NEW YORK - As a counterpart to energy drinks, relaxation beverages are increasing in number and fame, the Washington Post reports. The beverages ?" with such names as Dream Water, iChill, Slow Cow and Unwind ?" use tryptophan, valerian root and melatonin to sooth drinkers to sleep.

Snooz??n, which will launch nationally next month, claims to "combat stress, energy drinks and sleeplessness." "We attack [insomnia] from two angles. ?? You??ve got to turn off all the stimulants and also get into a natural sleep cycle," said Jason Healy, who leads InterMark Brands, a company that markets Snooz'n.

Many relaxation beverages are packaged in similar fashion to energy drinks, and come in a wide range of flavors. Most of the drinks carry warning labels highlighting they should not be consumed before driving or operating machinery.

Last year, Innovative Beverage Group received a letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which said melatonin used in its relaxation drinks were "unapproved" as a food additive and not "generally recognized as safe."

While relaxation beverages are small compared with the large energy drink market, a Mintel survey reports that 48 percent of all "functional beverage" consumers said they wanted drinks that release stress, said Garima Goel Lal, a Mintel senior analyst.

Last year, 40 new relaxation, nonalcoholic beverages debuted, according to Mintel. "They??re trying to find a niche," said Goel Lal.

For more on relaxation beverages, check out "Time to Chill" in NACS Magazine??s January issue.