14 Drinks That Will Help You Sleep.

What you drink and when you drink affects your health and sleep. That is why you should know which drinks will help you sleep. There are some drinks which will help and some which will ruin your sleep.

I can understand drinking one beverage or tea every night for promoting sleep can sometimes be boring. To make things interesting take a look at 14 easy options.

Drinks that will help you sleep faster.

When we talk of drinks we talk about fruit Juices, tea, beverages, and smoothies. You should try all of them and then decide which one you like.
So let us see what 14 alternatives in drinks are there that will help you sleep better.

1. Cherry Juice.

Do you like cherry juice? Cherry juice contains huge amounts of antioxidants.

A research study was conducted to see the effects of cherry juice consumption in patients with Insomnia. After 2 weeks of consumption of tart cherry juice, the insomniacs had a better quality of sleep.

Another research study was done to found out the reasons behind cherry juice’s sleep-inducing properties.

They claimed that cherry juice increases sleeping time and sleep quality. It has increased tryptophan availability and reduces inflammation.

These are the reasons why cherry juice is reasons why cherry juice helps in improving sleep quality.

Tip: Instead of adding sugar add honey to your cherry juice. It will be a more effective drink that will help you to sleep more and better.

Also read: Tart Cherry Juice (Benefits, side effects and recipes.)

2. Pineapple Juice.

It is a natural source of melatonin. Pineapple juice consumption before going to bed will help you fall asleep and improve your sleep quality.

Study 1 
A research study was done to check the serum melatonin levels after consumption of pineapple, oranges, and banana.

The research study concluded that the serum melatonin levels had increased after the consumption of these foods.

Study 2 
The research study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry shows how tropical fruits consumption increases melatonin.

30 volunteers consumed the tropical fruits. They took each fruit at a time. They had a one-week wash-out period between fruits. The results were interesting.

Melatonin was measured by 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6-s, a marker of circulating melatonin in the body).
After consuming pineapple, a 266% increase in melatonin was noted. Followed by 180% increase in melatonin by banana consumption. Finally, orange consumption gave 47% melatonin increment.

“Drink a glass of pineapple juice and improve your sleep quality.”

Simply Comfortable Sleep

3. Banana Smoothie

Bananas are an excellent source of magnesium, potassium and Vitamin B6. These vitamins and minerals will help you relax and also to make melatonin.
For a banana shake, you will need a banana and milk.

“Try this banana shake before going to bed and enjoy a good quality sleep.” 

Simply Comfortable Sleep

4. Orange Juice.

Oranges are also healthy fruits and contain melatonin. Consuming orange juice 30 minutes before bedtime can help improve your sleep quality.

Also Read:

So, try it out and let us know how you like it.

5. Avocado- Banana Smoothie.

Avocado and banana both release serotonin. Serotonin elevates mood and reduces anxiety. This drink will make you feel fresh. It is a great way to end your day and also enhance sleep.

6. Passionflower Tea.

The Native Americans and the Aztecs had used passionflower for centuries. It works by increasing the levels of neurotransmitters.

This will help you to relax and fall asleep quicker.

You can get a passionflower tea bag. Drop it in boiling water. You have your hot beverage ready. If you are using dried passionflower in powder, then be sure to fully strain it.

If you are pregnant then do consult with your doctor before consuming passionflower tea.

Also, Read 5 herbal tea which acts as a natural sleep aid.

7. Chamomile-lavender tea.

Chamomile is one of the most ancient known medical herbs. Chamomile is widely known for its mild tranquilizer and sleep-inducer effects.

Researchers suggest that this can be due to the flavonoid, apigenin. These compounds bind to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain. In this way it induces sleep.

Many research had been conducted to evaluate the health benefits of chamomile.
The research was conducted on 10 cardiac patients. Chamomile had effectively induced sleep in those patients. They also remarkably slept for 45-60 minutes.

Lavender is also well known for its sleep-inducing abilities.

You can mix both of them and also add honey to sweeten up your hot sleep-inducing beverage.

“Drink Chamomile tea with Levander and honey and have a quality sleep.”

Simply Comfortable Sleep

8. Lemon Balm Tea.

If you want more options for teas, then you can choose Lemon Balm. It has been shown to have improved anxiety and also helped insomniacs to sleep better.

A study conducted on lemon balm suggests that treatment with Lemon Balm had been demonstrated to improve mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders, their associated symptoms, and insomnia in humans.

Another research states that lemon balm has an anxiolytic effect. It also modulates our mood through a GABAergic system. GABA is a neurotransmitter, that modulates the anxiety level.

“Lemon Balm tea will calm your mind and promote sleep.”

Simply Comfortable Sleep

9. Valerian Tea.

Valerian is a herb with mild sedative properties. It has been used to induce sleep for many centuries.

The plant and the roots are mainly used. The roots (rhizomes) are dried. These dried roots are prepared as tea.

It is one of the most commonly used natural herbal sleep inducers in the United States and Europe. This fact is based on a research study.

Much research has been conducted to know how valerian induces sleep. But most of them are inconclusive. They suggest that there is a need for more in-depth research with more involved participants.

However, some studies suggest a possible mechanism. They suggested that Valerian extract increases GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid).

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. By increasing GABA sedative properties can be achieved.

But do not consume Valerian Tea if you are pregnant. Don’t drink the tea when you are already under some sleep medications. In these cases, consult your doctor first.

"Valerian tea is an alternate herbal option for you to induce sleep. You can consume it as a tea and it can help you fall asleep."

10. Ginger Tea.

It is used in the kitchen as a herb and a rich spice. It makes your food tasty. But apart from that it also has many health benefits.

Ginger can be helpful in common colds and coughs. It can also prevent acid reflux or heartburn. Some research also suggests that it has anti-cancer properties also.

So, how to consume it. You can simply grate or slice ginger root and add it to your recipes. If you want to consume it before bedtime, then it can also induce sleep.

Take a piece of Ginger root. Clean it and slice it. Now boil the sliced ginger roots in a saucepan and strain them. You can also add Turmeric powder and lemon.

These are not mandatory. But Turmeric powder has lots of health benefits. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-cancerous properties. Using them will only enrich your tea.
You can also add honey instead of sugar to sweeten the tea. Honey is also a sleep inducer.

"Ginger tea with turmeric, lemon and a half teaspoon of Honey will be a good herbal healthy and tasty tea. It will also induce sleep. If you are suffering from Acid reflux, then this is your bedtime tea."

11. Warm Milk.

Warm milk can help you fall asleep. Milk contains tryptophan. It is an amino acid that helps you fall asleep by producing serotonin. But newer research has suggested that the tryptophan in milk will not affect the blood tryptophan effect.

But still many people around the globe feel sleepy after sipping warm milk. This has more to do with psychology. So, if you are one of them who likes to drink milk.

Then go for it and have a comfortable and quality sleep. Add Honey to sweeten it up. Honey has sleep-inducing properties, which will also help. Just in case you don’t like warm milk, then drink cold milk.

12. Hemp Milk.

It is a non-dairy product. It is made from a plant. The hemp seeds are soaked in water. This overtime will give a milk-like substance. This substance is called as hemp milk.

Hemp milk is a great source of Omega 3- fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acid will increase the levels of melatonin.

There are other sources of omega 3 fatty acids. But if you want a beverage then Hemp milk will be a good alternative.

13. Almond Butter Smoothie.

You will need soy milk, almond butter, and banana. Use your blender to make a smoothie. Almonds, bananas, and soya milk are rich in magnesium. Magnesium helps you in relaxing and also regulates sleep with the help of a neurotransmitter.

Instead of taking magnesium supplements, just take Almond Butter Smoothie.

14. Water.

Lastly one of the most important ingredients for better sleep and better health is drinking an adequate amount of water. Keep your body hydrated. Depending on the climate of your region the adequate quantity will vary.

Keeping yourself hydrated will help you to get relief from various sleep interrupters. But do not overdo it. Avoid drinking water just before bedtime.

Drinks not to take before bedtime.

There are some steps that you will have to take in order to have quality sleep. Here are only two simple choices that will ensure you fall asleep faster and also stay asleep.

Alcohol.

There are some misunderstandings between alcohol and sleep. Yes, after consuming Alcohol some people will feel drowsy initially.

There might be instances when someone falls asleep quickly after consuming alcohol. But in that case, the sleep quality will be hampered.

That person will have 3-4 hrs of sleep and then will wake up very early in the morning. After that, they find it hard to go back to sleep again.

This results in tiredness throughout the day.
Furthermore, if you snore or experience sleep apnea, then consuming alcohol near bedtime will increase the episodes.

Do not consume alcohol before bedtime

Coffee.

Coffee promotes energy levels. Caffeinated coffee and soda are widely used for this purpose. But their effects are short-lived. So someone using coffee for energy and alertness would have to take more coffee to reenergize.

This leads to dependence.

This, when taken near bedtime, will affect your sleep. You will not be able to fall asleep quickly. That is why it is advisable to take coffee in the morning.
Try to avoid caffeinated products in the evening and at the night.

Conclusion.

Getting a good, quality and comfortable sleep should be a daily target. What you drink and when you drink will greatly influence your sleep.
Stay away from alcohol and caffeinated drinks before bedtime. Try out the above-mentioned drinks that help you to fall asleep.

Follow these and experience greater quality and comfortable sleep.