Honey for Sleep

No trial has shown that honey improves sleep in healthy adults. Popular claims that a spoon of honey before bed restocks liver glycogen to stop night waking, or raises melatonin, have not been tested in people. The only trials that measured sleep gave honey to children with a cough from a cold, and their results are mixed (below). A warm, sweet drink can still be part of a bedtime wind-down routine.

The trial evidence links honey to sleep only through cough. In the 2007 Penn State trial (Paul et al., 105 children aged 2 to 18 with colds, one night), parents rated buckwheat honey best for their children's nighttime cough and sleep; honey beat no treatment on cough frequency and the combined score, but its difference from the OTC cough suppressant dextromethorphan was not statistically significant. That trial had no placebo. A 2022 Japanese trial (Nishimura et al., Acta Paediatrica) gave 161 children aged 1 to 5 with colds either acacia honey or a honey-flavored syrup placebo before bed on two nights; both groups improved, and honey was no better than the placebo for nighttime cough or sleep. We found no published trial testing honey as a sleep aid for healthy adults. The glycemic index of honey varies by sample — one Romanian acacia honey measured 32, while US clover honey measured 69, near table sugar (65) — and every honey raises blood sugar.

There is no clinically established dose or timing. Some people include honey in a bedtime wind-down routine, either straight or dissolved in a small amount of warm water. Warm honey milk is a traditional bedtime drink: heat one cup of milk (dairy or fortified plant-based) to a warm drinking temperature and stir in one tablespoon of honey — acacia honey works well here because its flavor is mild. Golden milk adds a pinch of turmeric, a small pinch of black pepper and optionally a dash of cinnamon for flavor. Honey-chamomile tea is another caffeine-free option: steep chamomile for five minutes, let it cool slightly, then stir in a tablespoon of linden honey or wildflower honey. Add honey to warm rather than boiling liquid so it keeps its aroma. A tablespoon of honey adds about 64 calories and 17 g of sugar, so count it toward your daily added sugar.

No honey variety has been shown to help sleep more than another, so choose by flavor. Wildflower honey is a good general choice with a flavor that pairs well with warm drinks. Linden honey (basswood) has a mild, slightly floral flavor. Buckwheat honey has a dark color and strong molasses-like flavor; it was the honey used in the 2007 Penn State cough trial. Acacia honey is the mildest in flavor; it was the honey in the 2022 Japanese trial, where it did no better than a placebo syrup. Manuka honey costs far more and has no shown advantage for sleep. Raw or regular honey both work in a bedtime drink; use whichever you enjoy.

Honey is a safe food for most adults, but it is not a proven sleep aid. People with diabetes should count the carbohydrate — one tablespoon of honey contains approximately 17 grams of carbs and will raise blood sugar — and talk to their healthcare provider. Honey is not a treatment for clinical insomnia. If you regularly take more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, wake frequently during the night, or feel unrefreshed after adequate sleep duration, speak with a healthcare provider about possible sleep disorders. Other sleep hygiene practices — consistent bedtime, cool dark room, limiting screens before bed, avoiding caffeine after noon — matter more than anything you stir into a drink. Never give honey to infants under 12 months due to infant botulism risk. For older children, talk to your pediatrician about appropriate amounts. The caloric content of honey (about 64 calories per tablespoon) is modest, but if you are managing your weight, factor it into your daily intake. Dental hygiene is also worth noting — brush your teeth after consuming honey before bed to prevent cavity formation from the natural sugars.