What should i drink before bed to lose weight

There's not much worse than a night of tossing and turning in the sack. After all, poor sleep is intricately tied to weight gain, skewed hormone levels, next-day munchies, and blood sugar and insulin issues, says Bridget Murphy, R.D.N., C.D.N., at NYU Langone Medical Center. To score some quality shuteye, you've got to be careful about what you sip before you crash.

While you probably know that having caffeine and sugar too close to bedtime can mess with your sleep, other nutrients can actually help you build muscle, improve your blood sugar stability, and burn fat.

Here, five beverages you should give a taste at night if you're looking to lose weight.

A glass of milk (warm or not) can help you sleep more soundly, thanks to a healthy dose of tryptophan and calcium, says Murphy. And more sleep means less next-day cravings getting in the way of your pounds-dropping goals. For women hitting the gym (i.e. you!), milk’s casein protein is slow to digest, which could help you build muscle all night long, per Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise research. The result: a faster metabolism and easier weight loss, says Murphy.

We don’t recommend drinking fruit juice very often around here, but a small glass of 100 percent grape juice before bed may help you sleep and burn fat as you dream, says Murphy. Research published in Cell Reports suggests that insulin secretion at night (caused by consumption of simple carbs, like juice) regulates the body’s circadian rhythms. And a 2015 International Journal of Obesity study found that resveratrol, an antioxidant contained in grapes, converts calorie-storing white fat into calorie-burning brown fat. It's a one-two punch.

RELATED: How to Sleep Your Way to Weight Loss

In case you’ve heard, yes, wine is also rich in resveratrol. Unfortunately, alcohol isn’t the best pre-bed drink. In one University of Melbourne study, sleepers who drank booze before bed exhibited nighttime brain wave patterns similar to people who received small electric shocks all night long. Sounds pleasant, right?

A hot mug of this sleep-inducing tea increases your body’s levels of glycine, a neurotransmitter that relaxes your nerves and acts as a mild sedative. Another cool trait of chamomile: It spikes your core body temperature so that your system responds by drastically cooling itself, lulling you to sleep. What’s more, chamomile has been linked to improved glucose control and weight loss, says Murphy. Just make sure that any tea you drink before bed is caffeine-free and stay far, far away from "detox" teas. (Learn how bone broth can help you lose weight with the Bone Broth Diet.)

Made from fermented milk, this probiotic-rich beverage works on your gut microbiome to increase levels of healthy bacteria, promote proper digestion, and help you to absorb vitamins and minerals more effectively, says Murphy. Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has also tied the yogurt-like beverage to improved sleep and better exercise performance. Boom.

Soy, in milk or protein powder form, is brimming with the amino acid tryptophan. And why is that important? According to Birmingham University research, it can improve sleep quality by acting as a precursor to drowse-inducing melatonin, says Murphy. She notes that apart from helping you drift off, tryptophan also decreases cortisol levels to help fight belly fat.

RELATED: The 8 Best Bedtime Snacks for Weight Loss

For the best benefits, include some Greek yogurt in your protein shake. It’ll supply your muscles with a generous helping of casein protein for better post-workout recovery, she says.

Sleep is one of the most important things to keep yourself healthy and happy. A night of restlessness, tossing, and turning will not only leave you exhausted but has also been linked to weight gain.

Even if you've done everything right - the best pillow, a cool bedroom, a spritz of lavender - many of us still struggle to nod off when the lights go out. 

But why? Well, when you're tired, your metabolism slows down so your body uses less energy. A lack of sleep also affects your blood sugar and makes your insulin spike, causes you to feel hungry and decreases the rate at which calories are burned.

Getting some shut-eye is vital when you are trying to lose weight and while having caffeine or sugar too close to going to bed can keep you awake, there are some bedtime drinks that can actually help you lose weight as well as ensuring you get some much-needed shut-eye.

1. Milk

Everyone has heard the term to 'sleep like a baby'. Well, some schools of thought suggest that newborns sleep so deeply because of drinking warm milk before they go to bed.

A glass of milk (heating optional) can help you to a peaceful night because it's full of calcium and tryptophan. Reportedly, calcium helps the brain to use the amino acid tryptophan to create the substance melatonin, which is well known for inducing sleep. Getting a full eight hours will ward off cravings the next day. Vegan? Try a fortified plant-based option.

2. Turmeric latte

If you want to give your milky drink a boost, why not whip up a turmeric latte? "Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and nourishing. Research has shown that one of its key components, curcumin, plays a role in suppressing fat tissue growth and regulating sugar levels. Enhanced insulin sensitivity thus results in less fat being retained in the body," says Louisa Birkhahn, founder of wellness brand Matcha Union. 

She recommends the following recipe: Add one tsp of turmeric powder to warmed milk along with a dash of spices of your choice such as black pepper (helps absorption of turmeric) and cinnamon (adds sweetness and regulates blood sugar) and/or ginger (anti bacterial) and sweeten to your liking using a natural sweetener.

3. Chamomile tea

This caffeine-free drink will leave you feeling calm and is famous for its sleep inducing qualities. A mug of this will increase your body's levels of glycine, a neurotransmitter that not only acts as a mild sedative but also relaxes you too. 

It has also been linked to improving glucose control, which aids weight loss. Stay away from any detox teas and have a cup of this instead.

4. Grape Juice

A small glass of 100% grape juice before bed can help you burn fat as you dream. Research suggests eating or drinking simple carbs, which are found in grape juice, causes insulin secretion at night.

Insulation regulates the body's circadian rhythms. Plus, grapes are packed with antioxidants which convert calories storing white fat, into calorie burning brown fat.

5. Soy protein shake

You may think protein shakes are just for weight-lifters in the gym, but actually soy in milk or protein power form is brimming with the amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan can also help to decrease cortisol levels which helps fight fat. 

Even though metabolism slows down when you sleep, it still keeps working, and your protein shake will be digested and absorbed as you're nodding off.

6. Kefir

This is a probiotic-rich drink made from fermented milk. It works on your gut to increase healthy bacteria levels which aids digestion and absorption of vitamins and minerals. 

The yoghurt-like drink also helps to improve your sleep and enhance your exercise performance.

7. Carob and lavender infusion

"Carob is rich in tannins that help combat toxins in the gut. This aids the growth of good bacteria that helps improve digestion. Extracts from lavender flowers have been found to increase the duration of slow and deep wave sleep," says Dr Nitasha Buldeo, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Medical Expert and Founder of Organic Apoteke.

Continuing she adds, "This type of sleep enables the body to heal most effectively. For a homemade brew, we suggest either Organic Apoteke's Nourishing Night Tea or steeping carob (you can find it in powder form) and lavender flowers in hot water for 6-10 minutes. Strain this, add a dash of sweetener and enjoy before bed."

Still thirsty for more nutrition-packed drink ideas? Why not try these 5 healthy drinks to help regulate your mood?

Sweet dreams...

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