Why Are We Indians So Obsessed With Tablets?

There’s a small habit many of us barely notice anymore.

We feel tired, we look for something to take.
We have trouble sleeping, we look for something to help.
We want to add a supplement to our routine, we look for a tablet.

For years, tablets and capsules have been one of the most familiar ways to consume medicines and health supplements. They’re easy to carry, easy to store and widely available. So naturally, they have become part of everyday routines for millions of people.

But familiarity can sometimes make us stop questioning our choices.

When did taking a tablet become our automatic response to every wellness need?

And more importantly, are we always choosing a tablet because it is the best option for us — or simply because it is the option we know?

The Rise of Self-Medication

This question becomes particularly interesting when we look at how people actually use medicines and supplements.

A 2025 systematic review covering 66 studies from India and almost 30,000 participants reported a pooled prevalence of self-medication of 64.4%.

The reasons behind this behaviour are understandable. People may consider a health issue minor, want to save time or avoid costs, or simply rely on something that worked for them in the past.

Previous prescriptions, pharmacists, friends and family can all influence what people decide to take.

That doesn't automatically mean taking a tablet is wrong.

The bigger concern is what happens when taking something becomes an unquestioned habit.

Because once something becomes part of our daily routine, we may stop asking basic questions:

Why am I taking this?
Do I really need it?
Do I understand what it contains?
Could it interact with something else I’m already taking?

And the conversation becomes even more important when several medicines or supplements enter the picture.

When More Doesn't Always Mean Better

Taking multiple medicines isn't necessarily a problem. Some people genuinely need several medications to manage their health.

But the number of medicines someone takes can make it increasingly important to understand what each one is for and whether everything being taken is appropriate.

A recent study involving 600 adults aged 60 and above across six Indian cities found that 33.7% experienced polypharmacy, while 19.7% reported self-medication.

The point isn't that people should simply try to take fewer tablets.

The more important question is whether we understand what we are taking and why.

That same principle can be applied to everyday wellness.

Because wellness isn't limited to medicines.

Wellness Is Changing — And So Are Our Options

Today, people are paying more attention to sleep, energy, nutrition, appearance and overall wellbeing.

And as wellness routines evolve, the formats available to consumers have evolved too.

Tablets and capsules are no longer the only options.

Depending on the product and ingredient, consumers may now find liquids, powders, gummies and sprays designed to fit different preferences and routines.

One format attracting increasing attention is the sublingual spray.

The concept might sound complicated, but the basic idea is simple.

“Sublingual” means under the tongue. A sublingual spray is designed to deliver the product into the mouth in that area.

But does changing the format automatically make a product better?

Not necessarily.

The ingredient, formulation, dosage and product design can all matter when considering how something is delivered and absorbed.

This is particularly interesting when looking at ingredients such as melatonin.

Research comparing a specific sublingual melatonin spray with a tablet found that the spray produced a faster and more pronounced rise in melatonin levels, while the tablet produced a slower and more sustained response.

That sounds compelling — but there is an important detail.

One study involving specific formulations cannot establish that every sublingual spray is better than every tablet.

And that's exactly why the conversation needs more nuance.

So, Are Sprays Better Than Tablets?

This is where things get interesting.

Tablets have obvious advantages. They're familiar, available in countless formulations, relatively straightforward to manufacture and convenient to store and transport.

But sprays offer a different kind of convenience.

For someone who dislikes swallowing tablets, wants something easy to carry during a busy day, or prefers an alternative format, a spray can fit naturally into their routine.

The same applies to wellness categories such as energy and sleep.

Busy mornings, long working hours, workouts and demanding schedules can make convenience an important part of how people build their wellness routines.

This is one reason products such as energy booster sprays and sleep sprays are becoming part of the wider wellness conversation.

But convenience shouldn't mean replacing the fundamentals.

An energy product isn't a substitute for proper sleep, nutrition or hydration.

And a wellness product designed for a bedtime routine shouldn't automatically be treated like prescription sleep medication.

Understanding that distinction matters.

Maybe the Problem Isn't the Tablet

This may be the most important question in the entire conversation.

The problem isn't necessarily tablets.

The problem may be when familiarity replaces thought.

Taking a medicine prescribed by a doctor and following medical advice isn't automatically “tablet dependence.” Similarly, taking an appropriate supplement as part of a considered wellness routine isn't inherently problematic.

The concern begins when we stop thinking about what we're consuming.

What is in it?
Why are we taking it?
Is it actually appropriate for us?
Are we taking it because we need it — or because it's simply what we've always done?

And perhaps there is another question worth asking:

Is the format we are using actually the most convenient one for our lifestyle and the particular ingredient we're consuming?

A New Way to Look at Everyday Wellness

The future of wellness may not be about eliminating tablets.

It may be about having more informed choices.

Different ingredients can have different characteristics. Different people have different preferences. And different lifestyles may make certain formats more convenient than others.

This is where sublingual sprays have found their place in the wellness conversation.

At Nexura Pure, products such as Pure Booster, Pure Sleep and Pure Glow bring wellness-focused formulations into a spray format — offering consumers another way to incorporate wellness into their routines.

But the bigger conversation goes beyond any single product.

The real shift is from automatically choosing what is familiar to understanding what we're taking, why we're taking it, and whether the format makes sense for us.

So the next time you reach for a tablet, perhaps don't ask whether tablets are “good” or “bad.”

Ask a better question:

Is this the right choice for me, my needs and my routine?

And that's where the conversation gets much more interesting.

👉 Read the full blog to explore why India's relationship with tablets is changing, what science says about different delivery formats, and why the future of wellness may be about having more ways to choose — not fewer.

🔗 https://nexurapure.com/indians-being-obsessed-with-tablets/