I am one of those people who SWEARS by melatonin to help me sleep at night so when I saw this trending on TikTok, I was intrigued. There are multiple viral videos of people using lettuce water (yes, lettuce water) to help them sleep at night. This is where you take romaine lettuce, take a few pieces, shove it in a mug, and pour boiling water on top. Sounds gross right?
I had to do some research of my own and found thousands of users who commented on the original video in full support of this new trend.
@shapla_11 if you can’t sleep, try this #lettucewater #insomnia #lifehacks #fyp
@MilaSummer says, “My mum used to do this for me, boiled water and leave it in the pan for 5min on minimum heat, always worked for me and it’s all natural.”
@MJ continues, “in Mexico people bathe their babies in lettuc baths. It’s a neat trick to get babies to sleep, good to know it works in this way as well.”
I was a little scared it was going to taste like I was actually drinking lettuce so I also threw in a bag of Camomile tea and a little bit of honey.
Within 30 minutes… I was sound asleep. Not only did the lettuce water help me fall asleep quickly but it also helped me to sleep through the entire night. I also woke up feeling refreshed which is odd because normally before that first cup of coffee hits my body, I am normally pretty drowsy when I first wake up.
Still a skeptic? Here’s some science to back it up!
Michelle Ulman from the spruce has done some research in support of lettuce’s sleep-inducing properties:
“Lettuce, especially romaine lettuce, contains a phytonutrient called lactucarium, which is said to induce sleep, relieve pain and promote relaxation. If munching on a salad before bedtime isn’t appealing, you can brew lettuce tea by pouring very hot water over romaine leaves, then letting them steep for ten minutes before adding a touch of honey for a sweet flavor.”
Who else will be stopping by their local produce aisle on the way home?