(Image credit: Future)
Everyone wants to sleep better but few want to acknowledge that good sleep is a matter of consistency and healthy habits. Wouldn't it be easier if sleep came in a cup? Say, some kind of sleepy girl mocktail?Enter the rise of the TikTok sleep hack. Social media is cluttered with foods and drinks said to be as sleep-inducing as a tranquilizer dart. And as someone who loves a shortcut and often gets snack-y before bed, I'm the perfect target for a TikTok sleep trend.Armed with my Withings ScanWatch 2 and seven popular sleep recipes, I spent a week experimenting with everything from lettuce water to bedtime brownies.I also asked Laura Perez, Registered Dietician and Clinical Nutrition Lead at Simple Online Pharmacy, to weigh in on the supposed benefits. Did any of them work? The proof is in my sleep scores...I tested the internet’s favorite bedtime snacks and drinks — here’s what they did for my sleepNight one: Baby carrots
(Image credit: Future)Carrots are a healthy choice for an evening snack, but for TikTok scientists it's all about the carotenoids.These pigments, responsible for the distinctive orange of carrots, is turned into vitamin A in your body. This helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which keeps the sleep-wake cycle running smoothly."They also contain fibre, which can help keep you satisfied overnight," adds Perez. "And they’re unlikely to cause the blood sugar spikes that some sugary snacks can."Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.How to prepare baby carrotsThis viral trend insists on seven baby carrots before bed. Not five, not six. Precisely seven. However, a bit of research shows that baby carrots are typically just regular carrots, shaved down and rounded.With this in mind, I opted for the equivalent amount of regular carrot. I scrubbed them and sliced them into sticks, for easy snacking, and kept the nutrient-rich skin on.About an hour before bed, I tucked into my snack.Verdict: Did baby carrots improve my sleep?Sleep score: 66My Withings sleep tracker awarded my a score of 66 for this night. That's slightly below average for me, but my scores often dip on a Saturday, when I'm more likely to let my routine slip."There’s no strong evidence that carrots themselves make people sleepy," says Perez, "but choosing a light, balanced snack before bed may be more comfortable than eating something very rich or heavy late in the evening."My carrot sticks were enjoyable but not moreish, so I went to bed feeling comfortable rather than full.Not the sleep bullet TikTok suggested but a nutritious alternative to a pre-bed cookie.
