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While smoothies can help you wake up and get energized for the day, they can also help you sleep. This bedtime smoothie recipe is full of soothing ingredients that will help prepare your body for a night of deep sleep.
Table of Contents
Quick Tips for Better Sleep
I want to share a few things I’ve implemented over the past two years to help me sleep quickly and deeply:
- Invest in a quality pillow: Find a pillow that properly supports your neck and spine to ensure correct alignment while you sleep, like a buckwheat pillow or a memory foam pillow.
- Block out noise with earplugs: Using earplugs can help you stay asleep by drowning out disturbances, from noisy neighbors to a snoring partner.
- Limit caffeine intake after 2 p.m.: Avoid stimulants in the afternoon and evening to allow your body’s natural sleep cycle to take over.
- Enjoy a nutrient-rich bedtime smoothie: One of my favorite ways to wind down is with a special drink designed to promote relaxation and prevent late-night hunger. This bedtime smoothie is a carefully crafted blend of ingredients known for their sleep-supporting properties.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe is full of foods that promote better sleep. Here’s how each one can work for you when sipped in a deep-sleep smoothie:
- Rolled oats: Oats contain melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep cycles, helping to promote a restful nights sleep.
- Spinach: Leafy greens like spinach contain high amounts of magnesium, a mineral known to relax muscles and calm the nervous system, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.
- Chamomile tea: This soothing tea contains antioxidants that promote sleep.
- Tart cherry juice: This type of cherry juice specifically contains melatonin and can help improve sleep quality and depth of your sleep.
- Banana: The potassium and magnesium in bananas can help relax your muscles, contributing to optimal sleep. You can even freeze bananas to keep them ready for making your bedtime smoothie.
- Almond butter: Almonds also contain magnesium as well as healthy fats, which help keep you feeling satisfied throughout the night, supporting uninterrupted sleep.
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How to Make a Bedtime Smoothie
I created this bedtime smoothie with specific foods that help you sleep—both falling asleep and staying asleep. Yes, it’s legit! This recipe is different from my other green smoothies. Here’s how I’m blending it:
- Blend the rolled oats until finely ground in your blender. Making this oat flour first will help it blend into the other ingredients better and leave you with a less gritty nighttime smoothie.
- Add the bananas, spinach, cherry juice, tablespoon of almond butter, and chamomile tea to the blender on top of the powdered oats.
- Puree until smooth. Stop the blender and scrape down the sides if needed to make sure all those leafy chunks get well blended.
If you want more tips on blending the perfect creamy smoothie every time, check out my step-by-step guide on how to make a smoothie.
More Recipes to Help You Sleep
Because sleep is so important and because I love using real, whole food to help my body naturally, I’ve created a few other relaxation beverages that help promote healthy sleep:
- Lavender sleep tea: A light, soothing tea that calms my body quickly.
- Spiced almond milk: Part of my nighttime routine to regulate blood sugar and help me feel full throughout the night.
- Pink moon milk: This drink is as gorgeous as it is soothing.
- Turmeric golden milk latte: Full of anti-inflammatory ingredients to help you wind down, making it a great golden smoothie for sleep.
If you make this bedtime smoothie, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your feedback helps me and all the readers in this community. And if you’re interested in more plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.
Bedtime Smoothie
Ingredients
- ¼ cup rolled oats uncooked old-fashioned
- 1 cup spinach fresh
- ½ cup chamomile tea brewed and cooled
- ½ cup tart cherry juice
- 1 banana fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon almond butter
Instructions
- Place uncooked oats in blender. Blend until finely ground.
- Add spinach, chamomile tea, cherry juice, bananas, and almond butter to the blender. Puree until smooth.
- Pour into a glass or mug and enjoy.
Helpful Tools
Notes
- If unsweetened tart red cherry juice can’t be found, substitute with extra chamomile tea or water. Or use 1 cup frozen or fresh tart red cherries plus a little water.
- For a really soothing nighttime drink, this smoothie can also be served warmed up.
- Swap rolled oats with oat flour if available.
- Swap almond butter with any nut butter of your choice.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
Yes, smoothies can be good before bed, provided they contain ingredients that promote sleep, such as magnesium-rich foods like bananas, spinach, and rolled oats. My bedtime smoothie is specifically designed to help you fall asleep and stay asleep, making it an ideal nighttime snack.
Yes, you can drink a sleep smoothie at night. It’s recommended to sip a bedtime smoothie about an hour before bed to allow the sleep-enhancing ingredients, like chamomile tea and tart cherry juice, to take effect.
My bedtime smoothie blends rolled oats, spinach, chamomile tea, tart cherry juice, banana and almond butter for a light beverage that will put you to sleep quickly and deeply. I chose ingredients with magnesium and melatonin so they could work together to relax your body and promote sleepiness.
Yes! Bananas contain magnesium which can help calm restless muscles so your body can focus on sleep. Blend with other calming ingredients (nothing with too much sugar or any caffeine) using one of my recommended smoothie blenders to set your sleep up for success.
This sounds amazing. I seem to be sensitive to chamomile. The plant makes me sneeze and have itchy eyes and the tea seems to upset my stomach. Is there a good swap? Dandelion root tea maybe? Don’t know if it has the same sleep benefits, but green tea would miss the whole purpose, I have been following you for years and I recommend your site to my customers who are looking to eat better. I tell them how much my granddaughter loves her smoothies. Especially the beet/cherry pom smoothie before bed.
Thank you for recommending us to your customers, Carol! <3
I think dandelion tea might work or but what may work better is a bedtime/soothing chamomile-free tea. You could also leave the tea out and use almond milk.
I came across this excellent article whilst looking to see if it was advisable to drink a vegetable-based smoothie before going to bed. – clearly it is! As I don’t eat anywhere near enough vegetables I decided to invest in a blender. I have usually made a smoothie to drink in the morning before I go to the gym (can’t go now because of the blooming virus). Because the days seem long now being stuck in all day, I keep going to bed for an hour or so during the day but consequently have trouble sleeping at night. Just for a change I decided to have my veg and fruit smoothies just before I retired for the night. Bingo! I slept like a log! My smoothie by the way was very simple as I’m still getting used to using it. It was just cucumber, celery, a few chunks of melon, a pineapple ring (tinned) and topped up with almond milk. Thanks for the article – very interesting.
That’s great to hear! We love smoothies for all kinds of reasons and improving sleep is def one of them. Happy blending! 😀
I really appreciate your article. I have crohn’s so I cant eat bananas or oats, and careful with chamomile. How can I know what to interchange so I can juice the right things for me?
Thanks
Susie
Hi Susan, I recommend you speak with your health care practitioner and/or nutritionist regarding your diet and substitutions you can make that will work best for you. They know you + your body best. If you can’t eat oats, bananas, or chamomile, I’m not sure this smoothie is right for you. But not to worry! We have tons of delicious smoothie recipes that contain a variety of nutrient-packed ingredients. 🙂
A vegies smoothie ,stretching,,soft music , hot all over sponge off,planks,
That sounds like a relaxing bedtime routine!
Haven’t tried it yet, it seems like a lot to consume if I’ve eaten supper. Also seems like a lot of liquid to take in before bed, especially as I struggle with waking up too many times at night to get a good rest. But I would like an alkalyzing evening or bedtime drink. A dilemma for sure.
Pat, the recipe makes 2 servings. We do recommend drinking this an hour before bed but if that’s still too close to bedtime for you, drink it earlier. If this smoothie doesn’t seem like it would be a good fit for you, def take a look at the other things we listed to help you sleep well naturally. Maybe you can find some items on our list that would work for you.
Any recommendations on a good brand of unsweetened tart cherry juice? Preferably organic as well. I cant seem to find a good one!
Hey Chelsea, I’m not sure! We love using Thrive Market for natural and organic food products. Def check them out, they might have what you’re looking for!
I don’t think i could have this an hour before going to bed !
That’s ok, Linda! Just drink it earlier in the evening! 😉
Mine came out much more purple than green. It looks nothing like yours. Is it a full cup of tart cherry juice?
Hey Justine,
It is totally fine if your smoothie was not as green as the photo. Jen likes to pack in her greens when she makes her smoothies. The more greens you add the more “green-ish” it will look. If you are wanting it to look more green then pack your spinach in your measuring cup a little more.
Hope that help!
I will definitely try this before bed! I’m a horrible sleeper I’ll be good if I get 4hrs of sleep in. I’m a caffeine addict so that doesn’t help either. I did try the Spiced almond milk, but in the morning to replace my coffee. It was delicious but of course my body needed its caffeine. But this drink sound amazing before bedtime. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Sarai,
Wishing you better sleep! Makes sure + reach back out – I’d love to hear how this green smoothie helps your sleep habits!
The spiced almond milk is perfect in the morning as a replacement for coffee if you tweek it. Sometimes I add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of instant coffee. That way, it’s still less caffeine than the average cup which calls for 1 full tsp, and much less caffeine than a large mug of regular brewed coffee. Other times, especially to help my thyroid, I add a small dose of Korean red ginseng. This actually is a better boost than caffeine and I don’t really taste it in the drink. However, I either omit the cayenne or just use a quarter of what is called for. But with the Korean ginseng, I’m getting a major energy boost that actually helps the thyroid whereas caffeine can hinder the thyroid. I used the instant coffee if I’m out of ginseng or just miss that coffee flavour but want to control the am out of coffee/caffeine. Try it out – u might have a new morning energy drink that’s healthier!
That sounds like a great idea! Thank you for sharing that with us 🙂
Is there any way to sub the bananas?
Hi Natasha,
Totally! Some great banana swaps are mango, papaya, pears, unsweetened applesauce, chia seeds, fresh dates, almond butter, and my favorite avocado!
Learn more about our favorite banana substitutes here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/peach-spinach-smoothie
Great “How to sleep well naturally” tips! I need to start taking a lot of these into consideration. Also, this nighttime smoothie looks really good. All of the ingredients that go into it sound really delicious. I’m going to have to try this out. Thank you!
Hi Ellen,
I hop you love it! Another great recipe to help you prepare your body for the evening is our Spiced Almond Milk. Make sure + check it out here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/weight-loss-drinks
Can you give a nutrition count for this recipe?
Hi Debra,
We personally don’t count calories, so we don’t include them in our recipes at this time. You’ll find that when you consume more nourishing whole fruits and veggies, you will not only feel full longer, but you’ll also have lessened cravings for high-calorie, nutritionally empty foods. So in the end it balances out. But we know many people would like to have calorie info. Three great resources for tracking calories are Self Nutrition Data, and the phone apps: My Fitness Pal and Lose It.
Thanks for the recipe! I noticed the bananas made it a little too sweet for my taste. Is there another fruit or veggie I can substitute with the same properties?
Hi Harris,
Looking to swap out those bananas! I’ve got you covered! Some of my favorite swaps are mango, papaya, pears, unsweetened applesauce, nut butters, chia seeds, fresh dates + avocado. If you want the creaminess, but less sweetness – then avocado would definitely be my go-to!
Wow, this smoothie is just what I need. Do you have a recommendation on what you can swap out for the rolled oats? I’m a paleo.
Hi Heather,
We do! Swap in another plant-based protein you + your body love! Here are a few of our favorites…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/plant-based-protein-powder
I just made this tonight. It’s so delicious. This whole post inspired me to go to bed earlier which I need to do. Now having a yummy bedtime smoothie will hopefully help motivate me! Oh and I swapped the plain tart cherry juice for Trader Joe’s Power juice which I had on hand. The second ingredient after pomegranate is cherry so hopefully it’s a decent serving. It definitely worked flavor wise.
Hi Sue,
YAY! Cheers to blendin’ green smoothies + getting better sleep! And kale yea, Trader Joe’s Power Juice sounds like a great quick swap!
What would you suggest instead of chamomile tea. Its a member of the ragweed family and as such I can’t drink it.
Hi Julie,
Can’t do chamomile tea? Some other herbal teas that are great for sleep are valerian, lavender, lemon balm, and peppermint. Find one you love + give it a try in our Bedtime Green Smoothie!
Can you swop out the banana? It’s the one fruit I really dislike. I’ve been reading up on the benefits of cherry juice for sleep so would love to try the smoothie. Thanks
Of course. Banana can be tough on come people. I would swap with peaches, apricots or even dates to give it some sweetness.
I’d also consider putting some avocado. It will keep the creaminess that makes it really nice.
That smoothie sounds perfectly yummy! Too bad I didn’t know about this last week, when I had a bottle of cherry juice that my husband accidentally bought insteadof the cranberry I asked for. At least I know where to get the cherry juice! 🙂
Dang… I was a week off posting this! Well you at least know where to get the cherry juice now to make this one. Love how you think of the positive. 🙂
Does this smoothie keep well over night? I’m single and would love to have a ready to go night time drink in the fridge on busy late nights.
It would work! I think that’s a great idea. I honestly might store it in the fridge and the warm it up before I hit the hay.
Hiya I wanna try your sleepy smoothie but am allergic to nuts. Is there a substitute for almond butter I could use? Thanks. Amy
Hi Amy,
There is! Simply swap in another healthy fat you love! Some great options are avocado, coconut oil, or flaxseed oil. Learn more about our favorites here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/healthy-fats