If you’re searching for the best natural sleep aid that’s gentle, effective, and melatonin-free, you’re in the right place. Meet Relax + Sleep—NOOCI’s nightly sleep powder crafted with no added sugar, no fillers, and no artificial flavorings. It tastes like red date (jujube)—a deliciously, naturally sweet drink (still no added sugar) you’ll look forward to every night. Inside, you’ll find a clinically informed blend of red date, poria mushroom, bupleurum root, and GABA—a formula designed to calm the nervous system, reduce stress, and help you wake up restored and rested. Think of it as a soothing ritual, not a quick knockout.
Why Choose a Melatonin-Free Sleep Aid?
Many over the counter sleep aids rely on melatonin to shift your circadian clock. That can help with jet lag, but it doesn’t always address the root causes of poor sleep—like stress, inflammation, and nervous system imbalance.
Relax + Sleep is a melatonin-free sleep aid that supports deep, natural rest by restoring balance. No dependency, no morning fog—just steady, sustainable improvements.
At a glance:
-
Melatonin-free (supports natural sleep architecture)
-
No added sugar, no fillers, no artificial flavorings
-
Non-habit forming; designed for nightly use
-
Delicious red date taste for a cozy red date latte ritual
Not Another OTC Knockout: How Our Melatonin-Free Sleep Powder Works
Red Date
Red date (Ziziphus jujuba) is a TCM favorite for settling a busy mind before bed—traditionally said to nourish the heart and calm the spirit. In practical terms, jujube is packed with natural antioxidants and soothing plant compounds (polysaccharides, flavonoids, triterpenes) that help the body dial down everyday inflammation and oxidative stress—two factors that can keep you “tired-but-wired” at night. That calming, body-friendly chemistry is why jujube shows up in so many evening tonics, and it helps explain why our melatonin-free sleep powder supports relaxation without the next-day fog. Plus, jujube is naturally sweet, so Relax + Sleep needs no added sugar to taste cozy and comforting. Modern research backs up its bedtime reputation: reviews of jujube fruit highlight antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, while studies of jujube seeds (often used in sleep formulas) show effects on GABA-related pathways tied to easier sleep onset and better sleep quality in preclinical models and early human data. For more background on how we use this fruit in our formula, see NOOCI’s jujube ingredient profile here.
Poria Mushroom
Poria (Wolfiporia extensa), known in TCM as Fu Ling, is traditionally used to calm Shen (mind–spirit) and help the body feel grounded before bed—think soft quiet rather than hard sedation. Modern research offers simple reasons why this fungus fits a nightly melatonin-free sleep aid: its natural compounds include polysaccharides and triterpenoids (like pachymic acid) that appear to ease stress signals and support relaxation pathways. In preclinical work, pachymic acid has shown GABA-A–linked, sleep-promoting effects (the same calming pathway your brain uses to downshift into rest), while human and mechanistic studies suggest Poria extracts may help improve sleep quality and mood markers connected to the gut–brain axis. Together, that makes Poria a smart backbone for a clean sleep powder designed to help you drift off naturally—no grogginess, no added sugar, and no melatonin required. For an ingredient overview, see NOOCI’s poria ingredient profile here.
Bupleurum Root
In TCM, Bupleurum (Chai Hu) is used to “smooth Liver Qi,” which in everyday terms means helping your stress response unwind so tension and irritability don’t keep you wired at night. Modern research traces this calming effect to Bupleurum’s saikosaponins, plant compounds that appear to rebalance the body’s stress circuitry (the HPA axis), soothe neuroinflammation, and support brain messengers tied to mood and relaxation—mechanisms that make sense for a melatonin-free, natural sleep aid designed to promote ease without sedation. Preclinical studies show saikosaponins can improve stress-related behaviors while normalizing stress hormones and supporting hippocampal health, and newer work highlights anti-inflammatory pathways (e.g., TLR4/NF-κB) and neurotrophic support that may underpin calmer evenings and clearer mornings. In clinical contexts, classic herbal formulas that include Bupleurum—like Xiaoyao San/Jiawei Xiaoyao San—have been reported to improve anxiety, mood, and sleep quality, pointing to Bupleurum’s role in easing the emotional and physical tension that can delay natural sleep. For more on how we source and use Chai Hu in Relax + Sleep, see NOOCI’s Bupleurum ingredient profile.
GABA
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is your brain’s main “calm-down” messenger. It supports inhibitory signaling—the body’s natural brake pedal—so your nervous system can downshift from wired to relaxed and let natural sleep unfold. Human studies show oral GABA can increase alpha brain waves (a relaxed state) and reduce stress markers, aligning with the calmer, ready-for-bed feeling many people seek from a melatonin-free, natural sleep aid. Reviews of the GABAergic system consistently link healthy GABA activity with better sleep quality—one reason we pair GABA with TCM botanicals in a clean sleep powder with no added sugar. By contrast, melatonin mainly helps reset circadian timing (great for jet lag or schedule shifts) but doesn’t directly address the root drivers of unrestful nights—like stress load and nervous-system imbalance. That’s why Relax + Sleep focuses on restoring balance for a more sustainable, dependency-free approach.
In TCM, Shen is the mind–spirit balance behind emotional well-being and restful sleep. By restoring Shen, Relax + Sleep turns bedtime into a ritual of renewal—so you can fall asleep naturally and wake up restored.
Ready to try a melatonin-free, no-added-sugar sleep aid? Make Relax + Sleep your nightly ritual.