I have a preference for natural sleep supplements, and New Mood by Onnit came highly recommended by a couple of CrossFit friends. Onnit’s commitment to making supplements with “Earth Grown Nutrients,” along with numerous recommendations I’ve heard about them over the past year, was all the convincing I needed to order a bottle of New Mood.
It’s worth saying that with numerous celebrity endorsers and a huge media presence, Onnit has been making waves in the supplement world like few other companies have ever achieved. New Mood is my first experience with their line, and I’m looking forward to seeing if their commitment to high-quality, ultra-clean ingredients diminishes the effects of some supplements (synthetic ingredients, after all, can be pretty potent, even if I usually try to avoid them).
Stated Use
A serotonin-boosting supplement aimed at elevating a positive affective state and promoting restful sleep. Designed to help the body with healthy mood balance and mental stress reduction.
Active Ingredients
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin) — This vitamin relaxes and dilates blood vessels, making it easier for the heart to pump blood. Niacin can cause a temporary skin flush in some users, which is not an adverse reaction.
- Vitamin B6 — This vitamin is essential for a number of functions, including the conversion of 5-HTP into serotonin.
- Magnesium — A mineral heavily involved in our sleep cycles. As we mentioned in this article, magnesium can be an effective sleep aid in and of itself.
Onnit Tranquility Blend
- Chamomile — Often used in tea form, chamomile has frequently been used to calm an upset stomach and could help with insomnia and anxiety.
- Valerian Root — This fragrant herb has been historically used as a sedative and pain reliever and prescribed by ancient Greek physicians as a treatment for insomnia.
- Lemon Balm — An herb from the mint family, it is known for its ability to induce sleep.
- Zizyphus (Jujube) — This herb has been used for many years in folk medicine for improved sleep.
- 5-HTP — A byproduct of tryptophan, this chemical helps increase the production of serotonin and has been used to treat insomnia, mood-disorders, migraines, and even binge eating. Note: May not interact well with some medications. It is a good idea to talk to your doctor before taking this supplement if you also take anti-depressants.
- L-Tryptophan — This amino acid plays a part in the synthesis of both melatonin and serotonin hormones involved with mood and stress response and sleep/wake cycles.
In addition to the above ingredients, this supplement contains vegetarian capsules (Cellulose,) Magnesium Silicate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, L-Leucine, Magnesium Trisilicate, Silicon Dioxide.
My Experience
I followed the instructions on the bottle and took two capsules before bed on an empty stomach. There was an almost immediate wave of calm and a general feeling of “well-being.” I fell asleep quicker than usual, but I did wake up a couple of times during the night.
I woke up relaxed and refreshed. In the future, I’ll try to stack this supplement with some melatonin to see if it helps me stay asleep all-night. The bottle also suggests taking it for exhaustion, stress or irritability, taking two capsules up to three times daily. As someone who loves to travel, but hates to fly, I’m interested in trying it on my next travel day.
Update: The manufacturer says there’s no need to cycle New Mood. However, because this supplement impacts serotonin production, I’d recommend cycling it occasionally; I’ve had a lot of success cycling one week off every month or two weeks off every two months. Of course, I recommend taking an occasional break from pretty much any sleep supplement in order to reset your body’s baseline — so it’s something I recommend even with the supps I really like, such as this one! Upon further use, New Mood has proven effective for me as an everyday AND occasional supplement for those really stressful days. Find out what works best for you!
Pros
- Very gentle
- No grogginess or fogginess in the morning
- Helped me shut off my brain
- Produced an overall sense of well-being
- Can be used during the day to combat anxiety
- Easy to use and time
- It does not contain any GMO products
- It’s gluten-free and soy-free
Cons
- Induced restful, but not uninterrupted sleep.
The Final Word
I really like New Mood. It’s natural, gentle, and it does improve my overall mood. I will keep this in rotation and will report back on both stacking it with melatonin, as well as using it as a travel aid. So far, I’m pleased with Onnit’s supplement lineup.