Talk about a catch-22: According to the ADM Outdoor Voices survey, nearly 60% of global consumers believe better sleep would ease their stress, yet 61% say their stress directly harms their sleep quality. What’s more, the survey revealed that 76% of global consumers agree that sleep quality directly impacts how they feel throughout the day. However, 48% report feeling sluggish or tired throughout the day, which directly affects their mood, focus, and productivity.
“We’re seeing tremendous consumer demand for solutions that address sleep quality, stress management, and cognitive health—all of which are deeply interconnected and essential to overall well-being,” explains Vaughn DuBow, Senior Director, Product Portfolio Marketing, Health & Wellness, ADM. “Our research shows that consumers recognize the importance of good sleep for stress reduction, and overall, there is a general recognition that sleep quality affects mental and emotional well-being. However, for many consumers, daily stressors are preventing them from getting the rest they need. As a result, nearly 70% are now seeking effective ways to support their sleep, with a willingness to invest in high-quality solutions that improve rest, mental sharpness, and stress resilience.”
This has made the sleep support market big business, says Rajat Shah, Co-Founder, Nutriventia. “Modern overstimulation, digital fatigue, and poor sleep hygiene have become daily realities, driving a surge in demand for solutions that promote real recovery.” Indeed, the analytics firm Future Market Insights posits that the sleep supplement market alone will reach $12.8 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 5.4%.
However, as consumers have come to understand the intersection between sleep, stress, and cognitive function, they are seeking solutions that offer multifaceted benefits. “For retailers and brands in the natural channel, this means the opportunity lies in offering integrated solutions rather than siloed ‘sleep only’ or ‘stress only’— and narrating how quality rest, stress regulation and cognitive vitality all feed each other,” explains Lauren Clardy, Senior Director Branded Ingredients, Maypro. “Positioning products around the ‘rest-mood-focus’ ecosystem will help unlock growth and better resonate with the modern wellness shopper. Multi-ingredient blends cover relaxation, restorative sleep, and next-day cognitive clarity rather than isolated targets.”
Health trackers are also shifting demand in the category toward more personalized formulations, notes Jim Roza, Chief Science Officer, BioVivo Science. “The acceptance and availability of health tracking apps and wearable devices from Apple, Oura, and Whoop have increased awareness among consumers regarding the importance of restful, restorative sleep and stress reduction by their ability to measure physiological stress and sleep quality on a real-time basis. In 2026, I expect this trend to become more hyper-personalized as the use of AI advances these current technologies to provide feedback and data that’s even more comprehensive.”
“Advances in genomics and nutrigenomics will also allow for the development of highly targeted supplements designed to address specific genetic and nutritional requirements,” adds Lorena Carboni, Sr. Product Manager & Scientific Communications with Gnosis by Lesaffre.
Other trends to watch: “The gut-brain connection is gaining momentum as psychobiotics become more common for mood, stress resilience, and sleep quality,” says Hank Ramsey, General Manager, Elevate Organic. “In 2026, expect to see more circadian-based day and night formulations, a greater focus on menopause-related brain health, and growing demand for regenerative and traceable ingredients where how an ingredient is grown matters as much as what it does.”
Retailers are in a sweet spot to capture a bigger share of the sleep, stress, and cognition market, especially among younger consumers, notes Keely Johnson, VP of Sales and Marketing, Arjuna Natural. “According to Nutrition Business Journal, Gen Z and Millennials prefer an in-store shopping experience, specifically when it comes to herbs and botanicals. With the expanding delivery formats, retailers should lean into more experiential opportunities to market sleep, stress, and cognitive supplements.” That might mean offering in-store tastings of sleepytime teas, hosting a brain teaser game hour to foster community and promote cognitive health, or offering a 14-day sleep reset program with promotions for products that help customers establish better sleep and stress routines.
Note that it’s not just adults that are struggling with stress and sleep, points out Julie Dennis, National Educator, Nutranext. “Children are also experiencing challenges related to this connection and often fall short on magnesium intake. That’s why we offer Kids CALM formulas in a variety of delicious flavors and formats, designed to make daily magnesium support both fun and effective.” She suggests that retailers would do well to set up an endcap for children’s stress and sleep supplements.
Education is also paramount to fostering loyal customers, asserts Maria Stanieich, Sr. Marketing Manager, Kyowa Hakko USA. “Highlighting clinically studied ingredients and their specific mechanisms—whether it’s how adaptogens help regulate stress hormones or how choline supports brain energy and neurotransmitter production—can set products apart in a crowded marketplace. Clear, evidence-based messaging not only builds credibility but also positions retailers as trusted sources of wellness solutions. Formulation transparency and functionality are equally critical. Retailers should emphasize proper dosing, bioavailability, and combinations that deliver measurable outcomes like improved focus, memory, or sustained mental energy.”
Sleep & Stress All-Stars
American ginseng: “American Ginseng has long been recognized for its adaptogenic and cognitive-supporting properties, offering calm focus, stress balance, and antioxidant protection,” says Roza. “Modern research links its ginsenosides to improved mental clarity, emotional resilience, and sleep quality through regulation of the HPA axis and modulation of neurotransmitters like GABA and acetylcholine.” Roza notes that BioVivo offers a water-soluble American ginseng extract that can be used in beverages, shots, gummies and functional powders.
Ashwagandha: This adaptogen helps improve the body’s ability to resist and recover from the effects of stress. “Ashwagandha is the star ingredient that can help effectively promote better sleep, reduce stress, and boost cognitive health,” says Johnson, noting that Arjuna Natural offers the proprietary ingredient Shoden and water-soluble root-only Shoden-R. “Shoden is the only ashwagandha extract standardized to 35% withanolides, and has shown long-lasting benefits for stress, sleep, and cognitive function at doses of 60mg and 120mg.”
Nutriventia offers Prolanza, a clinically studied ashwagandha extract that offers 24-hour stress and mood support through sustained-release technology, says Shah. “In clinical studies, it has been shown to reduce cortisol levels, improve sleep quality, and enhance focus, all with just a once-daily, low-dose format.”
KSM-66 is another study-backed branded ingredient to support deeper, more restorative sleep and improved stress resilience, adds Ramsey.
Black cumin seed: Black cumin seed oil works with the body’s natural chemistry to support a healthier balance of melatonin and cortisol,” says Trisha Sugarek MacDonald, Ph.D., MS, Market Development Manager, Akay Bioactives, an Oterra company. “ThymoDream is our patented extract of Nigella sativa, standardized to NLT 5% thymoquinone and 0.5% carvacrol in a 10:1 ratio. It modulates the HPA axis, reduces cortisol, and supports melatonin production via the pineal gland to promote better sleep and stress resilience.”
Dr. Liki von Oppen-Bezalel, Business Development Director, TriNutra, adds that the company’s black seed oil extract Thymoquin can help support healthy cortisol levels. “A study by TriNutra has shown that its premium USP-grade black seed oil, ThymoQuin, lowers cortisol levels by 44% within four weeks of supplementation.” The published human clinical data found that 500mg/day of ThymoQuin lowered cortisol levels by 44% and improved mood by 11% when compared to the placebo.
Brown rice peptides: Branded as PeptiSleep, peptide ingredients from brown rice effectively support all sleep stages by lowering peripheral nighttime cortisol, a hormone that keeps you alert, says Nora Khaldi, Founder and CEO, Nuritas. “In an eight-week study, subjective and objective measures of sleep quality improved, with results that participants could see on their biometric wearables. Compared to placebo, participants spent more time in REM sleep, deep sleep, and slept for 38 minutes longer on average.” In a consumer sampling program, Khaldi says, 690 consumers on average reported their one-night experience as 4.5 out of 5 stars, 85% experienced no/low grogginess, and 72% improved their sleep score and wanted to purchase a product formulated with PeptiSleep. Khaldi adds that PeptiSleep can be formulated into gummies, capsules, tablets, baked goods, chocolates, and beverages.
Caralluma fimbriata: Compounds in this cactus-like plant can help support healthy cortisol levels, explains Maggie McNamara, VP of Global Marketing, Saanroo. Formulated as CALMaluma by Saanroo, this extract has been clinically researched for its therapeutic potential in alleviating adult anxiety, frustration, and mood disturbances. In the published data, the extract was also shown to support healthy cortisol levels and promote a healthy adrenal response in men.
Citicoline: “Citicoline stands out as one of the most well-researched ingredients for enhancing focus, memory, and mental energy,” asserts Stanieich. “Cognizin is a clinically studied form of citicoline with more than 35 years of research behind it—demonstrating its safety, efficacy, and bioavailability through rigorous human trials and quality testing.”
French oak wood: “Robuvit, a clinically studied French oak wood extract, has been shown to improve sleep quality, energy, and mood while helping the body recover from fatigue, making it a hero ingredient for today’s wellness consumer,” says Sébastien Bornet, VP Global Sales & Marketing, Horphag Research. In a clinical study, subjects given Robuvit slept 33% more and felt much fitter in the morning. Robuvit supplementation also decreased oxidative stress levels significantly after four and eight weeks. Another study in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome demonstrated a 48% improvement in energy and a significant reduction in symptoms such as mood swings and unrefreshing sleep.
Green chiretta (Andrographis paniculata): Patented as NeuroActin, this extract helps promote cognitive performance by supporting healthy neurochemical function at a low dose of 300mg daily, says Annie Eng, CEO, HP Ingredients (HPI). “Human clinicals showed that NeuroActin significantly increases serotonin, reduces fatigue score, improves PASAT working memory score and physical function score, reduces Percentage Brain Volume change by 35.6%, and reduces Brain Parenchymal Fraction change by 75%. These changes indicate that NeuroActin preserves healthy brain function.”
Jellyfish collagen: Jellyfish are 90% to 95% collagen, notes Gerald Haase, M.D., Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and Chief Medical Officer for Rocky Mountain Medical Research LLC. “This marine-sourced collagen contains a very unique combination of components. It not only includes the typical type I and II collagen, which support joint, skin, and bone health, it also includes type V collagen, which resides in the brain and the back of the retina. This type of collagen actually protects the blood-brain barrier integrity and modulates the gut-brain access. KollaJell also contains all 20 amino acids, as well as calcium-binding proteins that modulate neuronal survival.” In clinical trials, KollaJell improved executive function and memory by an average of 13% over eight weeks, plus changed subjects’ brainwave activity, decreasing reaction time by up to 130 milliseconds and speeding pattern recognition by 12 seconds.
Lavender: This fragrant herb has long been used for its relaxing properties. “Lavender oil is well documented to help calm nerves, support relief from mild anxiety, improve disturbed sleep, and help reduce irritability,” notes McNamara. Saanroo offers CPO Lavender, a high-quality lavender oil in a compressible powder format that is clinically proven to help the body achieve 2x better absorption than that of standard lavender oil and market competitors.
Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305: This proprietary postbiotic from ADM has been shown to have positive effects on emotional well-being, notes Dubrow. “Backed by eight clinical trials, research suggests that supplementing one’s diet with L. gasseri CP2305 may support emotional well-being, may support reduced stress, and may be associated with better sleep efficiency, reduced time to fall asleep/sleep latency, healthy overall sleep quality and improved total sleep duration.”
Magnesium: This mineral regulates cortisol levels, promotes the production of melatonin, and helps calm the nervous system. “A Lancet Global Health analysis shows that one in three people worldwide is not taking enough daily magnesium, contributing to poor sleep and higher stress,” says Rafea Naffa, Ph.D., Director of R&D, ThreoTech. “Among all forms, Magnesium L-Threonate (branded as Magtein) is proven to cross the blood–brain barrier, effectively raising brain magnesium to optimum levels, which can support cognition, sleep quality, memory, brain energy, and focus. Human studies show Magtein helps improve memory, learning, sleep quality, enhances next-day productivity, and supports mental fatigue. It delivers superior brain bioavailability compared to traditional magnesium salts, enabling smaller doses with greater results.”
Nutranext offers highly absorbable magnesium citrate and magnesium glycinate via Natural Vitality CALM formulas, says Dennis. “Some products, like CALM Sleep Gummies, also include supportive ingredients like L-theanine and melatonin, which help the body ease into restful sleep. We’re also seeing growing interest in combination formulas that pair magnesium with complementary nutrients like vitamins B, C, and D to help support overall health.”
Another option is Sucrosomial Magnesium from Maypro, adds Clardy. As she explains, the “sucrosome” encapsulation (phospholipids + sucrose-esters) yields ~20 % higher bioavailability compared to magnesium citrate and improves tolerability (less GI distress) in head-to-head tests.
Marigold flower: “Lutein and zeaxanthin stand out as important carotenoids which naturally accumulate in both the macula and the brain. They cross the blood-retinal and blood-brain barriers, accounting for up to 77% of total carotenoids in the brain, where they influence memory, learning and visual processing,” says Salman Mehkri, Head of Business Development, Bio-gen Extracts. He notes that Bio-Gen sources lutein and zeaxanthin from the Tagetes erecta species of the marigold flower for its ingredient Lute-gen. “After six months of supplementation with Lute-gen, participants showed statistically significant improvements in episodic memory, visual memory and visual learning compared to placebo, highlighting that Lute-gen may simultaneously support visual and cognitive health.”
Melatonin: “Melatonin remains the ‘go-to’ for sleep comfort, but consumers increasingly seek formulations that support both sleep onset and sleep maintenance—especially in a stress-driven world where early waking and poor sleep continuity are common,” says Clardy. Maypro’s MicroActive Melatonin uses micronization and polymer encapsulation to deliver: ~40 % release in first hour (onset), ~50 % gradually over next 5 hours, and ~10 % at ~7 hours to support waking phase.
From Nutriventia comes Melotime, a sustained-release melatonin formulated to support restful, uninterrupted sleep for up to eight hours, says Shah. This extended-release technology aligns with the body’s natural circadian rhythm, Shah adds, helping consumers wake refreshed without morning grogginess.
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA): “Levagen+ is a high-quality, bioavailable PEA ingredient that contributes to relaxation and restfulness, leading to good sleep quality. It has been shown to reduce nervousness and improve quality of life,” says McNamara. “Moreover, because PEA impacts the endocannabinoid system, it promotes restful sleep by indirectly activating the calm-inducing CB1 receptors. It can also increase restful REM sleep by activating TRPV1 channels. Levagen+ has also been shown to increase serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and improve memory with fewer errors in college students.”
Precision probiotics: “KABP Brain, consisting of L. plantarum KABP-051 and L. plantarum DR7, is one of our probiotic blends that targets the gut-brain axis to support stress management, emotional balance, and cognitive function,” says Jordi Riera, Chief Business Officer, Kaneka Probiotics. “Clinical research on L. plantarum DR7 has shown that adults taking the strain for 12 weeks experienced reduced stress and improved stress response compared to those receiving a placebo. Mechanistic studies suggest the strain helps modulate enzymes involved in serotonin and dopamine production—neurotransmitters closely linked to mood, focus and quality sleep.”
Rafuma leaf: Venetron is a standardized extract of Apocynum venetum (rafuma leaf) that supports mood, stress resilience and sleep quality, says Clardy. “Human clinical research has shown that a low dose of 50 mg improved perceived stress and sleep quality in anxious adults—with mechanisms of action including reduction of the stress marker chromogranin A and enhancement of serotonin levels.”
Salidroside: A bioactive compound of the adaptogen Rhodiola rosea, salidroside (branded as LANDKIND by Gnosis by Lesaffre) can help the body adapt to various forms of stress by modulating the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, says Carboni. “This can mitigate the negative effects of stress, such as increased inflammation and oxidative stress. Salidroside has also demonstrated potential neuroprotective properties, suggesting it may help protect the brain from the damaging effects of oxidative stress and inflammation, which are linked to neurodegenerative conditions.”
Saffron: This botanical has been shown to promote the production of the feel-good brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine and help regulate stress levels. Maypro offers the branded ingredient SaffronX, which is standardized to high concentrations of Crocins and Saffranol, retaining the full spectrum of bioactives to support relaxation and promote emotional well-being. In an 8-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of participants with low mood, 30 mg/day of SaffonX improved mood balance, stress markers and sleep quality.
Saanroo also offers a saffron ingredient, branded as Affron. “Affron is backed by nine published human clinical studies on 740 people,” says McNamara. “It has been shown to promote restorative sleep and improve mental balance, stress, and mood in adolescents, adults, and seniors. Affron has a rapid absorption time of less than an hour and a low dosage of 14mg, making it a highly sought-after saffron ingredient.”
SAMe: S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine is a naturally occurring compound that plays a key role in several biochemical processes, including the synthesis of neurotransmitters (like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine) that are pivotal for regulating mood, cognitive function, and sleep patterns, says Carboni. Gnosis by LeSaffre offers Adonat Premium, a standardized SAMe ingredient clinically backed for mood regulation and cognitive function, leading to improved sleep.
Tongkat ali: Patented as Adapticort from HPI, this adaptogen helps reduce the physiological response to stress, says Eng. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study, 63 adults with moderate stress who supplemented with 200 mg Adapticort for four weeks showed significantly improved mood and stress hormone profiles, including a 16% reduction in cortisol, a 37% increase in testosterone, and a 15% improvement in mood state scores.
6-MBOA (6-methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone): In plants, this bioactive compound helps protect against stressors like fungi, insects, and bacteria. Nutrition21 formulated this plant compound into Everzen, which features a unique dual-action mechanism that helps promote a positive mood and supports a healthy stress response, notes Jordan Miller, Vice President, Marketing, Nutrition21, an Everwell Health company. “Scientific studies show that EverZen may work by promoting and maintaining key neurochemicals like serotonin, GABA, and melatonin, which are important to the body’s mood and stress response. EverZen also works within the brain, where evidence shows it may affect the number of receptors and interaction of these neurochemicals with their receptors to promote relaxation and ease nervous tension and occasional anxiety.”
More to know!
For more on supporting mental and physical energy, view the educational sessions from the Naturally Informed event Active Aging: Mastering the Market, available at NaturallyInformed.net/2025-active-aging/. WF