Is Eating Honey Before Bed a Healthy Habit?

We explain why honey is good for your health and why it's worth eating it before bed.
By
Romeo Vitelli
Romeo Vitelli
Expert Writer
Received his doctorate in Psychology in 1987, spent fifteen years as a staff psychologist in Millbrook Correctional Centre. In 2003 went into full-time private practice. read more
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Last updated: August 16, 2023
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At the end of a tiring day, there is nothing more you want to do than sleep. But sometimes, before going to bed, you might get this strong urge to have a snack. While you may want to eat some junk food, you might want to put that thought aside and get your hands on some honey before bed.

Known as nature’s golden medicine, honey might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of snacks before bed. In fact, it’s recommended to have a spoonful of honey before bed because of its numerous health benefits. This article will cover why honey is good for your body and why you should eat it before bed!

Health Benefits of Eating Honey Before Bed

The health benefits Trusted Source 10 Surprising Health Benefits of Honey This is an article about honey and its health benefits. It lists 10 ways that honey can improve your health, all of which are backed by science. www.healthline.com of honey go back to ancient times. Consumed as both food and medicine, honey has been in use for decades. With antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and humectant Trusted Source Humectant - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics www.sciencedirect.com properties, honey is proven to be extremely beneficial for the body.

Eating honey before bed helps satisfy your late-night cravings. This section will discuss the health benefits of eating honey before bed.

Benefits of Eating Honey Before Bed

Is Eating Honey Before Bed a Healthy Habit?

Honey is a sweet viscous food substance made by honey bees consisting of 30% glucose and 40% fructose. It also contains numerous vitamins and minerals. Rich in nutrients, honey offers many health benefits such as:

  1. Weight Loss

Honey aids in increasing the metabolism helping to burn fat quicker. Since honey helps produce glycogen in the liver, the blood sugar level in the brain gets high. This, in turn, stimulates the release of fat-burning hormones that enable weight loss.

  1. Improves Sleep Quality

Honey consists of tryptophan that helps stimulate melatonin production in the body. Once you take a teaspoon of honey before bed, your body starts producing the sleep hormone which helps you relax and ease off any stress. Combine that with a white noise machine and you can have a good deep sleep.

  1. Functional Liver

One of the greatest features of honey is that it helps improve liver function. Honey causes elevation of glucose in the body which causes the liver to perform its duties better. The fuel provided by the honey ensures that your body does not go into stress mode.

  1. Lowering Triglycerides

Triglyceride is a type of fat that can be harmful to the body, especially with regard to heart diseases and diabetes. Honey helps lower triglycerides while lowering the risk for such harmful diseases.

  1. Improves Immune System

Rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, honey can help improve the immune system and give it the boost it needs to fight infectious diseases.

  1. Source of Energy

The glucose in the honey helps provide your body with an energy boost. For a flavorful source of energy, we recommend getting the raw wildflower honey.

  1. Treatment For Cough

Eating honey can help soothe your throat as it helps reduce any irritation. Honey can also help fight off any bacteria present in the throat.

The video below shows how honey affects your body if you eat it every day.

What Can You Add Honey To?

As good as it is on its own, you can add honey to a variety of food items to help boost their flavor.

Honey goes really well with hot beverages such as tea, green tea, or hot milk. Of course, make sure you use the best quality honey as it offers the most benefits. Drinking a warm beverage with honey, like green tea with honey before bed, can help improve your sleep quality. You can doze off with your sleep masks on and wake up fresh for the next day.

You can also add honey to different food items such as cereal, oats, fruits, toast, and much more. Honey is an extremely versatile item that can go with almost everything.

How Much Should You Eat?

Honey contains many different nutrients that support your organs and helps improve the sleep cycle. Having apple cider vinegar and honey before bed ensures that your liver gets a consistent supply of glycogen. This means that taking honey before bed can provide you with ample amounts of energy for the next day.

It’s usually recommended to take 1–2 teaspoons of honey before bed. This will ensure that there is enough glycogen in your liver, ensuring that the brain does not activate a stress response which usually occurs in case the glycogen level is low in the body.

With no stress response, the body can easily produce melatonin in the brain due to an increase in insulin levels in the body. With your natural body processes taking place, you’ll be able to sleep peacefully throughout the night. You can even track your sleep with a sleep tracker and see the difference honey makes in your sleep cycle.

Apart from sleep, eating that much amount of honey also ensures that your metabolism remains healthy, and the toxins in your body are broken down and released easily.

Are There Any Side Effects?

Since honey is known to be sweet, an increase in intake can affect blood sugar levels. This is why you need to consume the recommended amount of honey. Apart from this, many people can be allergic to honey. The symptoms of an allergic reaction to honey can include wheezing, dizziness, nausea, fainting, or irregular heartbeats. In such cases, it’s best to avoid taking any honey.

Final Thoughts

Honey is a great consumable substance that is packed with flavor as well as nutritional benefits. While you can take honey any time of the day, eating honey before bed can be extremely beneficial for your body as well as your sleep cycle. Not only will you wake up energized, but with your liver performing better you will be able to live a long and healthy life. Just make sure that you consume it in moderation.

References

1.
10 Surprising Health Benefits of Honey
This is an article about honey and its health benefits. It lists 10 ways that honey can improve your health, all of which are backed by science.
2.
Humectant - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
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