Does Hot Chocolate Help You Sleep?

There are many ways hot chocolate helps you sleep. But let's start with something general – bedtime routine. Bedtime routines can significantly help you, but also any change in bedtime routine may negatively affect night's sleep. Therefore, a few steps from the routine should not be abruptly skipped. If hot chocolate becomes part of your bedtime routine, then the body will automatically begin to prepare for sleep as soon as you smell hot chocolate. This is definitely the first way it can help you sleep.

Have you ever wondered why we feel sleep in the first place? Sleep is one of the basic functions of our body and something we cannot live without, similar to food, water and air. That is why it is normal to feel the need to sleep every day. Circadian rhythm is actually our inner clock that controls the 24-hour sleep and wake cycle. The body and mind ask us to sleep so that we can renew our energy, memorize what you have learned, cleanse the body of toxins and do many other essential things. This is the simplest answer to the question why do we feel sleep in the first place.

You can find chocolates that contain more than 80% cocoa and such chocolates have a very small amount of sugar. But every hot chocolate has significantly more sugar because chocolates with a lower percentage of cocoa are usually used, sugar is added and milk also contains sugar. This will probably make you wonder if it can cause a counter-effect and give you an energy boost instead of calming you down.

This is certainly a real concern because it can happen that hot chocolate keeps you awake if you put in too much sugar. Fortunately, you can make this perfectly tasty drink with a significantly lower amount of sugar, so you will avoid the problem of spike in energy, and you will also make hot chocolate healthier.

Yes, there are alternatives to hot chocolate before bed. But we have to warn you! No alternative is nearly as delicious as hot chocolate. Nonetheless these alternatives can be equally or even more effective to aid sleep.

The most effective sleep supplement is melatonin. We have already mentioned the role of melatonin and how the body secretes it naturally. Melatonin supplementation can certainly help you feel asleep faster and on time. Warm milk with vanilla and cinnamon can give similar results as hot chocolate. Valerian is the plant that is the most effective natural sleep remedy. Some find chamomile , turmeric and rooibos tea useful as well. If you are a bit old fashioned, try mulled hot cider, but if you plan to consume it often, our advice is to choose non-alcoholic cider.

It's no secret that you sleep much better when you are in a good mood than when you are depressed. Low mood can cause insomnia even if you feel very tired. Hot chocolate will not solve all your problems, but it will certainly make you feel better. If the low mood period lasts a long time, then you should consult a doctor because there may be a medical condition that needs to be treated, such as central sleep apnea, obstructive sleep apnea or thyroid problem.

Everyday life is filled with stressful events. These are not always very stressful events, but they are constant. So a traffic jam or something like that can completely ruin our day. Anxiety worsens in the evening, making the stress even more pronounced. As with mood boost, hot chocolate can help you reduce stress, calm down central nervous system and fall asleep without nighttime worrying.

We are constantly exposed to pollution. Free radicals are all around us, and these unstable molecules can cause chain chemical reactions in the body which leads to various health problems. Antioxidants are very important for protection and recovery of our cells after exposure of our body to harmful effects of free radicals. Dark chocolate is very rich in antioxidants, so we recommend that you choose dark chocolate that contains 70 or more percent cocoa – the more the merrier.\

Cocoa certainly does not contain the same amount of caffeine as coffee or green tea, but a larger amount of hot chocolate can act as a stimulant. The amount of caffeine in hot chocolate is up to 10 times smaller compared to coffee, but there are people who are very sensitive to caffeine and even a small amount can disrupt their night's sleep. Coffee and energy drinks should be avoided after 3 PM and limit your daily intake, otherwise you may be tired but will not be able to fall asleep.

We have considered whether we should mention theobromine in this part of the text. We were reluctant to classify theobromine in the same part as caffeine, because theobromine also has positive effects. Theobromine is a muscle relaxant and that’s a plus. But this alkaloid also has one downside. The body can react to it similarly like when you consume caffeine, although there are no studies that have proven the role of theobromine as a stimulant.

We’ve already talked about how sugar can give you an unwanted energy kick that affect sleep. That's not the only way sugar can cause problem. If you suffer from diabetes, then you should absolutely avoid consuming sugar in the evening, which includes hot chocolate. Healthy people should avoid excessive stimulation of the pancreas too.

So, does hot chocolate help you sleep better? Probably yes but you need to be careful because of sugar. Achieving deep sleep is of the greatest importance for our overall good health. We try to have a good night's sleep in different ways. The lucky ones just go to bed, fall asleep quickly and sleep for 8 hours. Many others need something to help them fall asleep. Implementing a bedtime routine into your schedule can help significantly. A bedtime routine can be anything, such as reading a book, drinking warm milk or hot chocolate.