September 17, 2025 – As consumers try to cope with a wide range of stressors worldwide, mental health remains a significant concern. In fact, consumers around the world report that stress and anxiety are their primary mental health challenges. Sleep and insomnia, which are also intertwined with anxiety, follow closely behind, as the second most common issue. Due to the pervasiveness of mental health concerns, there has been a corresponding increase in product launches with stress and sleep-related claims in the global food and beverage market. Thus, sleep and relaxation ingredient trends highlight opportunities for innovations, such as the rise of functional ingredients, botanical formulas, and gut-health solutions that help mitigate sleep and anxiety issues for consumers.
Functional Ashwagandha
Relaxation ingredient trends indicate that melatonin remains the most established sleep aid, but natural and functional solutions are becoming increasingly favored alternatives. For instance, ashwagandha, is growing in popularity among consumers because it has been found to provide numerous health benefits, including reducing stress, improving sleep quality, and lowering stress-related food cravings. A growing number of clinical studies have found that ashwagandha achieves these effects by supporting the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that occurs naturally in the brain. GABA calms the nervous system and acts as an adaptogen, balancing the body’s stress response without the need for sedation or stimulation.
In addition to its benefits, ashwagandha can easily be incorporated into more than 50 delivery formats, making it an accessible solution for consumers. These include capsules and tablets, gummies and chews, powder blends for drink mixes, and functional beverages and teas, among others. Its heat stability also enables easy pairing with other functional ingredients, such as magnesium and L-theanine, which magnify the stress management properties of ashwagandha.
Soothing Botanical Formulas
Although consumers say they choose vitamins like D, B, and C as their go-to ingredients to target mental health, botanical blends are a growing category in the global food and beverage market for sleep and relaxation. Consequently, brands are increasingly incorporating functional botanicals into their relaxation blends. Natural, melatonin-free formulations are resonating with consumers, as they promote better sleep without drowsiness. BioNatureHealth is a brand paving the way with its carefully crafted Sleep Speed and Mood Melody blends, which contain 15 plant-based ingredients that promote balance and wellness. For example, these blends include ziziphus seed, silk-tree bark, and schisandra fruit among others, which support serotonin pathways, sleep quality, and a calm nervous system.
As previously mentioned, ashwagandha is also an example of a botanical that is rising in popularity. Aside from its benefits, ashwagandha’s compatibility with other ingredients makes it one of the most ideal components for supplements. TopGum produces gummies that promote mood support and relaxation, and their formulas incorporate ingredients like ashwagandha, saffron, magnesium, chamomile, passionflower, and lemon balm. While each ingredient has its own functional mechanism, together, these botanicals work synergistically to promote relaxation, reduce stress hormones, and support the production of serotonin.
Postbiotics and the Gut-Brain Pathway
There is growing evidence that the gut-brain pathway is closely tied to sleep quality and stress management. Therefore, new innovations in postbiotics are emerging as potential stress solutions for consumers, aligning with the broader relaxation ingredient trend. For instance, Asahi Group Holdings, a Japanese beverage and food brand, have isolated the postbiotic Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305, which has been found to relieve daily mental stress and improve sleep quality. This postbiotic is resilient and able to withstand stresses such as high heat without losing functionality, making it an ideal ingredient to be integrated into most product formulations. In addition, clinical trials are being conducted on other bacterial strains like Bifidobacterium longum CECT7347, which may also help reduce stress in consumers with mild to moderate irritable bowel syndrome.
Relax with Reishi?
Functional mushrooms have long been a fundamental part of traditional health practices, such as Chinese medicine. However, in recent years, reishi mushrooms have been gaining traction around the world as an adaptogenic ingredient to help manage everyday stress, improve sleep, and promote relaxation. Reishi contains triterpenes, which can calm the mind by interacting with the same GABA system found in many antianxiety supplements.
Four Sigmatic is one company that is innovating with reishi, as they offer an extensive line of products designed to promote calmness and relaxation. Their offerings range from decaf ground coffee, hot beverage mixes, and capsules to elixir packets, and by infusing functional mushrooms into everyday products, consumers can access stress support conveniently through natural, botanical means. Furthermore, reishi can also easily be paired with other calming ingredients.
This article is based on Innova’s Relaxation Ingredients for Better Mood & Sleep – Global report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more