Restful sleep, better health
Sleep: The foundation of health
Up to 70 million people worldwide experience poor sleep (1), and only a quarter of people report they wake feeling refreshed on a regular basis (2). Research is also showing that sleep disturbances may be on the rise, 36% of global consumers note that their sleep patterns have deteriorated in the past two years (2).
The impact of sleep disruption runs deeper than just feeling or looking a bit rough, and poor sleep not only has detrimental effects for the individual themselves, but it is also recognised to have a wider impact on the global economy (3,4), with sleep loss accounting for an estimated economic loss of US $280 billion per year worldwide (5). The current global sleep supplement market reflects consumer desires and is valued at US$ 7.6 billion and is set to expand, at a CAGR of 5.5%, to reach a value of US$ 12.9 billion by 2034 (6).
Why is sleep crucial for our mind and body?
Sleep is an essential part of life, it is a time when there is much repair, cleansing, and regeneration going on at a cellular level, interruption to good quality sleep can interfere with key processes including autophagy, which can have a profound impact on health (7).
Chronic sleep disruption is known to increase inflammation and the risk of developing several chronic health conditions including cardiovascular disease, stroke, obesity, metabolic syndrome, and immune dysfunction (4), in addition to this, poor quality sleep is linked to increased aging (8).
(Ref 9 https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/information-support/adults/sleep-deprivation/)
Common sleep disruptors
There are many factors that can play a role in sleep disruption and often it is a combination of factors that can lead to issues falling or staying asleep. Those disruptors range from genetics to light, stress and mental health, works schedule or simple lifestyle choices like alcohol, nicotine or late exercise. Very often, hormones, like cortisol or oestrogen impact sleep, particularly in peri-menopausal women.
IMCD solutions for sleep
The prevalence of sleep disruption and the impact on day-to-day functioning has led to an increase in consumers seeking a solution, an estimated 56% of adults with sleep difficulties have turned to a sleep aid at some point (10), and one in three people have taken a sleep supplement to assist with difficulties (11).
IMCD has tackled the formulation challenges and created three different solutions for restoring a healthy sleep.
Solution for circadian balance
Fundamentally, resetting the circadian rhythm should be the first step. Melatonin is a key regulator of the circadian rhythm and has been shown to improve the onset of sleep and sleep quality, as well as re-setting the circadian rhythm in situations such as jet lag (12 - 14), supporting the feeling of being refreshed and alert.
It is vitally important to select a high-quality source of melatonin that is standardised to deliver a set dose to give consistent benefits.
Sleep well gummy is a palatable orange blossom and raspberry vegan gummy with pistachio derived natural melatonin. Sleep Well Gummy has been formulated by IMCD experts to support the natural circadian rhythm and promote sleep onset and sleep quality and is backed by science to give an effective solution for relief of sleep issues.
Solution for relaxation and unwinding
The inability to ‘switch off’ in the evenings can have a profound impact on sleep patterns, up to 70% of people report finding it hard to ‘wind down’ and relax (15).
Regulating an overactive sympathetic nervous system and supporting the restful parasympathetic nervous system is essential for good sleep. Many plants, such as lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.), and green tea (Camellia sinensis) naturally support inhibitory neurotransmitters, such as GABA (29, 30), promoting relaxation, as well as influencing the mood supportive neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, and helping to reduce stress hormones such as cortisol (16-17).
Chill out is a sachet formulation designed with tranquillity in mind, the blend of lemon balm and green tea, bring anti-stress benefits, supporting relaxation and winding down. Green tea in Chill out has been decaffeinated to reduce stimulant properties and is rich in active natural L-theanine.
Solution for proactive sleep
A variety of plant-based antioxidants are known to have potent ROS scavenging properties, contributing to skin protection (18,19). Highly pigmented blood oranges offer an abundance of polyphenols that have a protective and positive impact on skin.
Beauty Sleep chewable contains both pistachio derived melatonin and red orange extract formulated with beauty sleep in mind. This powerful combination of these two ingredients aids sleep onset and quality of sleep, as well as harnessing the natural antioxidant function of melatonin and bioactive constituents in red orange extract to give a holistic approach to combatting damaging ROS involved in accelerated skin ageing.
Find out more about IMCD's sleep solutions...
References:
- Sleep Care online (2023) https://www.sleepcareonline.com/articles/sleep-statistics-2023/
- FMCG Gurus Global Report Top Ten trends for 2025 (2024) https://fmcggurus.com/top-ten-trends-resource-for-2025/
- Chattu, V. K., Manzar, M. D., Kumary, S., Burman, D., Spence, D. W., & Pandi-Perumal, S. R. (2018, December). The global problem of insufficient sleep and its serious public health implications. In Healthcare (Vol. 7, No. 1, p. 1). MDPI. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6473877/
- RAND (2016) https://www.rand.org/randeurope/research/projects/2016/the-value-of-the-sleep-economy.html
- SQ Magazine (2023) Sleep Statistical Report https://sqmagazine.co.uk/statistics/sleep-statistical-report/
- Future Market Insights (2024) https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sleep-supplement-market
- Deutsch, S., & Malik, B. R. (2022). Impact of Sleep on Autophagy and Neurodegenerative Disease: Sleeping Your Mind Clear. Archives of Molecular Biology and Genetics, 1(2), 43-56. https://www.scientificarchives.com/public/assets/articles/article-pdf-1664622998-866.pdf
- Oyetakin‐White, P., Suggs, A., Koo, B., Matsui, M. S., Yarosh, D., Cooper, K. D., & Baron, E. D. (2015). Does poor sleep quality affect skin ageing?. Clinical and experimental dermatology, 40(1), 17-22. https://academic.oup.com/ced/article-abstract/40/1/17/6621145?login=false accelerated aging .
- The Sleep Charity (2021) https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/information-support/adults/sleep-deprivation/
- Sleep Foundation (2023) https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/sleep-facts-statistics
- Consumer Reports (2022) https://article.images.consumerreports.org/prod/content/dam/surveys/Consumer_Reports_Supplements_June_July_2022.pdf
- Johnston, J. D., Tournier, B. B., Andersson, H., Masson-Pévet, M., Lincoln, G. A., & Hazlerigg, D. G. (2006). Multiple effects of melatonin on rhythmic clock gene expression in the mammalian pars tuberalis. Endocrinology, 147(2), 959-965. https://academic.oup.com/endo/article-abstract/147/2/959/2500693?login=false
- Brown, G. M., Pandi-Perumal, S. R., Trakht, I., & Cardinali, D. P. (2009). Melatonin and its relevance to jet lag. Travel medicine and infectious disease, 7(2), 69-81. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1477893908001270
- Fatemeh, G., Sajjad, M., Niloufar, R., Neda, S., Leila, S., & Khadijeh, M. (2022). Effect of melatonin supplementation on sleep quality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of neurology, 1-12. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/S00415-020-10381-W
- Statista (2022) https://www.statista.com/statistics/1339499/difficulty-winding-down-in-europe/
- Kera, V., Nath, S., Kotso, A., Resuh, V., & Dutta, A. (2024). Melissa Officinalis: A Review on the Antioxidant, Anxiolytic, and Anti-depressant Activity. Biosciences Biotechnology Research Asia, 21(2), 491-500. https://www.biotech-asia.org/vol21no2/melissa-officinalis-a-review-on-the-antioxidant-anxiolytic-and-anti-depressant-activity/
- Shakeri, A., Sahebkar, A., & Javadi, B. (2016). Melissa officinalis L.–A review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 188, 204-228. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874116302732
- Di Lorenzo, C., Colombo, F., Biella, S., Stockley, C., & Restani, P. (2021). Polyphenols and human health: The role of bioavailability. Nutrients, 13(1), 273. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/1/273
- Gurău, F., Baldoni, S., Prattichizzo, F., Espinosa, E., Amenta, F., Procopio, A. D., ... & Olivieri, F. (2018). Anti-senescence compounds: a potential nutraceutical approach to healthy aging. Ageing Research Reviews, 46, 14-31. https://moodle2.units.it/pluginfile.php/246870/mod_resource/content/1/Materiale%20di%20studio%203.pdf
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