I’m no stranger to having trouble falling asleep. Most nights I stay up until I absolutely cannot keep my eyes open any longer. I hate tossing and turning in bed when I can’t sleep, so simply staying up has been my go-to method of avoiding that. Admittedly, it’s not a perfect solution, but I don’t like the idea of relying on sleep medication to fall asleep. Luckily for me, I recently stumbled across a recipe for a banana and cinnamon tea that seemed to be exactly what I was looking for – a simple and natural way to promote sleepiness at bed time.
This simple “tea” combines vitamins and minerals from two natural sources (banana and cinnamon) to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. The banana supplies your body with potassium that helps regulate blood pressure and supports your nervous system. It also packs a punch of magnesium, which helps relax your muscles, and vitamin B6, which helps your body create the chemicals that regulate your sleep cycle.
Additionally, studies have suggested that cinnamon can help regulate blood sugar levels in your body. Spikes in blood sugar can contribute to sleeplessness, so a dose of cinnamon before bed can potentially offset this effect. Put the benefits of cinnamon and banana together, and you’ve got a powerful yet natural combination that can work wonders for your sleep! Here’s how to make it.
Banana Cinnamon Tea
Ingredients:
- 1 organic banana, peeled
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- Filtered water
Directions:
- Put about 2 cups of filtered water into a small pot and bring it to a boil.
- Add the peeled banana to the pot, then boil the banana for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stir 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon into the water.
- Place a mesh sieve over your favorite mug. Then pour the contents of the pot slowly through the sieve into the mug.
- Allow the tea to cool to a drinkable temperature, then drink before bedtime.
Bonus Tip: If you don’t want to waste the boiled banana, put it in a ziplock bag and keep it in the fridge. You can add it to a bowl of oatmeal in the morning! Or put it in the freezer to make banana bread at a later date. ;-)
