---
title: "With 300 Million Insomniacs, Is the Billion-Yuan Sleep Aid Market Really Promising as Want Want, Mengniu Enter?"
description: "When it comes to functional foods, the term 'concept hype' often comes to mind, and sleep aid foods are no exception. With the rapid rise of the 'night economy,' are food companies focusing on consumers' excitement and pleasure, or turning to those with health concerns and caring about their sleep quality? It's easy to add brilliance to splendor, but hard to provide timely help. Moreover, the problem to be solved is closely related to one-third of everyone's life."
author: "FBIF"
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published: "2019-11-12"
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# With 300 Million Insomniacs, Is the Billion-Yuan Sleep Aid Market Really Promising as Want Want, Mengniu Enter?

> When it comes to functional foods, the term 'concept hype' often comes to mind, and sleep aid foods are no exception. With the rapid rise of the 'night economy,' are food companies focusing on consumers' excitement and pleasure, or turning to those with health concerns and caring about their sleep quality? It's easy to add brilliance to splendor, but hard to provide timely help. Moreover, the problem to be solved is closely related to one-third of everyone's life.

When it comes to functional foods, the term 'concept hype' often comes to mind, and sleep aid foods are no exception.
With the rapid rise of the 'night economy,' are food companies focusing on consumers' excitement and pleasure, or turning to those with health concerns and caring about their sleep quality? It's easy to add brilliance to splendor, but hard to provide timely help. Moreover, the problem to be solved is closely related to one-third of everyone's life.
Image source: pixabay
Sleep problems are no longer limited to the middle-aged and elderly. Let's first look at some data.
According to the "2019 National Health White Paper" jointly released by Dingxiang Doctor and the Mobile Health Research Institute of Health News, 96% of respondents said they had health-related concerns, with sleep problems ranking third. By age, sleep problems ranked first among health concerns for those born in the 1970s and 1980s, second for those born before the 1970s, and fourth for those born in the 1990s.
In the "2019 National Health White Paper," the public rated the importance of sleep at 9.5 points, but their satisfaction with sleep was only 6.7 points. **Survey data shows that young people suffer from more severe sleep problems than the elderly, with 84% of post-90s experiencing sleep issues, compared to 76% of those born before the 1970s.**
73% of respondents take various measures to solve sleep problems. Besides regulating sleep time, 27% choose to change bedding, 17% adjust their diet, and 4% and 3% respectively take sleep aid supplements or sleep medications. Regarding health-related products, 76% of the public say they first focus on product efficacy, followed by price.
This year, Want Want, Mengniu, Junlebao, and Yakult have all entered the sleep aid market, launching functional sleep aid beverages.
For ingestible products, where does the 'efficacy' that consumers first focus on come from? Let's first sort out the functional ingredients for sleep aid and cases of foreign sleep aid products.
**-01-**
**How effective are the 3 major types of sleep aid functional ingredients?**
**1. Melatonin: Is it really a 'magic tool' for sleep?**
Melatonin is an amine hormone naturally secreted by the human body, with obvious circadian rhythm. In China, melatonin is allowed as a raw material for health foods, with the health function limited to improving sleep, and the recommended daily dose is 0.1-0.3mg.
According to the "2018 Cross-border Consumption New Normal Young People Insight Report" released by CBNData and Tmall Global, from December 2017 to November 2018, melatonin sleep aid gummies became the favorite gummy health product for post-90s and post-95s on Tmall Global.
However, in most sleep aids, melatonin content is as high as 3mg or even 9mg, far exceeding physiological needs, which can cause dizziness and blurred vision after waking up the next day. Overuse of melatonin can also increase the burden on the liver and kidneys.
**It should be noted that melatonin only has a certain auxiliary effect on sleep disorders caused by circadian rhythm disruption and melatonin sensitivity, and within the national recommended daily dose, it has an ideal hypnotic effect.** Long-term use of exogenous melatonin may lead to reduced endogenous secretion. Thus, melatonin alone is not a long-term solution.
As awareness of the limitations and side effects of melatonin grows, food companies are shifting their focus from single melatonin to amino acid components with similar effects.
**2. GABA, L-theanine... Amino acid components are emerging**
A research paper published in the journal Neuropharmacology analyzed how sleep and wakefulness are excited and inhibited from the perspective of neurons and electrophysiology. Chemical substances involved in regulating sleep, including 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and acetylcholine, can be important considerations in the formulation of sleep aid functional foods (including dietary supplements). Additionally, L-theanine has been shown to increase dopamine, serotonin, and the inhibitory neurotransmitter glycine in the brain.
5-HTP, GABA, and L-theanine, which can be extracted from natural plants, have already emerged in sleep aid functional foods.
Dream Water from the United States is a gluten-free sleep supplement that claims to be non-addictive, natural, and zero-calorie. Each 74ml bottle contains 135mg of GABA, 5mg of melatonin, and 10mg of 5-HTP, recommended to be consumed 30 minutes before bedtime.
Dream Water Sleep Shot, 4-pack
Image source: Dream Water official website
5-HTP is an amino acid substance and a precursor to serotonin (5-HT), a neurotransmitter that regulates sleep.
GABA, or γ-aminobutyric acid, is a naturally occurring non-protein amino acid and an important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system of mammals. It promotes blood circulation and oxygen supply to the brain, relieves brain tension, and promotes the synthesis of growth hormone and good sleep.
L-theanine is a unique free amino acid in tea leaves, with calming and stress-relieving effects. Japanese functional sleep aid foods prefer to add this ingredient.
In 2016, Coca-Cola Japan launched a functional beverage called Glaceau Sleep Water. Each 410ml bottle contains 200mg of L-theanine, which helps relax before sleep and relieve fatigue and drowsiness after waking up.
Image source: Glaceau Sleep Water Facebook
In January this year, American brand Som Sleep launched a 240ml metal can functional beverage, Som Sleep Drink. Each bottle contains 357mg of GABA, L-theanine, and a patented melatonin blend, along with 40mg of magnesium and 2mg of vitamin B6. It helps relax the body and mind and maintain natural sleep patterns by supplementing targeted nutrients.
Image source: Som Sleep Facebook
**3. Medicinal and edible herbs: Gentle sleep inducers**
Certain herbs contain abundant small molecules involved in the synthesis, secretion, and metabolism of neurotransmitters, making them suitable for sleep aid foods. For example, chamomile is widely considered a natural sedative and sleep inducer because it contains flavonoids that bind to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain.
Moreover, herbs themselves are natural and gentle, making them more acceptable to consumers.
Traditional Medicinals, an American herbal tea brand, launched Nighty Night®, which uses organic passionflower, chamomile, linden flower, catnip, and hops, supplemented with spearmint, lemon verbena, lemon peel, and lemongrass. It is an organic tea with calming and sleep-inducing effects.
The same brand's Nighty Night® Extra is a stronger organic herbal tea made with valerian root, passionflower, lemon balm, and peppermint, further unleashing the sleep aid effects of herbs.
Image source: Traditional Medicinals official website
Good Night Drink, a Slovakian company, produces a sleep aid beverage in Austria called Good Night Drink’n’Dream. It uses alpine sparkling water and adds natural herbal extracts such as lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) and hops (Humulus lupulus) to relieve stress and promote sleep. The official website states that the product contains no preservatives, artificial colors, or sweeteners, has no side effects, and has a slightly carbonated, slightly sweet taste similar to cactus fruit. Each 250ml can is recommended to be consumed 30-45 minutes before bedtime.
Image source: Good Night Drink Facebook
In summary, the raw materials and ingredients with sleep aid effects have basically surfaced, and the combinations and arrangements of these elements in foreign sleep aid products are relatively clear. How can Chinese food companies take the essence and launch sleep aid foods more suitable for Chinese people? What is the situation of China's sleep aid functional food market?
**-02-
**Sleep Aid 3.0 Era: Want Want, Mengniu, Junlebao and other companies enter**
Ingestible sleep aid products have evolved from the 1.0 era of sleeping pills for pathological sleep disorders, to the 2.0 era of hormone-based melatonin supplements, and now to the 3.0 era of sleep aid beverages mainly made from natural plant extracts without drug components. The industry is gradually moving towards eliminating dependence, reducing side effects, and using pure natural raw materials. The sleep aid 3.0 era has arrived.
Chinese food companies such as Want Want, Mengniu, and Junlebao have launched sleep aid functional beverages this year, entering the sleep aid functional food market.
**1. Policy first: GABA and theanine have joined China's new resource food list**
With age and the aging of body functions, the production and secretion of GABA gradually decrease, leading to poor sleep, anxiety, unstable blood pressure, and memory disorders. Studies show that the lack of GABA in the human body is difficult to synthesize on its own and can only be supplemented by consuming foods containing GABA and nutritional supplements.
China's National Health and Family Planning Commission approved γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and tea theanine as new resource foods in 2009 and 2014 respectively, allowing their use in food processing. It also stipulates that GABA intake should be ≤500mg/day, and tea theanine usage should be ≤400mg/day.
GABA and L-theanine have been legitimately used in food applications. The clear daily intake limits also provide a basis and standard for food companies to develop products and for consumers to weigh intake.
**2. With China's billion-yuan sleep aid market, dietary therapy sleep products are heating up**
According to the "2018-2023 China Sleep Medical Market Analysis and Investment Prospect Research Report" released by BOS Data, the market size of China's sleep improvement industry was approximately 279.7 billion yuan in 2017, with sleep devices accounting for 89.3% of the market, followed by sleep drugs, sleep health products, and sleep services at 4.8%, 4.6%, and 1.3% respectively.
Although physical sleep aids are still mainstream, online consumer spending on dietary therapy sleep products has begun to accelerate.
According to the "2018 Healthy Sleep Market Consumption Characteristics and Trend Insight Report" released by CBNData, from July 2017 to June 2018, among online sleep aid products, health foods and melatonin ranked ninth and tenth in sales volume. In terms of year-on-year growth in consumer numbers, health foods, melatonin, sour jujube seeds, and calming brain health products ranked third, sixth, seventh, and eighth.
Image source: CBNData "2018 Healthy Sleep Market Consumption Characteristics and Trend Insight Report"
Based on the fact that dietary therapy sleep products are heating up in China's sleep aid market, using natural substances such as medicinal and edible herbs and small molecules with sleep aid effects for functional food research and development is something Chinese food companies have noticed and are doing.
**3. Want Want, Mengniu, and Junlebao launch sleep aid functional beverages**
Considering the actual side effects of melatonin, Chinese food companies currently launching sleep aid functional products focus more on the application of GABA and L-theanine. In terms of category, they have all prioritized small-dose beverages.
Beijing Good Night Technology Co., Ltd., a startup, launched China's first functional sleep aid beverage, Good Night Water, in 2016, with each bottle containing 100ml. The effective sleep aid ingredients come from γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and L-theanine, and it also adds sour jujube seeds and chrysanthemum extracts with calming effects. The GABA in Good Night Water is extracted from plants such as rice, beans, and kelp, and uses steviol glycosides as a natural sweetener, paired with concentrated apple juice and lemon juice for flavor. It is 0 sucrose and low calorie.
According to the "2018 China Internet Users Sleep White Paper" released by CBNData, nearly 90% of internet users use their phones before bed, with an average time exceeding 1 hour, and post-95s use their phones for an average of 80 minutes before bed. Using electronic devices before bed directly shortens sleep time, so improving sleep efficiency is necessary.
It is worth mentioning that Good Night Technology's product targets young people who habitually stay up late in "revenge"—those who finally have free time at night after busy work or study and are reluctant to sleep. Han Xizi, founder of Good Night Technology, said that for consumers with less sleep time, Good Night Water increases deep sleep time and improves sleep quality, achieving the effect of "5 hours of sleep = 7 hours of sleep," ensuring a refreshed spirit after waking up.
Image source: Good Night Food Tmall flagship store
After 18 months of research and development, Want Want Dream Water, which started preheating in March and officially launched at the end of June, contains 376mg of tea theanine, 54mg of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and 35mg of German chamomile flower extract per 100ml. It is reported that the GABA raw material in Want Want Dream Water is a product of fermentation of natural amino acids under the action of microorganisms. Chamomile is mainly used as a natural fragrance and can help relieve fatigue and anxiety.
Why prioritize the development of sleep aid beverages? Mao Zhouyi, head of the beverage R&D department at Shanghai Want Want Food Group Co., Ltd., said that sleep aid foods are generally consumed before bed, and beverages, especially 100ml small-dose, low-sugar, low-calorie drinks, do not add to the bedtime routine or burden the stomach. At the same time, based on the relatively longer stability testing cycle of milk-based sleep aid beverages, to meet the sleep market demand, Want Want prioritized launching this 0-fat flavored beverage, with milk products in development.
Image source: Kaola Higo Want Want flagship store
Speaking of milk, the "2018 China Internet Users Sleep White Paper" released by CBNData shows that 45% of internet users prefer drinking milk before bed to aid sleep. Combining milk with sleep aid elements, Chinese dairy companies have already made arrangements.
At the end of September this year, Junlebao launched a 200ml compound protein beverage called "One Hour Before Sleep," which claims to have a protein content of 3.4g per serving, 0 sucrose added, and contains the natural calming ingredient γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which helps calm the mind, relieve stress, aid sleep, and improve sleep quality.
Image source: Junlebao Weibo
After 8 years of research and development, Mengniu's "Good Night" chamomile-flavored milk beverage was launched in October this year. Each 200ml bottle contains 240mg of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and also adds sour jujube seeds, poria powder, and soothing herbs like chamomile, using medicinal and edible ingredients to aid sleep.
In terms of product sales, Mengniu's "Good Night" adopts a social new retail model, promoting this functional dairy product through social relationships, online and offline integration, and supply chain integration.
Image source: Mengniu Dairy Weibo
The huge sleep economy market is ready to take off, and ingestible products for stress relief, calming, and sleep aid have emerged. Chinese food companies have screened more natural effective ingredient extracts based on foreign sleep aid functional foods and chosen small-dose beverages suitable for consumption before bed.
**-03-**
**A share of the sleep aid food market is not easy to divide**
For consumers, the sense of relaxation and pleasure from eating food compared to taking medication is self-evident. However, it is unavoidable that for sleep aid functional foods, even if consumers admit "I need it," it is increasingly difficult for them to say "I believe it." How can companies make consumers willing to take the key step of trying?
**1. Key point: Safe, stable, and side-effect-free sleep aid function**
For sleep, something everyone has deep experience with, due to individual differences, whether a product can effectively aid sleep will have vastly different expectations and standards among consumers.
Therefore, for foods labeled with "sleep aid function," companies need to conduct more targeted product testing with a sufficiently large sample size during the R&D stage, and present information such as ingredient content, precautions, and recommended consumption cycles more directly and completely to consumers, so that consumers can have relatively objective expectations based on their own situations.
Functional foods that truly focus on the pain points of the audience and are developed with care will not be buried.
At the same time, for functional products, national-level certification is also strong evidence. For example, facing the strict review process and clinical data standards for health foods, Want Want Dream Water is striving to apply for the "blue hat" health food certification.
**2. Bonus point: Auxiliary functions for segmented populations**
On the basis of ensuring sleep aid function, products can add other conditioning auxiliary functions according to segmented populations, using sleep time to make the product more targeted. Sleep onset speed, deep sleep duration, and post-waking state are all indicators of good sleep.
Han Xizi, founder of Good Night Technology, said that for women, oral beauty elements can be combined; for the elderly, attention can be paid to daily nutrient supplementation and chronic disease management.
Among foreign sleep aid products, related products for segmented populations have already been launched.
The aforementioned American Dream Water currently sells Dream Water Beauty, which, in addition to sleep aid ingredients, also adds nutrients such as hyaluronic acid and bamboo silica extract, with effects such as improving skin condition, reducing eye wrinkles, and boosting collagen.
Dream Water Beauty, 12-pack
Image source: Dream Water official website
Just last month, Yakult's Japanese parent company announced the launch of a new product, "Yakult 1000." According to the official website, this product has functions to relieve temporary mental stress, improve sleep quality, and reduce drowsiness after waking up. It also upgrades the active lactic acid bacteria content by 10 times, which is beneficial for improving the intestinal environment.
Image source: Yakult official website
In China, sleep aid functional foods are still in their infancy, and consumers are cautious and wait-and-see. When it comes to "sleep aid function," it is not only a rigid demand for consumers and an opportunity for practitioners, but also a touchstone for industry standards and a driving force for standard formulation.
Facing China's sleep market, using medicinal and edible herbs and natural extracts to make sleep aid functional foods has considerable space and potential.
While companies are dividing the market, how to cultivate the market and build trust with consumers is the foundation for the healthy development of the industry and enterprises.
Article source: FBIF Food & Beverage Innovation (ID: FoodInnovation) Author: Soso (Pan) Editor: Bobo
Tips will be paid 400-2000 yuan once adopted.


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- Author: FBIF
- Published: 2019-11-12
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