Bedtime Smoothie

While smoothies can help you wake up and get energized for the day, they can also help you sleep. This creamy dreamy bedtime smoothie recipe is full of soothing ingredients that will help prepare your body for a great night’s sleep.

Gone are the days of tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep. I’ve got some great recipes that help you sleep, like my lavender sleep tea and now this, light bedtime smoothie. I’m also sharing my go-to tips on how to sleep well.

Why this Recipe Rawks

With nearly 35% of Americans suffering from symptoms of insomnia, It’s time we take advantage of the natural foods and drinks that support better sleep. Eating a healthy, varied diet and getting a good night’s sleep can help you enjoy the best life possible.

Supports healthy brain function by helping you wake up more alert and focused after a restful night’s sleep.

Linked to emotional well-being, the calming ingredients of this smoothie contribute to better emotional balance through improved sleep.

Boosts your immune system by improving sleep quality, which helps your body fend off illnesses.

Ingredients to Promote Better Sleep

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.

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:

1. 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.
2. Add the bananas, spinach, cherry juice, tablespoon of almond butter, and chamomile tea to the blender on top of the powdered oats.
3. 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.

Tips for Better Sleep

Along with drinking a soothing beverage as a bedtime snack, here are a few more tricks I found help lead me to slumberland more quickly and deeply:

• A good, quality pillow: Whether it’s a buckwheat pillow or a memory foam pillow, find one that correctly supports your neck and upper back. This keeps your spine in alignment while sleeping. I’ve tried several, and both of these brands are the best out there.
• Sleep with earplugs: I started using earplugs back in college dealing with noisy roommates and neighbors. I can also account for the fact that they drown out my husband’s occasional snoring.
• Limit caffeine after 2pm: Switching to decaf coffee or, even better, healthy caffeine alternatives leads to better sleep.
• Heating/Cooling Bed Fan: The BedJet 3 is a powered ventilation cooling system that rapidly wicks body heat and moisture out of the bed for awesome cooling relief, great solution for hot sleepers, hot-flashes and night sweats.

Now what works for me may not work for you. I’d love to hear your personal experience with foods and sleeping tricks that work for you.

More Beverages 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.