September 17, 2025 – Improving sleep has become a core priority for consumers worldwide, as sleep issues, stress, and screen exposure affect both mental and physical health. Consumers are shifting from traditional sleep aids to natural, non-habit-forming solutions, driving up demand for sleep supplements with functional ingredients. Furthermore, social media, the desire for hybrid formulations, and holistic ingredients are also major factors influencing consumer preferences. Innova’s report “Trending in Functional Ingredients in Sleep Supplements” analyzes these key trends that are driving the global supplement market.
Mind & Body Wellness
Around the world, 61% of consumers say that they have health problems related to difficulty sleeping, such as insomnia, and want to improve their health. However, the definition of health is expanding globally to include mental as well as physical wellness when considering sleep. Innova’s consumer research reflects this, showing that 1 in 5 consumers concerned about their personal health report taking supplements in the past year to improve mental and/or emotional well-being, reflecting ingredient trends.
As sleep is now being considered a part of the broader “mind-body” wellness routine, ingredients that calm the mind are being promoted for both relaxation and restorative sleep, which in turn supports both physical recovery and cognitive function. This has driven interest in ingredients like magnesium, glycine and tart cherry for their sleep-enhancing and brain-boosting benefits.
Leveraging Social Media Trends
The online buzz around sleep supplements is dynamic and highly influenced by social media trends. Specifically, user-generated content, influencer reviews, and viral challenges continue to shape the narrative around sleep and drive product trends. Targeted hashtags have also driven massive engagement, as users are eager to try and share new routines and recipes online.
For example, #Sleeptok is a viral TikTok community where users share sleep tips, tricks, and product recommendations. Wellness influencers and lifestyle TikTokers often highlight calming teas, sleep gummies, and “sleepy girl mocktails,” in their daily regimens, which contribute to the viral popularity and perceived efficacy of promoted products. These posts frequently highlight functional ingredients such as magnesium glycinate, ashwagandha, melatonin, chamomile, and L-theanine as effective natural sleep aids. Additionally, creators often demonstrate the “before” and “after” effects to bolster their credibility, which also drives these trends.
Target Young Millennials
According to Innova’s research, young millennials are the driving consumer base for sleep solutions. Out of all social media mentions for functional ingredients in sleep supplements, 31% can be attributed to consumers aged 25-34, with a gender breakdown of 51% female and 49% men.
These young millennials also demonstrate high engagement and reach regarding sleep supplements, emphasizing the need to tailor solutions to align with their emotional and functional needs. For example, male users tend to provide straightforward reviews of supplements like magnesium, melatonin, or CBD, emphasizing effectiveness, side-effects, and usage routines. There is also a notable focus on how sleep supplements aid in athletic recovery, muscle relaxation, and stress management from work or workouts. In contrast, most women’s conversations tend to connect sleep to broader wellness, including stress, anxiety, hormonal changes (such as menopause), and self-care routines. This demonstrates the importance of overall wellness in the supplements they seek.
Natural and Holistic Alternatives
Although melatonin is still the most preferred supplement for sleep, due to its role in regulating sleep-wake cycles, consumer preferences are changing. Consumers are moving beyond single-function aids and embracing ingredients that not only support restful sleep but also address stress, relaxation, immunity, and overall well-being without side-effects of traditional sleep aids. Popular ingredients include ashwagandha, valerian root, magnesium, vitamins, omega-3s, probiotics, passionflower, mushrooms, and L-theanine, highlighting ongoing developments in ingredient trends.
For instance, Pure Lab Vitamin’s Magnesium Glycinate Plus L-Theanine dietary supplement promotes muscle function and relaxation to aid sleep by calming the mind. Ashwagandha supplements on the market also target stress-relief and mood balance, providing other natural sleep aid alternatives.
Functional Formats Drive Innovation
Convenience-driven formats help consumers seamlessly integrate sleep support into their daily rituals. Consequently, formats such as powders and gummies are growing in popularity. For instance, the brand Natrol boasts a distinctive product line of sleep supplements in various formats that cater to the diverse needs of consumers. Their Sleep & Restore product line is offered in a wide range of formats, including their Calming Drink Mix, cherry-flavored gummies, and supplement capsules that offer consumers the functional configuration that works best for their lifestyles.
Demand for Hybrid Formulations
Sleep supplements with hybrid formulations are on the rise, as consumers seek products that go beyond sleep to also encompass stress, immunity, and mood support. Brands are mirroring this trend by incorporating beauty goals such as skin regeneration and hydration into their products’ benefits. Collagen-enriched dietary supplements are becoming more popular, and brands like Drowsy are even going as far as offering dual supplement regimens to target consumers looking for holistic nighttime wellness. Drowsy’s two-part system, for instance, includes a sleep supplement with 13 ingredients that support deep rest and reduce cortisol. Their accompanying beauty supplement is packed with collagen, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C to simultaneously promote skin hydration, elasticity, and overnight regeneration.
What’s Next for Functional Ingredients in Sleep Supplements?
As consumers seek sleep aids that support broader health goals including stress relief, immune system support, and beauty, the opportunity opens for ingredient blends that deliver multi-benefit solutions, such as ashwagandha, magnesium, and collagen. Additionally, the shift away from melatonin has made room for non-habit-forming, clean, and gentle alternatives. Brands can tailor these alternatives to address specific sleep concerns, providing customized sleep support for various user needs and routines. Finally, new innovations targeting the gut-brain axis, through prebiotics, fermented botanicals, or adaptogens, underscore a more scientific, systemic approach to sleep. Mood-sleep synergy can also be targeted by using mood-regulating ingredients to support emotional well-being.
This article is based on Innova’s Trending in Functional Ingredients in Sleep Supplements- Global report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more