Is 5htp safe to take to help with sleep?

Yes, but careful if: 5-htp is safe & often very effective for sleep. Unlike pharmaceuticals, it actually improves sleep quality as well as quantity. However, if you are taking certain meds like antidepressants there is a potential for raising your serotonin levels too high, though I have had many patients safely combine these. See http://altmedicine.About.Com/cs/herbsvitaminsad/a/5htp.Htm.