Just like you plug in your phone when its battery is running low, your body needs sleep to recharge for the next day. But even though the midnight hours are a time for you to rest, your brain uses that quiet time to store new info and toss anything you don't need in the garbage. That's why a little honey before bed can be so beneficial for clocking a good night's sleep: It gives your noggin' just the right amount of sugar burn the midnight oil so you can wake up feeling brand new.
Why honey promotes a good night's sleep
1. It helps your brain get to work while you sleep
Let's get a little science-y, shall we? Your brain's main source of energy is glucose, or simple, easily-accessible sugar. So when you eat a teaspoon of honey before bed, what you're really doing is fueling up your brain to repair itself while you sleep. We'll count that as reason 5,412 why the human body is epic.
2. It staves off midnight hanger
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night feeling famished? There is a pretty big chance that that was your brain waking you up for more fuel. Many of us tend to eat dinner around 6 or 7 p.m, but we don’t actually go to bed until around 11 p.m. In the time between eating and actually calling it a night, our body has used up a significant portion of the glycogen, or energizing carbohydrates, we stored from our dinner. That's enough for our body to make it through the night.
Honey replenishes your body's glcyogen stores, making it the perfect nightcap to help you stay asleep all night.
3. It helps your body produce melatonin that supports sleep
Honey's natural sugars also slightly raise your insulin levels, allowing tryptophan to enter the brain. Tryptophan is an amino acid that is turned into niacin, which creates serotonin, which (we're getting there!) produces melatonin, an essential hormone for sleep.
How to use honey to support your sleep
A teaspoon of honey before bed is just what the doctor ordered. Enjoy it in a cup of tea, slathered on a cookie, or straight off the spoon.
What kind of honey to buy for sleep
When it comes to raw versus pasteurized honey, there's no contest. Pasteurization rids the honey of most of its vitamins, antioxidants, and antibiotic elements in honey. So here's the real question: Why wouldn't you choose the most beneficial honey for your body? We'll let your brain puzzle through that one tonight while you sleep soundly.