morning or before a workout. The one thing to watch is what it comes with: a cordyceps drink made with cocoa or coffee carries some caffeine and belongs earlier in the day.

Key Takeaways

• Cordyceps militaris contains cordycepin, polysaccharides, GABA and ergothioneine; caffeine is not on the list, and Asian tradition values cordyceps as a tonic for reducing fatigue (Jędrejko et al., 2021).
• Cordycepin is a structural look-alike of adenosine, one of the body's sleep-pressure signals, while caffeine works the other way, by blocking adenosine receptors (Jędrejko et al., 2021; Hu et al., 2013).
• The cordyceps energy trials measured how well the body works under load, such as oxygen use and breathing thresholds during exercise, not a quick jolt (Chen et al., 2010).
• Sleep research on cordyceps is early; in one small 4-week trial, a fermented cordyceps drink taken by adults with ongoing sleep trouble did not disturb sleep (Zhao et al., 2025).
• Take cordyceps on its own at whatever time suits you; take cordyceps drinks made with cocoa or coffee in the morning or early afternoon.

Does Cordyceps Keep You Awake?

For most people, no. Cordyceps has a reputation as an "energy mushroom," so it is easy to assume it works like coffee. It does not. A 2021 review of Cordyceps militaris, the species in most supplements, lists its main active compounds as cordycepin, polysaccharides, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and ergothioneine (Jędrejko et al., 2021). None of these is a stimulant, and caffeine is not among them.

The more interesting detail is how cordycepin is built. The same review describes it as a structural analog of adenosine. Adenosine is a natural compound that researchers describe as a homeostatic sleep factor: part of the sleep pressure that builds while you are awake. Caffeine keeps you alert largely by blocking adenosine receptors (Hu et al., 2013). So the best known compound in cordyceps sits on the opposite side of that system from caffeine. Our guide to cordyceps vs caffeine compares the two for daytime energy.

What the Cordyceps Energy Studies Measured

Cordyceps earns its energy reputation from exercise research. The human trials tested how hard people could work before tiring, over weeks of daily use:

• Older adults: In a 12-week pilot trial, 20 healthy adults aged 50 to 75 took 333 mg of a Cordyceps sinensis extract called Cs-4 three times a day, or a placebo. In the cordyceps group, metabolic threshold rose by 10.5% and ventilatory threshold by 8.5%, two measures of how much work you can do before fatigue sets in. The placebo group did not change (Chen et al., 2010).
• Young adults: In a double-blind trial, 28 young adults took 4 g a day of a mushroom blend containing Cordyceps militaris or a placebo for 1 week, and 10 of them continued for 2 more weeks. After 3 weeks, maximal oxygen use (VO2max) rose by 4.8 ml/kg/min on the blend compared with 0.9 on placebo, and only the mushroom group improved time to exhaustion at 1 and 3 weeks. The authors suggested steady daily use may bring greater benefits (Hirsch et al., 2017).

Both are small trials, and neither looked at sleep. They show the kind of energy cordyceps is studied for: stamina under load that builds over weeks, not the wired feeling of a strong coffee. See our guide to Cordyceps militaris benefits and our non-stimulant energy and focus guide.

Does Cordyceps Help You Sleep?

Cordyceps is not a sleep aid, but the early research points toward rest rather than away from it.

In rats: more non-REM sleep

Researchers gave rats cordycepin by mouth once a day for 5 days and recorded their brain waves. Cordycepin reduced the number of sleep-wake cycles and increased non-REM sleep, the deeper stage of sleep. Levels of adenosine receptors in the hypothalamus rose, and the authors concluded that cordycepin acts through those receptors (Hu et al., 2013). This was an animal study using pure cordycepin, so it explains a mechanism rather than predicting what a cordyceps capsule will do for you.

In people: one small, early trial

A 2025 double-blind trial gave 90 adults aged 20 to 75 who had a diagnosed, ongoing sleep problem either 150 ml a day of a fermented Cordyceps sinensis drink or a matched placebo drink for 28 days. Of the 88 who finished, 59 were women. Sleep quality scores improved more on the cordyceps drink than on placebo at 14 and 28 days. Three people on the cordyceps drink had more frequent bowel movements that settled within 1 to 3 days (Zhao et al., 2025). It is an early result in that group, with a different species and form from most supplements, but it is a useful sign that daily cordyceps did not disturb sleep.

Cordyceps militaris also contains GABA, a calming messenger involved in sleep (Jędrejko et al., 2021). The overall picture is a mushroom that supports daytime stamina without acting like a stimulant at night.

Cordyceps, Caffeine and Cocoa at Night

If cordyceps seems to keep you up, look at the drink it came in: many cordyceps products are mixed into coffee, and mushroom cocoa drinks contain a little caffeine from the cocoa. Caffeine timing matters: in a study that tracked sleep at home with a portable monitor, 400 mg of caffeine taken even 6 hours before bed still disturbed sleep and reduced total sleep time compared with placebo, and the authors advised avoiding substantial caffeine for at least 6 hours before bedtime (Drake et al., 2013). That is a large dose, far above what a cocoa drink holds, but it shows why caffeine is best kept earlier in the day.

What you take	Caffeine?	Best time
Cordyceps capsules or extract on their own	No; caffeine is not among its compounds	Any time; most people choose morning or before exercise
Cordyceps in a cocoa or cacao drink	A small amount from the cocoa	Morning or early afternoon
Cordyceps mixed into coffee	Yes, from the coffee	Morning

Our guides to how much caffeine is in chocolate and theobromine vs caffeine explain the gentler lift that cocoa gives.

Can You Take Cordyceps at Night?

You can. Plain cordyceps has no caffeine, so an evening dose is unlikely to keep you up. Most people still choose the morning, because it matches the daytime stamina research and because the trials gave cordyceps every day for 3 to 12 weeks, so a fixed morning habit is easiest to keep. If your cordyceps comes in a cocoa or coffee drink, keep it to the morning or early afternoon, especially if you are sensitive to caffeine. Our guide to how long caffeine lasts covers the timing for coffee and tea.

Pairing Cordyceps With an Evening Routine

A simple routine splits the day: cordyceps in the morning, something calming in the evening. Reishi is the classic evening mushroom (see cordyceps vs reishi and reishi for sleep). For a nighttime spray, our Melatonin Nasal Spray gives 200 mcg of melatonin with 17 mg of L-theanine per 2-spray serving, used shortly before bed and absorbed through the lining of the nose, so some of each dose skips digestion. See melatonin and L-theanine.

Is Cordyceps Safe to Take Every Day?

Most people tolerate cordyceps well. The trials above gave it daily for 3 to 12 weeks, and in the 4-week drink trial the only side effect noted was more frequent bowel movements in three people, which passed within a few days. Skip it if you are allergic to mushrooms or fungi, and talk with your clinician first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or take prescription medicine.

Where Our Mushroom Cacao and Forage Fit

Our Mushroom Cacao is a morning or early afternoon cordyceps drink. It is a mushroom hot chocolate made with cocoa, cacao and a high polyphenol, high theobromine cocoa extract, plus 500 mg each of cordyceps and lion's mane 8:1 fruiting body extracts per serving. Stir one rounded teaspoon (5 g) into 6 to 8 oz of hot water or milk. Each serving has 15 calories and 0 g sugar, sweetened with stevia, and the jar holds 28 servings. Cocoa and cacao naturally contain a small amount of caffeine, so it is not caffeine free; its lift comes mainly from theobromine. Our mushroom hot chocolate guide has recipe ideas.

For capsules, Forage has 200 mg of cordyceps per 2 capsules alongside lion's mane and reishi (200 mg each) and chaga, maitake, turkey tail and shiitake (150 mg each), all 8:1 fruiting body extracts, plus 100 mg of Himalayan shilajit extract, 100 mg of ashwagandha root extract and ginger extract in vegan capsules. Take 2 capsules daily in the morning, with or without food. Both are made with third-party tested ingredients, and our cordyceps ingredient page covers the basics.

Benefits build with consistent daily use. Months 1 to 2 can bring early changes, and 3 months and beyond is where the full benefit builds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will cordyceps keep me awake at night?

Unlikely. Cordyceps is not a stimulant and caffeine is not among its compounds. If a cordyceps product keeps you up, check whether it also contains coffee or cocoa.

Does cordyceps help you sleep?

It is not a sleep aid. In rats, its main compound cordycepin increased non-REM sleep, and one small 4-week human trial of a fermented cordyceps drink found better sleep quality scores than placebo in adults with ongoing sleep trouble. The research is early.

Does cordyceps make you sleepy?

Not typically. The human trials cited here studied it for daytime stamina, and the 4-week drink trial, which tracked side effects, listed only more frequent bowel movements in three people.

Can you take cordyceps at night?

Yes, plain cordyceps can be taken at night. Most people take it in the morning to match the daytime energy research, and cordyceps drinks with cocoa or coffee are best kept to the morning or early afternoon.

What is the best time to take cordyceps for energy?

Morning or before exercise suits most people. Taking it at the same time every day matters more, since the trials ran daily for 3 to 12 weeks.

Does mushroom cacao keep you awake?

Cocoa and cacao contain a small amount of caffeine, so if you are sensitive to caffeine, enjoy a mushroom cacao drink in the morning or early afternoon rather than right before bed.

Can I take cordyceps with melatonin?

Many people use cordyceps in the morning and melatonin shortly before bed, so the two are taken hours apart. If you take prescription medicine, check with your clinician first.

Sources

• Jędrejko KJ, Lazur J, Muszyńska B. Cordyceps militaris: an overview of its chemical constituents in relation to biological activity. Foods, 2021. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112634
• Hu Z, et al. Cordycepin increases nonrapid eye movement sleep via adenosine receptors in rats. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23710239/
• Chen S, et al. Effect of Cs-4 (Cordyceps sinensis) on exercise performance in healthy older subjects: a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20804368/
• Hirsch KR, et al. Cordyceps militaris improves tolerance to high-intensity exercise after acute and chronic supplementation. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27408987/
• Zhao S, et al. Effectiveness of fermentation broth of Cordyceps sinensis for primary insomnia: a randomized clinical trial with digital health tool. Frontiers in Neurology, 2025. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2025.1555010
• Drake C, et al. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2013. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24235903/

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This content is for education and is not medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Talk with a healthcare provider before starting a new supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication.