Sleep Drinks - The best drinks for a good night's sleep

Warm milk with honey or the classic sleeping tea - a nightcap in the evening can have a relaxing effect and put you in the mood for a good night's sleep. Here we show you which drinks are particularly suitable as a bedtime drink and not only taste good, but really ensure a better night's sleep.

Table of Contents

1. Our diet in the evening
2. The most important nutrients for a good night's sleep
3. The best sleep drink recipes
4. Conclusion

The famous hot milk with honey, a glass of red wine or a warm tea to sleep are considered by many to be a pleasant aid to falling asleep. And indeed, a nightcap in the evening before going to bed can help you relax and fall asleep more easily. We'll show you which drinks can improve sleep in a moment!

1. Our diet in the evening

A healthy diet and a balanced supply of nutrients can have a positive effect on our sleep and how we fall asleep. Especially during the night, our body needs a lot of nutrients to support the numerous regeneration processes and to fill the energy stores in our cells. With a targeted intake of certain vitamins, minerals, amino acids or hormones before going to bed, we can provide our body with important nutrients at exactly the right time Provide nutrients and not only support the quality of sleep, but also help you fall asleep in a natural way.

Healthy sleep drinks are at best easily digestible, quick to prepare and damn tasty - so they are ideal for winding down after a hard day and finding a restful sleep.

2. The most important nutrients for a good night's sleep

Certain nutrients can help relieve stress and tension and are critical to a good night's sleep. The sleep hormone melatonin, which is responsible for our sleep-wake cycle, is particularly well-known for its sleep-promoting effect, its precursor L-tryptophan, the mineral magnesium and various vitamins and Plant Extracts.

• The sleep hormone melatonin
  Melatonin is one of our endogenous hormones that plays a key role in controlling our sleep-wake cycle and makes us tired and sleepy in the evening. Various studies show that you actually fall asleep faster after an additional intake of the sleep hormone. So it can be worthwhile to naturally increase the melatonin level in the evening to support a healthy sleep rhythm and to get better sleep. You can find the best natural melatonin suppliers here.

• The amino acid L-tryptophan
  The essential amino acid (L-)tryptophan is the basic building block in the body's own production of serotonin and its later conversion into the sleep hormone melatonin and is of great importance for a healthy sleep-wake cycle . Scientific studies have shown that the amino acid improves sleep and the quality of sleep overall and that an additional intake of L-tryptophan in the evening can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep. You can read about which foods have a particularly high L-tryptophan content in this article.

• The mineral magnesium
  Magnesium supports, among other things, the relaxation of the muscles and body cells, reduces the stress on the nervous system and can help to find a better rest in the evening. Magnesium also contributes to the normal production of the sleep hormone melatonin. The mineral can thus support a healthy sleep-wake cycle and have an overall positive effect on the quality and length of our sleep. You can find more information about the mineral magnesium in this article.

• Vitamins B, C, D
  Our sleep also benefits from an optimal supply of vitamins. Scientific studies show that the group of B vitamins in particular, as well as vitamin C and vitamin D, can promote restful sleep by ensuring healthy bodily functions in different ways and promoting L-tryptophan-serotonin-melatonin synthesis in several places. You can read here for a detailed overview of which vitamins are found in which foods.

• Plant substances and essential oils such as lavender, lemon balm, ashwaghanda
  In addition to the classic nutrients, plant substances in food can also have a relaxing and sleep-inducing effect. The Ayurvedic ashwaghanda root or the herbs lavender, chamomile and lemon balm are considered to be particularly effective and natural aids to reduce stress, relax better and contribute to a good night's sleep. Brewed as a tea, they are easy to take before going to bed and are therefore popular ingredients in special sleeping teas. In the sleep magazine you can find out more about Ashwaghanda (Sleeping Berry), Lavender or Melissa.

3. The best sleep drink recipes

The classic: hot milk with honey

The sweet hot drink warms us from the inside and contains valuable nutrients such as tryptophan and calcium, which get into the brain even faster with the addition of honey. The natural tiredness in the evening is supported twice over by the pleasantly warm feeling and the positive influence on melatonin production. Milk and honey also have an antibacterial effect and promote digestion. The sweet honey can also have a calming effect on the airways, allowing us to breathe freely and fall asleep relaxed.

📝 Recipe: Hot milk with honey

Ingredients: 200ml milk, untreated if possible | 1-2 tsp honey | Optional: cinnamon, vanilla or other spices

Preparation: In order to preserve all the nutrients, the milk should not be heated too much. Heat a cup of milk to around 40 degrees Celsius and slowly stir in 1-2 teaspoons of honey.

Intake: Approximately 1-2 hours before bedtime.

The trend drink: Moon Milk

The trendy Moon Milk is a special version of hot milk with honey. This serves as the basis of the trend drink and is mixed with certain herbs, roots and spices from traditional Indian Ayurveda. They contain certain herbal substances, so-called adaptogens, which act against stress, restlessness and tension on a physical and mental level. In this way, the effect of the milk-honey base can be enhanced and we can optimally tune in to relaxation and sleep. The Moon Milk consists of the basic ingredients milk and honey, which are then refined with extracts of ashwaghanda, turmeric, reishi, maca or ginseng and mixed with vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon, depending on taste.

📝 Recipe: Spicy Moon Milk

Ingredients: 200 ml milk | 1 tsp honey | 1 teaspoon Ashwaghanda powder | 1 pinch turmeric | 1 pinch of cinnamon | ½ vanilla bean

Preparation: Heat a cup of milk to around 40 degrees Celsius and slowly stir in the honey, ashwaghanda powder and your desired ingredients.

Intake time: About 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.

Rich in vitamins & refreshing: cherry juice and cranberry juice

Cherries, especially sour cherries and cranberries, have a high content of melatonin and L-tryptophan. The fruits thus support our sleep rhythm and promote natural tiredness in the evening. They also provide other valuable vitamins and nutrients that also contribute to good sleep and healthy body function. A glass of unsweetened cherry or cranberry juice before going to bed can help you fall asleep and sleep through the night as a fruity sleep drink, especially when combined with other sleep-promoting ingredients.

📝 Recipe: Fruity Sleeping Juice

Ingredients: 100 ml unsweetened cherry juice | 50 ml unsweetened cranberry juice | 50 ml banana juice

Preparation: Pour the banana juice into a glass and then mix in the chilled cherry and cranberry juice.

Intake time: Approx. 1 hour before bedtime.

Soothing: sleeping tea with chamomile, lavender or lemon balm

The herbal ingredients in lavender, lemon balm or chamomile can relieve stress, calm the nervous system and promote relaxation on a physical and mental level. A combination of different herbs can then be particularly effective in preparing you for falling asleep. You will therefore find different sleeping tea blends on the market, which are mostly made up of lavender, lemon balm, chamomile or valerian and numerous other tea herbs such as fennel, liquorice root, passion flower, sage or mint.

📝 Recipe: Relaxing Sleeping Tea

Ingredients: lemon balm leaves | Lavender Blossom | Chamomile Blossom | Valerian root | Licorice Root

Preparation: Mix all the herbs together as you like, brew your tea mixture with approx. 200 ml of boiling water and let the tea steep for at least 5-10 minutes.

Intake time: Approx. 1-2 hours before bedtime.

4. Conclusion

• Taking certain nutrients before going to bed ensures better relaxation and has a positive effect on falling asleep and the quality and duration of our sleep.

• The sleep hormone melatonin, the amino acid L-tryptophan, vitamins B, C and D and herbal ingredients in lavender, ashwagandha or lemon balm have a particularly positive effect.

• Our delicious sleep drinks provide valuable nutrients before bed that can support falling asleep and sleep.

Greetings and enjoy it!