Science is in our core

Formulated for better days. Validated by research.

We've partnered with leading Swiss sleep and pharmaceutical scientists to engineer a first-of-its-kind, clinically validated formula.

Read the studyHow it works

The science

Studied, not just claimed.

In collaboration with the University of Zurich, and published in Nature Scientific Reports.

Years of research

10+

Years of research

In collaboration with University of Zurich and other leading research institutions, published in Nature Scientific Reports, and more

Human clinical trials

2

Human clinical trials

Completed human clinical trials demonstrating robustness of release profile and improvements in sleep inertia

Ongoing field studies

4+

Ongoing field studies

We are continuing to conduct studies to further demonstrate the benefits of our formulations

Patents

2

Patents

Proprietary capsule and delivery technologies are protected under 2 patents

Peer-reviewedScientific Reports, 2021

A double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, participants who took the delayed-release caffeine before bed showed:

  • 400%

    increase in physical readiness to move

  • 71%

    increase in mental clarity

  • 80%

    improvement in ease of waking — within 15 minutes of opening their eyes

These results reflect rapid, measurable improvements across all domains of sleep inertia: physical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional

Clinical trial results

Cognitive Performance

Zest supports faster thinking and better decision-making during the most cognitively vulnerable part of your day: right after waking.

  • Participants had significantly faster reaction times on the psychomotor vigilance test (PVT)
  • Showed improved neurobehavioral performance vs placebo — even after just 4 hours of sleep
  • This marks the first time a proactive, time-synced caffeine product has shown improvements in objective cognitive metrics immediately post-wake
Clinical trial results

Mood & Emotional Well-Being

Zest promotes a positive emotional state upon waking, helping you start your day with motivation and mental resilience.

  • On the PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Scale), participants reported a significant boost in positive affect
  • A trend toward reduced negative mood within 15 minutes of waking
  • The caffeine formulation's effects were linked to dopamine activation in mood-related brain regions like the nucleus accumbens
Clinical trial results

Circadian Alignment

Zest is designed to complement your natural biological rhythms — amplifying your body’s natural cortisol spike in the morning without interfering with sleep onset.

  • Salivary cortisol measurements showed a significant increase in cortisol levels at 60 minutes post-awakening in the caffeine group vs placebo
  • Aligning with the natural cortisol awakening response (CAR)
  • This suggests Zest supports healthy HPA-axis function and wake-up hormone dynamics
Clinical trial results

Sleep Integrity

Zest is engineered for nighttime use — designed to activate about 8 hours later, without disrupting your ability to fall asleep. Additionally, since the study, we've improved the formulation and capsule technology to prevent disruption of sleep from food-induced digestive activity.

  • Despite being taken at bedtime, the formulation showed no significant impact on sleep latency, REM sleep, or sleep efficiency in a restricted 4-hour sleep window
  • The only change was a minor (~17-minute) reduction in deep sleep (N3) under specific conditions where a meal was given mid-night.
  • This suggests that under normal fasting conditions, Zest preserves sleep quality

Dornbierer, D.A., Yerlikaya, F., Wespi, R. et al. A novel bedtime pulsatile-release caffeine formula ameliorates sleep inertia symptoms immediately upon awakening. Sci Rep 11, 19734 (2021). View full study · PDF

The problem

A cure to sleep “hangovers”.

Sleep inertia, sometimes referred to as a "sleep hangover", is that groggy, disoriented state many people experience upon waking. It typically lasts 30 minutes, but can last up to several hours, significantly impacting your morning productivity and well-being, with ripple effects throughout the day.

Its ripple effects

  • Reduced cognitive performance
  • Impaired decision-making abilities
  • Decreased reaction times
  • General feeling of fatigue and lethargy

What we know about sleep inertia

  • Waking from deep sleep (slow-wave sleep) worsens symptoms, especially after short or poor-quality sleep.
  • Adenosine, a chemical that regulates deep sleep, plays a key role in sleep inertia.
  • Caffeine is effective in blocking adenosine and counteracting sleep inertia, but when consumed normally (e.g via a cup of coffee), takes 20–30 minutes to kick in when consumed after waking.

We've designed Zest to proactively release at the ideal time in the morning, with a sustained release of caffeine and other ingredients that work synergistically to reduce sleep inertia and improve morning alertness.

Fig. 01 · How it works

True delayed-release, not just extended/sustained-release.

Zest holds off releasing caffeine for a full 7 hours, perfectly timed to coincide with waking up.

12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PMBEFORE BED7 hr

  1. 01 · Before bed

    Take two (2) capsules whole with half a glass of water.

  2. 02 · 7-hour delay

    Then the capsule gradually releases caffeine and other active ingredients over 2+ hours.

  3. 03 · On waking

    Caffeine is already in your bloodstream, counteracting sleep inertia so you feel alert from the moment you wake up.

Fig. 02 · In-vitro caffeine release profile

Instant effects from the moment you wake up.

Our formulation's timed-release technology allows for optimal release and absorption of caffeine. This means instant effects from the moment you wake up, instead of after 30 minutes, and no afternoon crash.

0%25%50%75%100%START OF SLEEPDURING SLEEPMORNINGMID-MORNINGMID-DAY
With ZestWith a typical cup of coffee
  • At 8 AM (Morning): Zest provides 70% caffeine release while typical coffee has 0%
  • At 10 AM (Mid-morning): Zest maintains 65% while typical coffee peaks at 70%
  • At 12 PM (Mid-day): Zest maintains 60% while typical coffee drops to 40%, showing the afternoon crash
Caffeine release data +
TimeWith Zest (%)Typical coffee (%)
Start of sleep0%0%
During sleep0%0%
Morning70%0%
Mid-morning65%70%
Mid-day60%40%

What's inside

Simple, but powerful ingredients you can pronounce.

We believe in science and precision. Each ingredient is hand-curated and validated to support morning energy, focus, and mood, as part of an engineered delivery system to maximize their impact on your mornings.

  • Caffeine

    80mg

    Found in
    Coffee Bean
    Sourced from
    Switzerland
    Boosts metabolismEnhances alertnessImproves focus

    Caffeine has been found to improve cognitive function in the morning, improve mood, and counteract symptoms of sleep inertia when taken in the morning. [1] [2] [3]

  • Vitamin B5

    6.7mg

    Found in
    Oranges, Sunflower Seeds
    Sourced from
    Germany
    Supports mental performanceReduces fatigue

    Vitamin B5 contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to normal yielding metabolism, and to normal mental performance. [4]

  • Image placeholder

    L-Theanine

    80mg

    Found in
    Green Tea
    Sourced from
    Italy
    Supports mental performanceReduces fatigue

  • Vitamin B12

    80mcg

    Found in
    Avocados
    Sourced from
    Germany
    Supports cellular energy productionSupports nervous system function

    Vitamin B12 is essential for DNA synthesis and for cellular energy production, and deficiency is quite common. Vitamin B12 supplementation has been found to result in improved cognitive function, in those with a deficiency. [4] [5] [6]

  • Zinc

    3.3mg

    Found in
    Pumpkin Seeds
    Sourced from
    Germany
    Supports healthy cognition

    Zinc plays a significant role in energy metabolism, and has potential to improve cell motility and restore impaired energetic metabolism. Additionally, zinc has been found to have positive effects on cognitive performance. [4] [7] [8] [9] [10]

References

The research behind it.

  1. [1]Dornbierer, D.A., Yerlikaya, F., Wespi, R. et al. A novel bedtime pulsatile-release caffeine formula ameliorates sleep inertia symptoms immediately upon awakening. Sci Rep 11, 19734 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-98376-z
  2. [2]Newman, Rachel A et al. “Caffeine gum minimizes sleep inertia.” Perceptual and motor skills vol. 116,1 (2013): 280-93. doi:10.2466/29.22.25.PMS.116.1.280-293
  3. [3]Hilditch, Cassie J et al. “Time to wake up: reactive countermeasures to sleep inertia.” Industrial health vol. 54,6 (2016): 528-541. doi:10.2486/indhealth.2015-0236
  4. [4]Tardy, Anne‐Laure et al. “Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence.” Nutrients 12 (2020): n. pag.
  5. [5]Mayer, G et al. “Effects of vitamin B12 on performance and circadian rhythm in normal subjects.” Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology vol. 15,5 (1996): 456-64. doi:10.1016/S0893-133X(96)00055-3
  6. [6]Ueno, Asako et al. “Influences of Vitamin B12 Supplementation on Cognition and Homocysteine in Patients with Vitamin B12 Deficiency and Cognitive Impairment.” Nutrients vol. 14,7 1494. 2 Apr. 2022, doi:10.3390/nu14071494
  7. [7]Yang, Xuan et al. “Zinc enhances the cellular energy supply to improve cell motility and restore impaired energetic metabolism in a toxic environment induced by OTA.” Scientific Reports 7 (2017): n. pag.
  8. [8]Maggini, Silvia et al. “Benefits of micronutrient supplementation on nutritional status, energy metabolism, and subjective wellbeing.” Nutricion hospitalaria (2021): n. pag.
  9. [9]Huskisson, Edward C. et al. “The Influence of Micronutrients on Cognitive Function and Performance.” Journal of International Medical Research 35 (2007): 1 - 19.
  10. [10]Chérasse, Yoan and Yoshihiro Urade. “Dietary Zinc Acts as a Sleep Modulator.” International Journal of Molecular Sciences 18 (2017): n. pag.

The Wake-Up Pill

Take before bed. Wake up with clarity.

Unlock Better Mornings