Struggling to get the shut-eye you need night after night? While making a few noteworthy nutritional tweaks isn’t necessarily going to cure more serious conditions like insomnia, upping your intake of sleep-promoting foods at the right time (around an hour before you start winding down for the night) could be a game-changer for your bedtime routine.
Research shows that following a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, protein, and antioxidant-rich plants is a key part of getting healthy sleep, and blending up a smoothie is a simple way to check all three off your list at once. Other nutrients you’ll want to prioritize when creating a sleep-promoting snack, like a smoothie, are melatonin, magnesium, and fiber. While the first two are often linked to sleep, research shows that fiber is linked to reduced sleep disturbances and improved sleep quality.
The following sleep-friendly smoothie recipes offer a great balance of macronutrients, plus natural sources of soothing micronutrients—yes, including the ‘big three’ that are melatonin, magnesium, and fiber—to help boost your sleep naturally (and deliciously!) in minutes. Just keep in mind that elevated stress levels, overconsumption of caffeine, and late-night blue light exposure may interrupt your body’s ability to best use these powerful nutrients, so it’s worth analyzing your current nighttime routine as well for further optimization.
7 sleep-friendly smoothie recipes for every night of the week
Bedtime Smoothie for Better Sleep
These sleep-friendly smoothie recipes are all stacked with some of the top foods for sleep, starting with this delicious ‘bedtime smoothie.’ Kale and bananas are tryptophan-rich to promote a calmer mind and sound sleep, and the latter is full of magnesium to help combat nighttime restlessness. Flaxseeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce stress, anxiety, and inflammation, along with promoting healthy sleep patterns, while kiwi adds sweetness, fiber, and melatonin to help you wind down at the end of a busy day.
Tart cherries are one our favorite sleep superheroes, and this recipe is the perfect way to get a delicious dose of them before bedtime. It packs a whopping 12 grams of fiber and seven grams of protein to help keep your blood sugar balanced until morning. Almonds are another unsung hero for better sleep, as they pack the trifecta of melatonin, magnesium, and fiber while also adding a dose of healthy fat to round out this recipe.
This recipe tastes like a nostalgic dessert without the sugar spike. Oats, bananas, and nut butter ensure this recipe is rich in fiber, melatonin, and magnesium while the addition of cinnamon adds a hint of deliciously warming spice. You may want to avoid the optional addition of maple syrup if drinking this smoothie right before bed to ensure you drift off to sweet dreams ASAP, but feel free to keep it in if you prefer sweeter smoothies.
This tasty treat will have you dreaming of the tropics, thanks to melatonin-rich kiwi, pineapple, and spinach. The addition of Greek yogurt adds a sneaky source of magnesium (it’s one of the best animal sources out there!) and avocado offers some healthy fat and potassium to round out this wholesome recipe.
Maybe it’s just us, but we think this childhood classic tastes even better in smoothie form. While this recipe takes some extra effort with the berry compote, you’ll have plenty to slater onto almond butter toast and top on your morning oatmeal later in the week. The smoothie features an all-star cast of seeds, nuts, and fiber-rich fruit to help boost your sleep quality and duration in the most delicious way.
This recipe employs a secret ingredient: chilled chamomile tea, which promotes healthy sleep, stress levels, and blood sugar. You’ll want to freeze the melatonin-rich banana and kiwi to ensure a thicker, creamier smoothie, and you may want to add a tablespoon of chia or flax seeds to up the protein and fat content.
Don’t love the restrictions of a recipe? This sleep-friendly smoothie formula offers plenty of room to let you be creative with your beverage while still ensuring you’ll promote better overall sleep. The combination of protein, fiber, and healthy fats is satisfying with just the right amount of sweetness.
Get the recipe: Jess Bippen’s Sleep-Friendly Smoothie Formula
Smoothies might be a breakfast food, but actually, they're fantastic for helping you drift off. The reason that certain fruits work well as sleep inducers is because they contain things like magnesium which is a natural sedative.
Eating a protein-rich snack before bed could support muscle repair and help slow down age-related muscle loss, particularly if you exercise routinely (24). Smoothies are an easy and tasty way to sneak in protein-rich milk before bed.
"You may want to incorporate a smoothie an hour before bed to serve as a sleep aid," Gould says. For pre-bedtime smoothies, include a mix of yogurt, milk, rolled oats, walnuts, tart cherries and bananas to enjoy their sleep-boosting properties.
Melatonin has been documented in fruits, including apples, grapes, bananas, pineapples, tomatoes and cherries (González-Gómez et al., 2009, Iriti et al., 2006; Posmyk & Janas, 2009), and its physiological and nutritional functions are still under the investigation.
Start with 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit. Some great fruit bases include strawberries, blueberries, mangoes, bananas, pineapple, cherries and peaches. Veggie. If you don't mind the green color, adding a handful of spinach or kale is a good way to bring more antioxidants to your drink.
If you're looking to cut calories and sugar from your diet, water is the perfect choice for liquid for smoothies. Not only is it calorie-free and sugar-free, but it's also money-free!
While it's important to enjoy your green smoothie, you may wish to substitute natural sweeteners in place of artificial sweeteners. For example, adding fresh fruit such as ripe bananas, pineapple chunks, and mangos is a great way to sweeten your smoothie. The best green smoothies for weight loss are: low in calories.
One study found that consumption of pineapple, oranges, and bananas. View Source increased melatonin production about two hours later. Kiwis have also been shown to have some sleep-inducing properties. In one study, adults with self-reported sleep problems were instructed to eat two kiwis an hour before bedtime.
Several health experts recommend consuming peanut butter at night to boost muscular building, normalise blood sugar levels, and increase sleep quality due to its outstanding nutritional profile. Peanut butter is a filling snack that is ideal before bedtime.
Certain foods and drinks can promote better sleep by providing nutrients essential to sleep. Kiwi, cherries, milk, fatty fish, nuts, and rice have been found to aid in relaxation and sleep. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals before bedtime for healthier sleep patterns.
Going to bed hungry is a big no-no for relaxation; have a light snack to help you unwind. Both calcium and carbohydrate-rich foods promote the effects of tryptophan, a sleep-promoting amino acid. Top picks for sleep are apples with peanut butter, cheese and crackers or cereal and milk.
Yes, you can drink a smoothie at night , but it's important to consider the ingredients and portion size to avoid disrupting your sleep. A small, low-sugar smoothie with sleep-promoting ingredients like cherries or chamomile can be a good choice.
In the fridge: store your smoothies or smoothie ingredients in the fridge for 1-2 days before using them. In the freeze: you can store smoothies or smoothie ingredients in the freezer for up to 3 months. They're perfect for prepping ahead of time and enjoying week after week.
Smoothies are a great way of boosting your immune, digestive, and skin health with superfoods and antioxidants. The Mango & Pineapple smoothie contains the superfood camu camu powder, which is high in vitamin C, contributing to strengthening the collagen in our skin, teeth enamel, and immune function.
Kiwi, cherries, milk, fatty fish, nuts, and rice have been found to aid in relaxation and sleep. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals before bedtime for healthier sleep patterns. Nutrition and sleep are connected, but a balanced diet will not benefit your sleep if you have poor bedtime habits.
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