What do you do to prepare your body for sleep?
Creating a bedtime routine is an excellent way to help improve your sleep quality. Preparing your body for rest by dimming lights, turning off those screens, avoiding strenuous exercise, and not eating heavy meals close to bedtime are all solid techniques to signal to your body it's time for lights out.
Enjoying an herbal tea or a warm cup of milk can also help with relaxation right before sleep; both are drinks often considered calming and soothing.
But what if you could give your gut a little extra care before you sleep as well? A healthy, balanced gut microbiome gives you optimal digestion, responsive immunity, and a good mood and helps regulate your sleep quality and circadian rhythms.1
Happy gut, sound sleep
We have five relaxing, delicious, good-for-your-gut drinks to sip before you sleep. Each contains elements for soothing relaxation and gut microbiome support. Start your bedtime routine with a cup to help catch those good Zs and support your gut health at the same time. Just check and make sure that all ingredients listed are on your Viome food lists under Enjoy, or better yet–Superfoods!
Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea is a herbal tea made by steeping dried chamomile flowers. It's known for its calming and soothing properties that can help relieve stress and anxiousness. Additionally, it can help soothe the stomach, relieve occasional gas, and reduce occasional digestive discomfort.2
How to prepare
Simply steep a chamomile tea bag in hot water for a few minutes, remove the tea bag and enjoy a warm and comforting drink.
Golden Milk
Golden milk is a popular drink with milk, turmeric, ginger, and other warming spices. Turmeric contains a powerful compound called curcumin that has antioxidant properties. Ginger is also known for its calming properties and to help relieve occasional issues like nausea and upset stomach.3 You can use dairy or non-dairy milk for this recipe.
How to prepare
For a single serving, mix about a half teaspoon each of dried ground turmeric, cardamom, and ginger, a pinch of black pepper, honey to taste, and milk (any kind) in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a light boil and quickly turn the heat down to let it simmer for a few minutes. Pour into a mug and enjoy the warm and spicy goodness.
Ginger-Turmeric Tea
Ginger and turmeric are potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredients that can help support healthy inflammatory response and digestion.3,4,5
How to prepare
To make this delicious tea, you'll need to boil one cup of water with one tablespoon of freshly grated ginger root and one teaspoon of freshly grated turmeric root. Alternatively, you can use a fillable drawstring teabag to put your ginger and turmeric in, and steep the teabag in your hot water. Let it simmer for five to ten minutes, and then strain the tea through a sieve, or remove your teabag. Add honey or lemon to taste.
Cinnamon-Almond Milk
Cinnamon is a warming, tasty spice loaded with antioxidants, including polyphenols. Cinnamon may support a healthy metabolism and blood sugar levels but is also known to help support digestion and relieve occasional stomach upset.6,7
Almond milk contains beneficial nutrients such as healthy fats, protein, calcium, and potassium.
How to prepare
To make this comforting drink, heat one cup of almond milk on the stove, add one teaspoon of cinnamon powder, and stir until well combined. Enjoy while warm.
Pineapple-Coconut Water
Pineapple is a tropical fruit packed with fiber and enzymes called bromelain. Bromelain is believed to help break down proteins and help soothe digestion, as well as support your body's healthy inflammatory response.8
Coconut water is a natural source of electrolytes and hydration that can help support gut health.
How to prepare
To make this exotic drink, blend a few fresh pineapple chunks with one cup of coconut water. Thin out with some more coconut water if you wish. Chill in the refrigerator until you're ready to sip before bedtime. Pour in a glass. Add a squeeze of lime or a few mint leaves if you wish for a little extra zing.
References:
1 Badran, M., Khalyfa, A., Ericsson, A., & Gozal, D. (2020). Experimental Neurology, 334, 113439. doi.org/10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113439
2 Agah, S., Taleb, A., Moeini, R., et al. (2015). Der Pharma Chemica, 2015, 7(4):237-241. Scholars Research Library.
3 Nikkhah Bodagh M, Maleki I, Hekmatdoost A. (2018). Food Sci Nutr. 2018 Nov 5;7(1):96-108. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.807. PMID: 30680163; PMCID: PMC6341159.
4 Scazzocchio B, Minghetti L, D'Archivio M. (2020). Nutrients. 2020 Aug 19;12(9):2499. doi: 10.3390/nu12092499. PMID: 32824993; PMCID: PMC7551052.
5 Aggarwal BB, Yuan W, Li S, Gupta SC. (2013). Mol Nutr Food Res. 2013 Sep;57(9):1529-42. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201200838. Epub 2013 Jul 12. PMID: 23847105.
6 Zare R, Nadjarzadeh A, Zarshenas MM, Shams M, Heydari M. (2019). Clin Nutr. 2019 Apr;38(2):549-556. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2018.03.003. Epub 2018 Mar 11. PMID: 29605574.
7 Zobeiri M, Parvizi F, Shahpiri Z, Heydarpour F, Pourfarzam M, Memarzadeh MR, Rahimi R, Farzaei MH.(2021). Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021 May 13;2021:6634115. doi: 10.1155/2021/6634115. PMID: 34093719; PMCID: PMC8137295.
8 Nall, R.(Updated June 23, 2023). Articles. Medical News Today. Online at medicalnewstoday.com
