5 Drinks to Help You Sleep

Whenever people discuss sleep, they end up explaining how certain things like alcohol, coffee, or caffeine are not good and how they keep you twisting and rolling the whole night on the mattress. However, certain drinks, if consumed before hitting the bed, can help you get that peaceful and sound sleep throughout the night and make you feel fresh and rejuvenated in the morning.

So, here is the list of five common and useful drinks, which are healthy and sleep inducers.

Warm Milk

The most common and readily available drink across the globe is milk. In fact, in countries like India, Milk is referred to as a complete food because of its high nutritional properties like calcium, vitamins, phosphorus, and potassium. But for centuries, milk has been used as a sleeping potion or a sleep inducer drink, especially warm milk.

Milk is enriched with the sleep-promoting amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan helps to increase serotonin naturally, which is a neurotransmitter known for calmness and well-being. Also, serotonin is the trailblazer for the melatonin hormone, which helps regulate sleep. A glass of warm milk before bed helps you sleep properly and keeps you away from midnight cravings.

Turmeric milk

Generally referred to as golden milk due to its delicious golden-yellowish texture, turmeric milk is a go-to remedy for many disorders, including insomnia. Milk contains something called tryptophan, a massive sleep-promoting amino acid that increases serotonin levels and produces a sleep regulator hormone, melatonin.

On the other hand, turmeric contains an anti-inflammatory, antidepressant, anti-sleep deprivation compound, and curcumin, which helps you reduce anxiety and improves sleep quality. To make turmeric milk, mix a cup of milk, half a spoon of turmeric powder, a small amount of ginger (Optional), a spoon of honey or sugar, and bring it to boil, reduce the heat and then simmer for a few minutes before consumption.

Almond milk

Almond milk is an excellent alternative to cow milk for vegans out there. Almond milk is prepared by extracting pulp after blending with water. Almond milk is rich in Vitamins, minerals, calcium, and antioxidants. Also, it is rich in sleep-inducing minerals and hormones like magnesium, tryptophan, and melatonin.

Almond milk is readily available at general stores in different varieties and flavours. To make it at home, soak the almonds overnight or for a day. Drain and rinse them thoroughly and blend them in a mixer along with water. Strain the almonds and press the milk out of the pulp. Add sweeteners and flavours as per your preferences.

Ashwagandha tea

Ashwagandha, or winter cherry, is a famous medicinal plant that grows in Asia and Africa. Ashwagandha is an ancient ingredient used in Ayurvedic medicines for its value to help relax the brain, lower blood pressure, reduce swelling and improve the immune system. Ashwagandha is an adaptogen that helps reduce stress, further making people feel drowsy, thus leading to improved sleep quality.

Ashwagandha tea bags are available at most grocery stores, or to make them at home, you can mix them with cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, and warm milk. Individuals with autoimmune illnesses, pregnant or nursing women, and persons taking meds for high blood pressure, diabetes, or thyroid disorders should avoid drinking Ashwagandha tea.

Chamomile tea

A daisy-like plant of the family Asteraceae, Chamomile’s dried flowers are used to make chamomile tea that everyone finds beneficial for health and to treat disorders like relieving colds, lowering inflammation, and enhancing skin health.

Another significant benefit of chamomile tea is that it improves sleep quality. Chamomile extract contains apigenin, a compound that prompts sleepiness once it is bound with GABA receptors of the brain. Other things that help you improve your sleep quality are

Food

Just like drinks, various food items also provide helpful nutrients that induce sleep and improve sleep quality. Rice, vegetables, fruits, nuts and dry fruits, fishes, and poultry items like chicken, and turkey, contain various sleep-inducing nutrients like tryptophan, melatonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), calcium, potassium, magnesium, pyridoxine, L-ornithine, serotonin, histamine, acetylcholine, folate, antioxidants, vitamin D, B vitamins, zinc, and Copper.

If you follow a proper diet and consume enough food every day, it will help your sleep quality and also help reduce sleep disorders.

Bed or mattress

Another thing that is required to achieve better sleep quality is your mattress or bed. A soft and comfortable texture of mattress helps you maintain spinal alignment and give adequate support to body curvatures, leading to a healthy and happy life. Many top mattress brands are available in the market with some best mattresses of good quality at the best price, which will be your companion for better sleep for many years.

Surroundings

It is crucial to maintain the place where we sleep with proper temperature, ventilation, hygiene, and cleanliness to avoid diseases and sleep disturbances. Thus, a good sleep bedroom should have a colder or low temperature, it must not be stingy, and a proper supply of air is vital to avoid any breathing issues while sleeping. Also, cleaning your bedroom is essential to make it pest and allergens-free, thus improving the sleep environment.

Exercises

And last but not least, the main factor required to bring you a good sleep at night without any issues is being active or exercising. Exercises make you exhausted and thus activate hormones that help you relax or fall asleep. Also, workouts are required to digest the food and drinks you consume throughout the day and improve your sleep and overall health.

Bottom line:

As a result, various drinks and foods can help you enhance your sleep quality. However, consume them 2 to 3 hours before bed for the optimum benefits.

Ultimately, more studies may help to determine the particular function meals and beverages play in aiding sleep, although their recognized benefits are encouraging.