Looking for a natural way to improve your sleep quality? I little raw honey before bed may be just the remedy you are looking for! Not only is it delicious and full of beneficial properties, it’s scientifically proven to help promote a good night’s sleep.
Read on to discover the science behind how honey functions to improve sleep, why organic raw honey is the superior option for health benefits, and some yummy ideas for ways to add raw honey to your daily routine!
Honey is a Superfood
Honey is full beneficial compounds like vitamins, minerals, natural enzymes, amino acids, powerful antioxidants like polyphenols, gut health promoting properties, blood sugar stabilizing and anti-inflammatory properties, and more! Honey is a wonderful natural sweetener to include in your diet.
History of Honey as Medicine
Honey has been used since ancient times as medicine. With all of the beneficial compounds and natural sugars, it boosts the immune system and even has antibacterial properties. Its medicinal uses have been written about in many ancient texts, describing the therapeutic value of honey.
“Honey was used for variety of disease conditions including eye diseases, asthma, throat infections, tuberculosis, thirst, hiccups, fatigue, dizziness, hepatitis, constipation, worm infestation, piles, eczema, healing of ulcers, and wounds in traditional medicine.” (Saeed Samarghandian et al.)
How Honey Affects Sleep Quality
Honey, with its glucose and fructose sugar content called monosaccharides, slightly increases insulin levels. This allows tryptophan (an amino acid) to enter the brain. Tryptophan then converts to niacin, which then forms serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone and neurotransmitter that then converts to melatonin, and melatonin is a hormone that regulates our sleep cycle and improves sleep quality.
Because of this melatonin creation process in the pineal gland, taking honey before bed can help the body fall into deeper sleep cycles which leads to more restorative sleep overall.
Not only does honey help aid in melatonin regulation, it also helps regulate blood sugar levels overnight. Honey may increase a particular hormone called adiponectin, which helps blood sugar regulation and inflammation reduction. This regulation of blood sugar overnight can help reduce instances of waking in the middle of the night from hunger pangs, which in turn promotes more restful sleep.
(See Sources below).
Raw Honey Over Processed Honey
During the processing of pasteurized commercial honey, enzymes and pollen are removed by a filtration process, which leads to a drastic decrease in the numerous health benefits of honey.
The enzymes in raw unfiltered honey are beneficial for gut bacteria, which help heal digestive issues, and promotes the ability of the body to better assimilate nutrients.
Bee pollen in raw honey is full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
You definitely don’t want these healthy properties filtered out!
The high heat pasteurizing process kills good bacteria and antioxidants. Antioxidants remove free radicals from the body and reduce oxidative stress, leading to overall better health.
For all of these reasons, unfiltered raw organic honey is much more nutrient dense than the processed alternative.
What Type of Honey to Use
There is a wide variety of organic raw honey options to choose from. Keep in mind honey can contain high levels of glyphosate, so it is important to buy organic honey. This will help certify that the general area where the bees were pollinating was not polluted with pesticides. It’s best to buy a honey that has been tested to be glyphosate free. See some of my favorite options for organic raw honey below.
How to Enjoy Raw Honey Before Bed
There are many different ways to enjoy a spoonful of honey before bed. I encourage you to create a cozy bedtime routine, this will help you unwind and prepare your body for better sleep. Then, choose your favorite way to consume raw honey before bed!
Here are some ideas:
On a Spoon with Salt
Grab yourself a teaspoon or two of honey and sprinkle a little low-microplastic salt on top. Having a small amount of high quality salt can help balance electrolytes, leading to higher quality sleep.
In a Cup of Herbal tea
There are many herb varieties that can help promote a more restful sleep. Here are some options:
Chamomile
Linden
Passionflower
Lemon Balm
Valerian
Lavender
I like to make an herbal blend, and experiment with flavors! Valerian root doesn’t have the most pleasant taste, but it is very calming and helpful for sleep.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons herbal blend of choice
2 teaspoons-1 tablespoon raw honey
1 cup boiling water
Optional: pinch salt and splash of raw milk
Directions:
Grab a couple of tablespoons of your sleep-promoting herbs of choice, and pour boiling water over them. Cover and Let steep for 20 minutes. Covering herbal tea when steeping helps the volatile oils stay in the cup and not escape with the steam.
Next, add 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of honey. Experiment and see what amount of honey helps you sleep best!
Additional ingredients: add a pinch of high quality salt for electrolytes, and/or a splash of raw milk for some added tryptophan and tastiness.
Disclaimer: consult a healthcare practitioner before consuming herbs when pregnant or breastfeeding.
Mixed in Some Warmed Milk
There has been research on warm milk with honey consumed before bed. One study was performed on patients with acute coronary syndrome. By the third day of the trail, those who had warm milk and honey before bed had significantly better sleep quality! The milk may have helped because of the added tryptophan benefit. Here is the study if you want to check it out!
I remember my mother giving me warmed milk and honey before bed when I was little. I looked forward to it every night, and have loved the taste of honey ever since!
Ingredients:
1 cup raw milk
1-2 teaspoons raw honey
1 pinch salt
Directions:
Slowly heat milk in a small pot on medium low. Remove from heat when steam begins to rise.
Add warm honey and salt.
Enjoy!
With a Dairy Based Bedtime Snack
Try it with yogurt or cheese:
Instead of having milk for the added tryptophan, you could prepare yourself a lovely bedtime snack with yogurt topped with honey, or drizzled over some raw cheese.
Don’t forget to sprinkle a little salt for the added sleep benefits.
Other Ways to Improve Sleep
- Eliminate blue light after sunset: blue light will disrupt your sleep-wake patterns after sunset. Avoid screens, and if you must use a screen, use a blue light blocker.
- Live with the sun: follow natural sleep patterns by waking with the sunrise and watching the sunrise first thing, spending some time outdoors in the middle of the day, and taking a walk at sunset. This will help your melatonin cycle and improve the quality of your sleep.
- Develop a bedtime routine: Prepare your mind and body for a restful night by developing a nightly routine to help unwind, clear you mind, and set you up for high quality sleep.
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My favorite raw honey
Another great raw honey option
Disclaimers:
*As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
*This post does not contain medical advise.
*Some honey can be contaminated with botulism and it is not recommended to give honey to infants under 1 year old.
Sources:
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30390870 (link)
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5424551 (link)
healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-honey (link)
