Wondering what to drink before bed? Some beverages contain ingredients that have been studied for their potential effects on sleep, while others offer a warm, caffeine-free way to slow down and settle into your evening routine. From tart cherry juice and chamomile tea to warm milk and seasonal favorites, Naturepedic explains what the research says about drinks that may help you sleep.
If you want a bedtime drink, start with something caffeine-free that you genuinely enjoy and can work into a consistent wind-down routine. Tart cherry juice and chamomile have direct sleep research behind them, while warm milk, golden milk, and apple cider can combine potentially helpful ingredients with the comfort of a relaxing nighttime ritual.
The best bedtime drink depends on what you enjoy, what agrees with your body, and what fits naturally into your routine.
Here’s a closer look at five popular options, why they’re associated with bedtime, and what the research says.
Tart cherry juice is one of the more promising drinks to try before bed because tart cherries naturally contain melatonin and other plant compounds that have been studied in relation to sleep. In one small randomized crossover study involving adults over age 50 with insomnia, participants who drank 240 milliliters (about 8 ounces) of tart cherry juice twice daily for two weeks experienced improvements in sleep time and sleep efficiency. The study included one serving in the morning and another 1-2 hours before bedtime.
Researchers have also looked at tart cherries as a source of naturally occurring melatonin, polyphenols, and other compounds involved in normal sleep regulation. While the research is still developing, tart cherry juice has some of the most direct sleep research behind any drink on this list.
How Do You Make a Sleepy Girl Mocktail?
The viral “sleepy girl mocktail” is typically made with tart cherry juice, magnesium, and a fizzy mixer.
Stir the ingredients together and enjoy as part of your evening wind-down. Magnesium is involved in normal muscle and nerve function. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) lists 350 milligrams per day as the upper limit for magnesium from supplements and medications for adults, unless otherwise directed by a healthcare professional.
Magnesium can also interact with certain medications, and per the NIH, the risk of magnesium toxicity is higher for people with impaired kidney function. Check with your healthcare provider before adding a magnesium supplement if you take medications, have kidney problems, or have questions about whether it is appropriate for you.
Chamomile tea is a popular caffeine-free bedtime drink, and research suggests it may support relaxation and certain aspects of sleep quality. Chamomile contains apigenin, a plant compound that has been studied in connection with relaxation and sleep. A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials found improvements in some measures of sleep quality, including nighttime awakenings.
Not every sleep measure improved consistently across the studies, but chamomile still has a few things going for it at bedtime: It’s naturally caffeine-free, warm, and easy to make part of a relaxing nightly routine. If chamomile isn’t your cup of tea, other caffeine-free herbal options, such as peppermint or lemon balm, can offer a similarly soothing evening ritual.
Warm milk has long been associated with bedtime, and there may be both nutritional and behavioral reasons it helps some people wind down. Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid your body uses to produce serotonin and melatonin, which are involved in normal sleep regulation.
A systematic review of milk, dairy products, and sleep found that some studies reported improvements in sleep-related outcomes, although results varied by dairy product, study population, and preparation.
There may also be a comfort factor at work. Drinking something warm and familiar before bed can become a consistent cue that the day is winding down. Add a little honey if you enjoy the flavor, settle in, and let the ritual itself become part of your bedtime routine.
Golden milk can be an especially cozy choice before bed because it combines a warm, caffeine-free base with spices traditionally associated with comfort and relaxation. Sometimes called “moon milk,” this warm drink typically combines milk with turmeric and other spices.
Turmeric contains curcumin, a plant compound widely studied for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. And if you make golden milk with dairy milk, you’ll also get tryptophan, the amino acid involved in the body’s production of serotonin and melatonin.
Research has not established golden milk itself as a sleep aid, but its combination of warmth, caffeine-free ingredients, and ritual makes it an easy addition to a relaxing bedtime routine.
How Do You Make Golden Milk?
Warm the ingredients together without bringing the milk to a boil, stir well, and enjoy. The simple act of making the same drink each evening can become part of a more consistent bedtime routine.
Warm apple cider can be a comforting, caffeine-free option when you want a seasonal drink as part of your evening wind-down. Unlike coffee, caffeinated tea, or many sodas, apple cider won’t add caffeine to your nighttime routine, and warming it with cinnamon or other fall spices can make it feel especially soothing on a cold night.
Apple cider contains nutrients and naturally occurring plant compounds from apples. Although cider itself has not been well studied as a sleep drink, that doesn’t make it irrelevant at bedtime. A warm, familiar drink can become part of the ritual that signals it’s time to slow down.
Because cider contains naturally occurring sugar, keep the serving modest and avoid heavily sweetened versions right before bed.
Choosing a nighttime drink is only half the equation. Some beverages can make it harder to get the kind of rest you’re looking for.
A bedtime beverage can be useful for more than its ingredients. Making and enjoying the same drink each night can become a predictable cue that the day is ending.
Try having your drink around 30-60 minutes before bed, or earlier if drinking liquids late tends to wake you during the night. For tart cherry juice specifically, one small insomnia study used its evening serving 1-2 hours before bedtime.
Pair your drink with calming activities like reading, meditating, stretching, or listening to soothing music. You can also make your environment part of the ritual by dimming the lights, stepping away from screens, and getting comfortable in your bedding. Repeating the same basic sequence as part of your nightly wind-down routine can help make bedtime feel less like an abrupt stop and more like a gradual transition.
If trouble falling asleep or staying asleep is frequent, persistent, or affecting your daytime life, talk with a healthcare professional about what may be contributing.
Tart cherry juice has some of the most direct sleep research on this list, while chamomile tea offers a naturally caffeine-free choice with research supporting certain aspects of sleep quality. Warm milk brings tryptophan and a long history as a bedtime ritual, while golden milk and apple cider offer warm, cozy options when the ritual itself is part of what helps you slow down.
You don’t need to find a magical drink. Choose one you enjoy, make it part of a consistent routine, and give yourself time to transition into rest.
This story was produced by Naturepedic and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
