Seeking more than sleep
A good night’s sleep is critical to mental and physical performance. Many people, however, have difficulty getting enough slumber.
According to the American Sleep Apnea Association, sleep-related problems affect between 50 million to 70 million people in the United States alone. Those sleep-deprived people fall across all ages and socioeconomic classes.
Moreover, many of them are actively seeking help in falling — and staying — asleep. In 2021, the global sleeping aid market was worth $83.6 billion, a November report from New York-based P&S Intelligence states. And the company projected the market will continue to see strong growth, reaching $157.5 billion by 2030.
Pandemic spurred growth
Although the sleep aid category was growing by double digits in all retail channels prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it really took off during the height of the pandemic, said Barbara Apps, product manager for Newtown Square, Pa.-based Boiron USA. The main push behind the surge? Pandemic-related stress.
Steven Springer, senior brand manager for West Hills, Calif.-based Pharmavite, agreed, saying that his company has seen younger consumers, including millennials and Generation Z, admit to more sleep issues coming out of the pandemic.
The worst of the pandemic might be over, but today’s economic situation also threatens to come between consumers and a good night’s sleep, noted Michelle Yoon, senior brand manager for San Francisco-based OLLY.
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“Whether it’s worrying about the economy or raising children during a global pandemic, consumers have a lot on their plate and are finding it hard to turn off their thoughts at night, which affects their sleep quality,” Yoon said. “As such, we’re seeing a rise in sleep aids that help consumers relax and keep calm.”
A melatonin-free push
But the sleep aid segment’s growth within the mass market has decelerated somewhat recently, Apps noted. Potential reasons for the slowdown? The past two years saw a growth rate that was unsustainable. Plus, there also is an excess of melatonin-based SKUs and continuing negative press surrounding melatonin’s side effects. “In the natural channel, which offers a wider variety of non-melatonin natural sleep options, growth continues to be strong,” she said.
For its part, Boiron offers melatonin-free, hormone-fee homeopathic OTC sleep aids that are not associated with any known drug interactions, Apps said. For example, the company’s SleepCalm meltaway tablet represents a plant-powered homeopathic alternative for consumers aged 12 and up who suffer from occasional sleepiness.
“Melatonin, which is a synthetic hormone, may interact with birth control and diabetes and blood pressure medications, and it is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women,” she said. “The Mayo Clinic has also weighed in on melatonin for children and teens, citing a lack of research and potential side effects, including daytime drowsiness or grogginess, headaches, dizziness, nausea, nightmares and bedwetting, among others.”
Pete Petersen, head of sales for Sandland Sleep, El Segundo, Calif., agreed that more consumers are looking for melatonin-free alternatives. “They hope to find something that works with their body to restore a healthy sleep pattern and reteach the body to sleep soundly, naturally,” he said.
And many consumers still want products containing melatonin. Sandland offers sleep supplements with and without melatonin, Petersen noted. Consumers may take them daily without any negative side effects.
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“Our goal, though, is more than just one or two good nights of sleep,” Petersen said. “We want to help our customers long-term by providing safe, natural sleep solutions that restore the body’s healthy sleep rhythm, essentially retraining the body to sleep the way it’s meant to.”
These aren’t 2020’s shelves
Consumers looking for relief from pandemic-related stress managed to influence changes in the makeup of the sleep aid category overall, Apps said.
“The sleep category was typically dominated by OTC brands, but now growth is being driven by dietary supplement brands with melatonin or herbal-based formulas in a variety of delivery forms and line extensions,” she said, “and traditional OTC sleep aids launching melatonin-based supplement lines.”
The pandemic also attracted new buyers to the vitamin, mineral and supplement space as consumers homed in on their overall health, Springer noted. What’s more, the gummy format continues to grow in popularity. He said Pharmavite’s Nature Made brand recently launched Wellblends, which target specific sleep, stress and immune health needs. They are available in a variety of formulations, including gummies. “For sleep, we have products such as Sleep Longer, Sleep and Recover, Back To Sleep and Fall Asleep Faster,” he said.
Yoon also is seeing a trend toward sleep aids that go beyond inducing drowsiness. Value is an important consumer driver here. “Many are feeling economic strain and want their dollars to stretch further by selecting products that offer extra value, like sleep aids that offer two-in-one benefits,” she said.
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To meet needs here, OLLY recently introduced a line of Sleep fast-dissolve tablets offering dual benefits such as a relaxing sleep or an immunity sleep, Yoon noted. The sugar-free tablets dissolve in the mouth — no water required — and come in Apple Berry, Soothing Citrus and other palate-pleasing flavors.
Product Picks
MelatoninMax sleep supplement
SRP: $15.99 (50-count)
Natrol said MelatoninMax sleep supplement is the only sleep supplement on the market that provides the maximum recommended amount of 10 milligrams of melatonin in a single gummy. The 100% drug-free product is formulated with clean ingredients. Non-GMO, gelatin-free and vegetarian, it is free from artificial flavors, sweeteners, preservatives and synthetic dyes. It retails in a natural blueberry flavor in 50- and 80-count packages.
Pascoflair Night sleep aid
SRP: CA$13.95 (15-count)
Pascoe Canada expanded its sleep products category with the addition of Pascoflair Night. Each tablet contains 80 milligrams of passionflower, 125 milligrams of valerian and 112 milligrams of lemon balm to help consumers fall asleep and stay asleep, the company said. The sedative properties come without side effects such as hormonal disruptions or hangover effects. Suitable for ages 18 and older, the product features non-habit-forming ingredients and can be used as needed or on a regular basis. It comes in 15-, 30- and 90-count packages.