The Best Drinks to Help You Sleep Peacefully

Some of our most nostalgic childhood memories revolve around a comforting bedtime drink. Whether it was a warm glass of milk paired with a bedtime story or a delicious hot chocolate, those drinks had a way of creating that perfect cosy, sleepy feeling. Yet, as we grow older, we often leave these soothing rituals behind, along with the calm they bring.

But what if we told you that some of these bedtime drinks could actually help you sleep better? Here, we explore the science behind the best drinks for a restful night’s sleep.

A true classic in the bedtime drinks category, warm milk has been a firm favourite for centuries – but it’s not just about the soothing taste. Milk is actually packed with ingredients that make us sleepy. Consider tryptophan, for example. This essential amino acid helps the body produce melatonin, the sleepy hormone, helping us get to sleep and wake up feeling more refreshed.

Discover more about the importance of melatonin for sleep.

Cherry juice contains theanine, an amino acid known for its sleep-inducing properties. Like most herbal and fruit teas, it has been used for centuries, dating back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Studies have shown that it can help increase both sleep duration and efficiency.

You can also try eating cherries as a dessert or a little treat with your dinner. It’s a good food for sleep, among others, so give this a try if drinking it isn’t ideal for you.

Creatively incorporating the benefits of cherry juice before bed, The Sleepy Girl Mocktail went viral on TikTok for its ability to help you drift off. Created by Gracie Norton, the drink contains a combination of sleep-inducing ingredients:

• 1 scoop of magnesium powder (Gracie uses a blend of magnesium gluconate, acetyl taurine and citrate, with L-theanine)
• 125ml of tart cherry juice
• Top it up with lemon and lime soda

@gracie_norton

the only time i struggle with sleep is right at the end of my luteal phase! This is working WONDERS!! 💛 (not something im planning on drinking every single night, just near the end of my luteal phase! #healthyhabits #mocktails #bettersleep #sleep

♬ The Lazy Song – 헐 잘생겼다 Ryujin

Both magnesium and cherry juice can help you sleep by promoting melatonin production, making this a great bedtime beverage. Additionally, making yourself a more thoughtful drink as part of a bedtime routine is a great way to relax and signal it’s time to wind down.

Here are a few of the best teas for promoting sleep:

• Chamomile Tea: Contains Apigenin, an antioxidant that helps reduce anxiety and initiate sleep.
• Lavender Tea: Known for its sleep-inducing properties, lavender has been shown to improve sleep quality and treat insomnia.
• Valerian Root Tea: Contains compounds that interact with GABA receptors in the brain to promote calm and reduce anxiety.
• Lemon Balm Tea: Reduces anxiety and improves sleep quality, with compounds like rosmarinic acid that have a calming effect on the nervous system.
• Kava Tea: Known for promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety, though it may cause side effects like drowsiness and dizziness.

For a full list of sleep-friendly infusions, read our article on the 10 best bedtime teas that help you sleep.

Almond milk is a great plant-based alternative for those who don’t drink dairy. It’s also an excellent choice for bedtime because it contains magnesium, a mineral that can help promote relaxation and reduce muscle tension. Magnesium is known to help regulate the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain, which can reduce feelings of anxiety and promote feelings of calm, making it easier to fall asleep.

In fact, in a study, 442 university students who suffered from insomnia consumed 10 almonds a day for 2 weeks. The effects were closely monitored, and the researchers found that insomnia decreased by 8.4%.

Just like cow’s milk, almond milk contains tryptophan, the amino acid we mentioned earlier. It helps produce melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. So, a warm glass of almond milk before bed can be a comforting and soothing way to prepare for a good night’s sleep.

Not the most exciting bedtime beverage, but plain old water can help you stay hydrated if you’re thirsty before bed and during the night. Getting enough water daily is essential for our overall health as it helps the body regulate temperature, lubricate and cushion joints, protect the spinal cord and get rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements.

It can be particularly beneficial for those who live in warmer climates or those prone to night sweats, preventing dehydration, which can make it harder to fall asleep.

However, like any liquid before bed, you should watch how much you consume. This is because drinking too much before bed can cause frequent urination during the night, disturbing your sleep cycles.

Though tasty, some popular drinks like hot chocolate and coffee can be detrimental to sleep as they contain stimulants. When considering your bedtime drink, look at the ingredients and avoid or limit the following to ensure a peaceful night’s rest:

• Soda: Fizzy and sugary, soda can make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep, worsening the quality of rest. There are studies that find sugar is associated with sleep arousal and slow-wave sleep.
• Caffeine: As caffeine is a stimulant, it’s likely a no-brainer to avoid it before sleep. It can have negative effects, such as increased blood pressure and urination. Studies have even shown that it can cause shorter sleep duration, especially in younger people.
• Alcohol: While a lovely treat in the evenings, too much alcohol can cause issues with your sleep. High doses of alcohol can even suppress rapid eye movement or REM sleep in the first half of the night, leaving you feeling less rested overall.

Opt for sugar-free drinks containing sleep-inducing amino acids and antioxidants at the simplest level. And make sure to stay away from energising ingredients. If you’re a little unsure, do some more research. Or, stick to our list, and you’ll likely be drifting away into a deep snooze in no time.

As mentioned, tryptophan is an amino acid that plays a key role in your body’s sleep-wake cycle. It increases serotonin and melatonin in the body, which are key players in helping you nod off and get a restful sleep.

Drinks that contain tryptophan:

• Dairy milk
• Soy milk
• Spinach and kale-based smoothies
• Chamomile tea
• Almond milk

Theanine, also known as L-theanine, is a non-protein amino acid. It’s believed that it increases serotonin levels in the body. This is why it helps you sleep, as serotonin helps our bodies produce and regulate melatonin, which plays a fundamental role in the body.

Drinks that contain theanine:

• Cherry juice
• Milk
• Almond milk
• Banana smoothie or milkshake

Many antioxidants are considered therapeutic. Apigenin, found in chamomile tea, is one of these. Antioxidants are often present in fruits and plant-based foods, and most herbal and fruit teas contain them.

Studies on sleep have found that a big part of why we sleep is so our bodies can combat oxidative stress. Antioxidants combat oxidative stress, so research was undertaken to see if, by association, antioxidants would help our slumber.

Drinks that contain antioxidants:

• Decaf green tea
• Herbal tea
• Pomegranate juice
• Matcha

There’s plenty of science behind the best drinks to help you sleep better at night. Opt for sugar-free drinks containing sleep-inducing amino acids and antioxidants at the simplest level. And make sure to stay away from energising ingredients. Stick to our list, and you’ll likely be drifting away into a deep snooze in no time.

To help you time your drink with your ideal bedtime, take a look at our Sleep Calculator.