Now that January has arrived, you may have made the New Year's resolution to cut down on your alcohol intake — or even ditch the booze for good. That said, many people find a glass of wine or brandy before bed helps them to unwind, and they may find it hard to get into sleep mode without their usual night cap.
However, there are plenty of comforting drinks to sip in the evening that will not only help you to relax, but that also improve your sleep quality more than alcohol does. In fact, alcohol hinders our ability to get good rest. These alternatives also come with added health benefits, too, and won't leave you with a headache in the morning.
With Dry January in full swing, what better time to try out these bedtime beverages? From hot teas to mocktails, here's a list of the five best sleep drinks that can replace your night cap.
What is Dry January?
Dry January is a campaign where people set themselves the challenge to quit drinking alcohol for the entire month of January. The campaign was first developed by the charity Alcohol Change UK to encourage people to improve their health and wellbeing through cutting down on alcohol.
How does alcohol affect sleep?
While you may think that a night cap is helping you to unwind in preparation for bed, it may actually be doing more harm than good. Studies have shown that alcohol reduces the production of melatonin (the hormone that makes us feel sleepy) by 15%, while hangovers can increase the symptoms of anxiety, leading to nighttime anxiety while trying to sleep.
Most importantly, studies have shown that alcohol decreases the amount of time spent in REM sleep, which is the most restorative part of your sleep cycle and helps to reduce the feeling of grogginess and brain fog the next day.
The top 5 sleep drinks to replace your night cap
1. Chamomile tea
If you've researched sleepy drinks, odds are you've come across chamomile tea. This caffeine-free herbal drink is touted as a bedtime classic and for good reason. Plenty of studies have shown that chamomile improves sleep quality, with one study finding it helped those with insomnia function better in the daytime.
2. Mushroom hot chocolate
I know what you're thinking. Mushroom? With hot chocolate? But some of our team recently tried this unusual beverage and found the chocolate masked any after-taste, leaving them with the classic soothing sensation that makes hot chocolate the ultimate comfort drink. The key ingredients, reishi mushrooms, reduce stress levels and promote rest and relaxation.
3. Golden milk
Golden milk, also known as turmeric milk, is a time-tested sleepy beverage thanks to the sleep-inducing ingredient of turmeric coupled with the classic nighty-night glass of milk. Clinical studies have shown how turmeric improves sleep, while warm milk contains tryptophan which is proven to help comfort and reduce nighttime anxiety.
4. Lavender tea
The scent of lavender is probably a familiar bedtime fragrance for you, as it's often used in pillow sprays and candles to help you to relax. However, you can also drink this magic flower, and studies have shown that drinking the tea while taking time to appreciate its aroma can improve anxiety and sleep quality.
5. Sleepy Girl Mocktail
GP Dr Bhavini Shah recently spoke to Tom's Guide to reveal which TikTok sleep trends are actually worth trying, and the influencer-approved sleepy girl mocktail came out on top.
Thanks to the key ingredients of tart cherry juice and magnesium powder, the mocktail is indeed a craze that you can get swept up in. Studies have shown that there could be a link between sleep quality and magnesium intake, while other studies have shown that tart cherries contain high levels of sleepy hormone melatonin.
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