What is a nightcap without alcohol?

A nightcap without alcohol is a warm, caffeine-free drink you sip as part of your wind-down, such as herbal tea. Alcohol may make you drowsy at first but tends to fragment sleep later, so a non-alcoholic version keeps the relaxing ritual without that downside. Chamomile is the classic choice.

Chamomile tea is naturally caffeine-free. A meta-analysis of 12 randomized trials found it improved sleep quality, though effects were modest, and a doctor quoted by Sleep Foundation suggests drinking it 45 to 60 minutes before bed. Limit large amounts late at night if you often wake to urinate.

Check blended products for caffeine, and talk to your doctor first if you are pregnant or nursing, have kidney or liver disease, take medications, or are allergic to ragweed or chrysanthemums. Some herbal products are made for this ritual, including Noddie Night, which is an alcohol-free, caffeine-free herbal drink, but plain tea or warm milk works as a ritual too.

A drink is a small cue, not a fix. Regular sleep habits matter more, and trouble most nights for months deserves a doctor visit.

Source: Sleep Foundation - Does Chamomile Tea Help You Sleep?

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