Drink One Of These 20 Beverages Before Bed, Sleep Like A Baby

If you are desperately trying to counteract triggers like crying babies, side effects from medication, work stress, and late night parties, there are natural remedies you can drink that will help you get those much needed Zzzs.

Click here for drinks that will help you sleep

Doctors say there are also a few things you can easily do to prevent sleepless nights, beginning with your diet. You know that large coffee you can't live without each afternoon? It may be one of the culprits keeping you up, so try avoiding caffeinated drinks and foods after lunch. And be sure you have a regular routine that includes the same bedtime every night (or close to it) that you relax before you go to bed, and get a minimum of seven hours of deep sleep. 

Thanks to research by scientists, we know there are plants and ingredients that help you relax, calm your nerves, or stimulate reactions in the body that help you fall asleep easier. There are teas, tisanes, and drinks that contain magnesium (which improves sleep by helping you fall asleep faster and sleeping deeper); potassium citrate (which has a calming effect and helps you sleep better), melatonin, the "body clock" hormone that regulates your sleep/wake cycles; L-tryptophan (which is an essential dietary amino acid needed to produce serotonin), serotonin (a brain chemical that affects mood and helps you relax so you sleep better) and other amino acids with calming properties, like L-theanine (a non-dietary amino acid found primarily in teas made from Camellia sinensis).

To help you discover which drinks contain these properties, and how to find them, we've compiled a list of our favorite drinks that will have you peacefully drifting off to sleep in no time at all.

Note of Caution: As with any kind of herbal supplement or remedy, please consult your physician before taking anything that may interact with other medications or negatively impact existing medical conditions.

Summer Whitford is the D.C. Editor at The Daily Meal and also writes about food, drink, and travel. Follow her on Twitter @FoodandWineDiva, on Instagram at thefoodandwinediva, and read more of her stories here.