It’s no surprise that people are anxious in 2020—or that natural products geared toward calm and rest are experiencing strong growth in the marketplace. “We’re seeing sleep and stress as the two biggest growth areas behind immunity,” stated Claire Morton Reynolds, a senior industry analyst at Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ). “They’re so top of mind this year with everything going on and as part of the self-care movement.”

As more Americans look for healthy alternative products for sleep promotion and stress reduction, supplements are gaining traction. Brian Wommack, senior vice president of communications at the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), said, “According to data from the 2020 CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements, 13% of overall users take supplements to support their mental health and 14% of users take supplements to support their sleep.” These statistics, Wommack noted, vary depending on the age of the consumer.

While 20% of consumers ages 18 to 34 are likely to take supplements for stress reduction and sleep promotion, only 8% of those over the age of 55 are likely to take any supplements for mood support. “Similarly, 18% of users ages 18 to 34 take supplements for sleep health, compared to 9% of adult users age 55 and above,” Wommack shared.

Popular now in sleep promotion

Many mainstream sleep promotion products are in the marketplace today, but natural alternatives are holding their own.

Reynolds said melatonin continues to be a best-seller in the sleep product arena. In 2019, it accounted for US$424 million in sales for sleep promotion—a number that’s expected to be even higher in 2020.

CBD is also gaining popularity, particularly during COVID-19. Reynolds noted CBD is frequently used for stress under the “mood” and “mental health” categories and experienced significant growth from 2018 to 2019. “CBD had a halo effect in both of those categories,” she suggested. While CBD experienced a 76.5% growth by ingredient, according to NBJ’s Condition Specific Report, that number fell to 53.6% in 2019. This was likely due to increased consumer focus on immune support products during the pandemic.

Reynolds also noted a growth rate of 30% for sleep promotion products this year and a 29.8% increase in sales of stress reduction supplements as of July 2020. These statistics lead her to believe that sleep issues in 2020 are driven in large part by stress.

Wommack said, “When it comes to supplements taken for mental and sleep health, melatonin, magnesium and CBD were among the most popular.” CRN 2020 data indicate 66% of consumers that take supplements to support sleep health take melatonin, while 28% take magnesium. Lavender and valerian are each taken by 19% of users, while 17% take CBD. Ginkgo biloba accounts for 10% of sleep promotion supplemental use.

According to Reynolds, the traditional medical world too seems to have an increased awareness of, and interest in, more natural sleep promotion products. “What we’ve heard is that people are turning to these products for sleep right now and more doctors are recommending them first, rather than a sleep aid, for example,” she said.

To read this article in its entirety, check out the Sleep and stress – digital magazine.

Content writing and journalism are high on the list of Joy Choquette’s interests. Writing professionally for the past 12 years, her work has appeared in national magazines and regional newspapers, and on many websites. Choquette specializes in health and wellness, business and environmental topics. Learn more by visiting her website or find her on LinkedIn.