Have Trouble Falling Asleep or Staying Awake? Rookie Wellness Is Here to Help
I've struggled with getting a good night's sleep for most of my life.
While I've learned techniques and adapted behaviors to help with my sleep (as well as adapted the use of swaddling blankets, cube pillows, eye pillows and weighted blankets), I naturally have a delayed circadian rhythm and restless leg syndrome, which just makes it harder to get the sleep I need.
I've also tried all kinds of supplements to help. Unfortunately, my very favorite sleep supplement would cost me $3 a night, and I'm not about to drop more than $1000 a year on sleep drinks, so I'm always looking for alternatives. That's what first attracted me to Rookie Wellness. They're all about good-for-you supplements with simple ingredients, and in addition to their Sleep blend, they also have ones for wakefulness, immunity and more. When the brand reached out to me, I was more than happy to try their products for myself, and I now consider myself a big fan.
The Brand
Rookie Wellness is designed around the beginner mindset, which means being open to new things, while having nothing to prove, and therefore nothing to lose. They make simple wellness supplements with great ingredients, designed specifically with women and their needs in mind.
All of their products are plant-based and free of GMOs, gluten, soy, dairy and sugar, as well as being sustainably sourced. For my review, I was sent a jar of their Wake and Sleep formula, as well as a bag of stick packs for their Immunity formula. 3.38 oz. jars (a 30-day supply) sell for $38 each, while bags of stick packs sell for $48 each.
The Powders
Wake Pomegranate Apple
Rookie's Wake supplement promises a "caffeine perk, without the crash," using green tea and adaptogens to deliver that caffeine at a sustainable pace. It comes in both Pomegranate Apple and Strawberry Fields flavors, of which I got the chance to try the Pomegranate Apple.
I decided to try it for the first time bright and early in the morning, pouring a scoop of the powder into 12 oz. of chilled water. It didn't dissolve very well until I missed it thoroughly, but once I did, I was ready to take my first sip. I found the taste pleasant, with the apple coming through first and foremost, with the pomegranate lingering in the background, though if you're sensitive to the flavor of stevia, you might not love it so much.
I also quickly discovered that this mix gives you a real energy kick. To be fair, I'm somewhat sensitive to caffeine in general, and taking this did make me feel a little bit wired and edgy, though the label was correct in saying that I wouldn't have an energy crash later in the day. It also includes thiamin, riboflavin, vitamins B6 and B12 and pantothenic acid, which also help the body to create energy. I also had a little trouble falling asleep that night, even 16 hours or so after I'd had it.
So, for my future uses of the powder, I've adjusted to about half of a scoop and that's worked much better for me. I get a nice burst of energy without the intensity, I don't still feel wide awake at night, and my supply will last me twice as long. Of course, your mileage will likely vary—especially if you're used to multiple cups of full-caf coffee every day.
(via Rookie Wellness)
Immunity Stick Packs
The Immunity supplement was the only one I received in stick pack form, which was nice because it meant I could always pour exactly the right amount into my water. These are designed to help the body fight illness before it even begins with ingredients including elderberry, black garlic and ginger, plus shiitake mushrooms, as well as vitamins C, D and B6, plus zinc.
That sounded like a wild list of ingredients—especially given that the flavor itself is Grapefruit Lime—and I was not prepared for the flavor at first sip. While the overall taste is somewhat citrusy, it's also a little salty, and there's an almost umami savory quality to it. It's not like you'll get a mouthful of garlic, mushroom and ginger flavor, but there are hints of those essences there. Be forewarned that this flavor can be a bit of an acquired taste. However, I've learned to become quite fond of it, and I haven't gotten sick at all since starting them.
(via Rookie Wellness)
Sleep Ginger Pear
What I was most excited to try, of course, was the Sleep supplement, available in both Ginger Pear (which I received) and Blackberry Lemon flavors. It aids sleep by combining ingredients such as valerian root extract, passion flower extract and melatonin with vitamin D and magnesium for restfulness and a slow, steady dose of ingredients to help the body recover overnight.
Funnily enough, while most melatonin products tend to leave me feeling drowsy in the morning, my very favorite (and quite expensive) sleep supplement combines just a little bit of melatonin with the critical mineral magnesium to ensure great sleep—which is precisely what this powder does.
I mixed a scoop of the powder into eight ounces of chilled water, and after it was thoroughly dissolved I drank it down. This flavor was probably my favorite, with a sweet, mellow pear flavor and slightly spicy accents from the ginger. When I laid down for bed, it didn't take long for me to notice I was much sleepier than usual, and I had a lot fewer racing thoughts and distractions before I finally drifted off to sleep. Subsequent uses have shown me the same results, and I'm super happy to say that Rookie has become a regular part of my nighttime routine.
(via Rookie Wellness)
Bottom Line
If you're looking for an awesome wellness supplement that fits well into your everyday life, Rookie Wellness might be just right for you. At a little over a dollar per day for the jarred version of their powders, they're not super overpriced, while also offering products made with great ingredients that really work.
Of the three, I have to recommend the Wake and Sleep formulas the most highly, simply because it's always tricky to gauge how well anything immunity-related really works (and because its unusual taste probably won't be for everyone). And although the stick packs are admittedly easier to use, I prefer the jars because they're less wasteful, and give you more freedom to use lower doses if that's what works for you. Overall, I'm a big fan of Rookie, and if you have issues with falling asleep or staying awake, they might be the solution to your woes.
Curious about other unique ways to get vitamins for sleep, wakefulness and immunity? Click HERE to read our review of The Patch Brand.