Drinks That Help You Sleep: What Studies Show for Bedtime Drinks

The drinks with the most research behind them for sleep are tart cherry juice, chamomile tea and drinks made with glycine or magnesium, while caffeine and alcohol are the two to keep away from bedtime. In a placebo-controlled trial, tart cherry juice concentrate raised melatonin output and lengthened total sleep time in healthy adults (Howatson et al., 2012). Chamomile tea improved sleep scores over two weeks in a randomized trial of 80 women after childbirth (Chang and Chen, 2016).

Key Takeaways

• Tart cherry juice: in 20 healthy adults, tart cherry juice concentrate raised urinary melatonin and increased time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency compared with placebo (Howatson et al., 2012).
• Chamomile tea: two weeks of chamomile tea lowered sleep inefficiency scores in a randomized trial; the difference had faded by four weeks after the tea stopped (Chang and Chen, 2016).
• Glycine: 3 g of glycine before bed reduced next-day fatigue in healthy volunteers whose sleep was cut short (Bannai et al., 2012). It dissolves easily and tastes mildly sweet, so it suits a bedtime drink.
• Skip caffeine for at least 6 hours before bed: 400 mg of caffeine disturbed sleep even when taken 6 hours before bedtime (Drake et al., 2013).
• Alcohol is not a sleep drink: it helps you fall asleep faster but disrupts the second half of the night and delays REM sleep (Ebrahim et al., 2013).

Bedtime Drinks at a Glance

Drink	What is in it	What studies measured
Tart cherry juice	Tart cherries, which contain small amounts of natural melatonin	More melatonin output, longer total sleep time and better sleep efficiency than placebo in healthy adults
Chamomile tea	Chamomile flowers, a source of apigenin	Better sleep quality scores after two weeks in a randomized trial
Glycine drink	The amino acid glycine, usually 3 g	Less next-day fatigue and better vigilance after short nights
Magnesium drink	Magnesium from a powder such as magnesium glycinate	See our guide to magnesium glycinate for sleep for the trials
Coffee, energy drinks, black and green tea	Caffeine	Disturbed sleep even 6 hours before bed
Wine, beer, a nightcap	Alcohol	Faster sleep onset, then more waking in the second half of the night

Tart Cherry Juice

Tart cherry juice is the bedtime drink with the most direct sleep research. In a randomized, double-blind crossover study, 20 healthy adults drank tart cherry juice concentrate or a placebo drink. On the cherry juice, their urinary melatonin rose and their time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency went up compared with placebo (Howatson et al., 2012).

The catch is sugar. A glass of tart cherry juice carries natural fruit sugar. Concentrate mixed with water, or tart cherry powder or extract in a drink mix, gives you the cherry with less liquid at night. Our full guide to tart cherry for sleep compares juice, powder and extract, and tart cherry juice benefits covers recovery and how much to drink.

Chamomile Tea

Chamomile is the classic bedtime tea. In a randomized controlled trial in Taiwan, 80 women with poor sleep after giving birth drank chamomile tea for two weeks or received usual care. The tea group had lower sleep inefficiency scores than the control group at two weeks, but the differences were gone at four weeks, after the tea had stopped (Chang and Chen, 2016). That pattern suggests any effect lasts only while you keep drinking it.

Chamomile is a natural source of apigenin, a plant flavonoid. If you want to know more about it, read our apigenin guide and our apigenin ingredient page. For brewing and side effects, see chamomile tea benefits. Skip chamomile if you are allergic to ragweed, daisies or related plants.

Other caffeine-free herbal teas people drink at night include lemon balm tea. Whichever you choose, check that it is a true herbal tea and not a blend with black or green tea, which have caffeine. For saffron tea compared with saffron extract, see our guide to saffron extract vs saffron tea.

Glycine Drinks

Glycine is an amino acid that dissolves easily in water and tastes mildly sweet, which makes it one of the easiest sleep ingredients to drink. In a small crossover study of healthy men whose sleep was cut by a quarter for three nights, 3 g of glycine before bed reduced fatigue on the first day and sped reaction time on a vigilance test compared with placebo, with a trend toward less sleepiness (Bannai et al., 2012).

Most glycine sleep studies used 3 g taken shortly before bed. Our glycine for sleep guide covers the other trials, timing and safety, and the glycine ingredient page covers what glycine does in the body.

Magnesium Drinks

Magnesium powders that you stir into water are popular as a nightly drink. Adults need 310 to 420 mg of magnesium a day from all sources, and the upper limit for magnesium from supplements is 350 mg a day; that limit does not count magnesium from food (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements).

The form matters for your stomach. Magnesium glycinate (also called bisglycinate) is gentle, while large doses of other forms can loosen stools. Our guides to magnesium glycinate for sleep and magnesium bisglycinate vs glycinate go through the sleep studies and the forms.

Drinks to Avoid Before Bed

Caffeine

Coffee is the obvious one, but black tea, green tea, chai, cola, energy drinks and pre-workout drinks all carry caffeine. In a placebo-controlled study, 400 mg of caffeine disturbed sleep whether it was taken right at bedtime, 3 hours before or 6 hours before. The authors advised avoiding substantial caffeine for at least 6 hours before bed (Drake et al., 2013). See how long caffeine lasts for half-life and cutoff times.

Alcohol

A nightcap can make you drowsy, which is why many people think of it as a sleep drink. A review of studies in healthy volunteers found that alcohol shortens the time it takes to fall asleep and steadies the first half of the night, but it increases sleep disruption in the second half and delays the first REM period at all doses (Ebrahim et al., 2013). If you take any sleep product, read melatonin and alcohol first.

A big glass of anything

Even a helpful drink can wake you up if it means a trip to the bathroom at 3 AM. A small serving 30 to 60 minutes before bed is easier than a large glass right as you lie down.

Sleep Drink Powders: What to Look For

A sleep drink powder puts several of these ingredients into one scoop you stir into water. Labels vary a lot, so check four things before you buy.

• Every amount on the label. You should be able to see the milligrams of each ingredient, so you can compare them with the doses used in studies, such as 3 g of glycine.
• Whether melatonin is added. Many sleep powders include melatonin. If you prefer to go without it, look for "no added melatonin" on the label. Our guide to sleep supplements without melatonin covers the main melatonin-free ingredients.
• Sugar and sweeteners. A nightly drink adds up over a month, so check the sugar line and the sweeteners.
• Testing. Look for a brand that tests its raw ingredients and shares what it tests for.

When to Have a Bedtime Drink

Most of the studies gave the drink in the evening or shortly before bed. A good routine is a small drink 30 to 60 minutes before lights out, the same time each night, with screens dimmed. Our night routine guide lays out the rest of a wind-down hour.

Where Our Sleep Powder Fits

We built our Melatonin-Free Sleep Powder as a bedtime drink that brings these ingredients together, with no added melatonin and no 5-HTP. It is made in house, and each scoop (9.5 g) contains:

Ingredient	Per scoop
Glycine	3,000 mg
Tart cherry (Prunus cerasus) fruit powder	2,000 mg
Myo-inositol	2,000 mg
Tart cherry (Prunus cerasus) fruit extract	500 mg
Magnesium (as magnesium bisglycinate and magnesium glycerophosphate)	200 mg
Apigenin (from chamomile flower)	50 mg

There are no other ingredients, and a scoop has 20 calories and 1 g of total sugars. The directions are to mix 1 scoop in 8 oz of water 30 to 60 minutes before bed, stir well (apigenin does not fully dissolve) and take no more than 1 scoop a day. Each jar holds 30 servings for $59. It is coming soon; join the waitlist on its page to hear when it launches. Read about myo-inositol if that ingredient is new to you.

It may cause drowsiness, so do not drive after taking it, and do not combine it with alcohol. It is not for pregnant or nursing women or anyone under 18. Ask your healthcare provider first if you take any medication, especially blood thinners, sedatives or prescription sleep medicines, or if you have a medical condition or kidney disease. Avoid it if you are allergic to chamomile, ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds or daisies.

If you would rather not drink anything late in the evening, L-theanine is another option; see L-theanine for sleep and our Theanine Nasal Spray. For the bigger picture, visit our sleep health hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best drink to help you sleep?

Tart cherry juice has the most direct research: it raised melatonin output and total sleep time compared with placebo in healthy adults (Howatson et al., 2012). Chamomile tea and glycine drinks are good caffeine-free options too.

What drink makes you fall asleep faster?

Alcohol does shorten the time to fall asleep, but it disrupts the second half of the night (Ebrahim et al., 2013), so it is a poor trade. A caffeine-free drink such as chamomile tea or tart cherry juice 30 to 60 minutes before bed is a better habit.

Do sleep drinks really work?

It depends on what is in them and how much. Check the label for the amount of each ingredient and compare it with the doses studied, such as 3 g of glycine.

Is warm milk good before bed?

A warm, caffeine-free drink can be part of a calming routine. If you drink milk at night, keep the serving small so it does not wake you later.

How long before bed should I have a sleep drink?

About 30 to 60 minutes before bed, the timing on our sleep powder's label.

Can I drink chamomile tea every night?

In the trial above, women drank it daily for two weeks, and the benefit faded after they stopped (Chang and Chen, 2016). Avoid it if you are allergic to ragweed or daisies.

How late can I drink coffee?

The study above advised stopping substantial caffeine at least 6 hours before bed (Drake et al., 2013). For a 10 PM bedtime, that means your last coffee by about 4 PM.

Is there a sleep drink without melatonin?

Yes. Tart cherry juice, chamomile tea and glycine or magnesium drinks have no added melatonin. Our Melatonin-Free Sleep Powder is a drink mix with no added melatonin; it is coming soon.

Sources

1. Howatson G, Bell PG, Tallent J, et al. Effect of tart cherry juice (Prunus cerasus) on melatonin levels and enhanced sleep quality. Eur J Nutr. 2012. PubMed 22038497
2. Chang SM, Chen CH. Effects of an intervention with drinking chamomile tea on sleep quality and depression in sleep disturbed postnatal women: a randomized controlled trial. J Adv Nurs. 2016. PubMed 26483209
3. Bannai M, Kawai N, Ono K, et al. The effects of glycine on subjective daytime performance in partially sleep-restricted healthy volunteers. Front Neurol. 2012. PubMed 22529837
4. Drake C, Roehrs T, Shambroom J, Roth T. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. J Clin Sleep Med. 2013. PubMed 24235903
5. Ebrahim IO, Shapiro CM, Williams AJ, Fenwick PB. Alcohol and sleep I: effects on normal sleep. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2013. PubMed 23347102
6. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH ODS

Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This article is for education only and is not medical advice.