3. Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea may be useful when it comes to insomnia brought on by depression and anxiety. It can also help relieve other symptoms such as irritable bowel syndrome, heartburn and migraines.
4. Carob Powder
Instead of hot chocolate at night why not consider a healthier alternative? Carob powder is not only similar to chocolate but it also holds a number of health benefits. One of the benefits of carob when it comes to a good night’s rest is the fact that it has a high level of B vitamins which helps to regulate the sleep-wake cycles of your body and boost natural levels of serotonin.
5. Chia Seed Drink
Chia seeds have become popular recently as one of the ‘super-foods’ and one area it can be beneficial is in the tryptophan content which enhances sleep. Omega 3 dietary supplements may also be useful in promoting sleep and chia seed is packed with omega fatty acids to further improve your sleep quality.
6. Raw Honey
Perhaps not a drink in itself, raw honey added to a drink can assist tryptophan in getting to work while providing all the added health benefits that raw honey has to offer. Honey has been found particularly useful in aiding sleep by relieving night time coughing but McInnes (MCINNIS, M [2008] The Uniqueness of Honey – – its impact on Human Metabolism and its role in Restorative Sleep, First International Symposium on honey and health, Sacremento) also proposed another mechanism whereby honey could assist in sleep by stabilizing blood sugar levels and contributing to the release of melatonin which is perhaps one of the most important factors in a good night’s sleep[2].
7. Tart Cherry Juice
Another popular drink for improving sleep quality is tart cherry juice. Tart cherry juice is another drink that helps to increase melatonin levels, leading to more sleep and better quality sleep. A number of clinical studies have shown that melatonin supplements (such as tart cherry juice) are useful in decreasing the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, increasing number of actual hours spent sleeping and also improves daytime alertness[3].
The common factor in most of these drinks is their ability to boost serotonin and melatonin levels which are important in sleep or by helping the body to relax. Many of these drinks still require further scientific testing in terms of their effectiveness at improving sleep quality or duration but a number of them have proved themselves through traditional use over the centuries.