According to the experts, more than 70% of the total insomnia patients initially go for over-the-counter sleep aids for treating insomnia. Some of the factors driving the growth of this segment include less adverse effects of dietary and herbal supplements and low cost. Over-the-counter sleep aids are categorized into antihistamines, melatonin, valerian roots, and other herbal & dietary supplements. Natural treatment remedies represent lucrative growth in the forecast period due to increase in insomnia due work stress and overwork. In addition, natural sleep aids are easy to procure from the pharmacies and display no side effects like sleeping pill addiction.
In 2016, the antihistamines segment is expected to account for the largest share of the OTC sleep aids market for insomnia in the U.S. Whereas, the melatonin sleep aids segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the growing awareness about its advantages such as less side effects, reduces stress level in patients, and availability as a dietary supplement in the U.S.
Antihistamines are available in the market without prescription, however, the potential side effect include drowsiness and feeling groggy till the next day after taking the medicine and possible drug resistance where the body adapts to the antihistamine and it doesn’t work. Valerian root extracts are considered to be herbal supplement that is used as a natural therapy for treating insomnia. Valerian root extracts contains compounds that help to calm the nerves and improve sleep latency. In the U.S., valerian roots are considered safer than prescription sleep aids as it has least side effects. Due to these advantages, there is a growing consumption of valerian root and melatonin products which are in turn driving the growth of the OTC sleep aids market. Other herbal & dietary supplements include sleep aids such as L-theanine, amino acids supplements, and a variety of botanicals. The growth of other herbal and dietary supplements can be attributed to factors such as easy availability, less adverse effects of dietary and herbal supplements, and low cost of the over-the-counter sleep aids.
