Nutritional Support for Sleep: Discovering Beverages Rich in Sleep-Inducing Nutrients

For total health and well-being, a good night’s sleep is important. Along with following excellent sleep hygiene habits, consuming foods and drinks high in nutrients that promote sleep will help you sleep better.

Tryptophan, magnesium, and melatonin are a few nutrients in certain drinks that are linked to sleep. The evidence for most bedtime drinks is limited, but a warm, caffeine-free drink can be a relaxing part of your nighttime routine.

Options include warm milk, chamomile tea, tart cherry juice, and herbal infusions. If you have trouble sleeping most nights, talk to a doctor, because ongoing insomnia often needs more than diet changes.

Though many people drink coffee, most are not aware of the relationship between coffee and health, including how its caffeine can affect sleep. Coffee may have other health benefits, but caffeine late in the day can keep you awake, so save it for the morning.

Chamomile tea

Since ancient times, chamomile tea has been used as a calming bedtime drink. Lab research suggests its antioxidant apigenin may act on brain receptors linked to relaxation.

Human evidence is limited, though. According to NCCIH, a review found only one study of chamomile for insomnia, and it showed no benefit.

Before going to bed, sipping chamomile tea may help you unwind. It is a popular caffeine-free choice thanks to its mild, calming aroma and delicate flavor. People allergic to ragweed or related plants may react to chamomile.

As part of your night ritual, you could sip a warm cup of chamomile tea to calm and encourage restful and restorative sleep.

Warm milk

People consume warm milk before bed because of its sedative and soothing effects on the body and mind. It includes tryptophan, an amino acid the body uses to make serotonin and melatonin, which help control sleep. The amount in one glass is small, so much of the effect may come from the calming ritual itself.

Before going to bed, drinking warm milk may help you relax and let you have a good night’s sleep. Warm milk has a calming quality that may contribute to warmth and relaxation. Warm milk is a traditional option for those wishing to improve the quality of their sleep and have a tranquil night of rest. This is true whether taken plain or with a hint of honey or cinnamon.

Tart cherry juice

Many people are interested in whether or not drinking tart cherry juice will help them sleep better. Tart cherries naturally contain small amounts of melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate sleep and wake cycles. Their red color comes from plant pigments, not melatonin.

A few small studies suggest tart cherry juice may modestly improve sleep, but the evidence is limited. Tart cherries also contain antioxidant compounds.

If you try it, choose unsweetened juice and keep the portion small, since juice adds sugar and calories.

Herbal infusions

Various botanical choices are available in herbal infusions to encourage relaxation and sleep. Herbs with relaxing and soothing effects include lavender, valerian, and passionflower. Valerian root has long been used for insomnia and anxiety, but NCCIH says the evidence on valerian for sleep is inconsistent. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommended against using it for chronic insomnia. Lavender has a delicate flowery scent that may be calming.

Passionflower is traditionally used for its calming qualities, though research on it is limited. A warm cup of herbal infusion, either alone or in a blend, may help you wind down. To find a caffeine-free blend you enjoy at night, you could try out several herbal fusions.

Herbal supplements are not approved by the FDA for safety or effectiveness. Don’t combine valerian or other sedating herbs with alcohol or sleep medicines, and ask your doctor first if you take any medication or are pregnant.

Golden milk

Golden milk, often referred to as turmeric milk or turmeric latte, is a warm, pleasant beverage that has become more well-known. People often drink it in the evening as a relaxing ritual.

This colorful beverage is usually made with milk, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper.

Curcumin is the best-known compound in turmeric. However, NCCIH says there is not enough evidence to conclude that turmeric or curcumin benefits any health purpose, including sleep.

A cup of warm golden milk can still be a soothing, caffeine-free part of your bedtime routine.

Magnesium-rich beverages

Magnesium is necessary for many body processes, including muscle and nerve function. Research on magnesium and sleep is limited, but getting enough of it is part of a healthy diet.

Most herbal teas contain little magnesium. Better sources are foods: dark green, leafy vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. Some mineral waters and smoothies made with leafy greens or nut butter can also add magnesium.

Talk to your doctor before taking magnesium supplements, especially if you have kidney disease or take other medicines. Too much supplemental magnesium can cause diarrhea.