Lettuce Water: The New Sleepytime Tea!
Lettuce water: it works!
I suffer from insomnia. It could be the fact that I have too many coffees a day, sometimes even in the afternoon. Or it could be my anxiety keeping me awake at night. I’ve resorted to taking melatonin, which apparently makes me sleep like the dead. Recently I ran out which meant a couple of nights of tossing and turning before heading to the store to buy another bottle. But then, I saw a bunch of people drinking lettuce water on Tiktok. So I gave it a try.
What is lettuce water?
It’s lettuce leaves and hot water. That’s it. The hot water wilts the lettuce and it mildly flavors the water. You can’t really taste it.
It comes to us via Shapla who heard that it helps you sleep. She took some lettuce, put it in a cup with a bag of peppermint tea, then poured hot water on it and took out the lettuce and tea. Apparently it tastes like nothing and it made her sleepy. I happened to have lettuce in the fridge and at 3 in the morning, after staring at multiple lettuce water tiktoks I was more than ready to give it a try.
How to make lettuce water
- Take a bunch of clean lettuce leaves and place them in a mug.
- Pour hot water on top and let the leaves wilt.
- Remove everything and drink the water.
Does lettuce water make you sleepy?
YES! It’s science. Lettuce and lettuce seed oil has long been used to promote sleepiness. Lettuce has high leaves of lactucin and lactucarium, which makes you sleepy, relieves mild pain, and promotes relaxation. Here’s an study on lettuce and sleepiness that I found interesting!
Why does lettuce water make you sleepy?
The lactucin in lettuce makes you sleepy and relaxed. You could probably also just eat a bunch of lettuce, but it seems more night time to have a warm drink. Lettuce is the new sleepytime tea!
What kind of lettuce can I use?
I used green leaf lettuce. You can also use romaine. Iceberg lettuce doesn’t work as well because it doesn’t have as much lactucarium. The lettuce with the most lactucarium are wild lettuce. Wild lettuce isn’t sold in stores though.
Lettuce in order of sleepiness effect
- red romaine
- green romaine
- red leaf lettuce
- green leaf lettuce
What does lettuce water taste like?
It doesn’t taste like much, like water with a slight, mild vegetal flavor.
How can I make it taste nicer?
Add some tea! On Tiktok they added peppermint tea (which can actually help with deeper sleep and is caffeine free). You can also use chamomile, ginger, or any herbal caffeine free tea that you like.
Did it work for me?
Yes! It might have been because it was really late at night but I think it was the combination of lettuce and chamomile that made me drowsy. After I finished my mug, I resisted looking at my phone in bed and drifted off to sleep what felt like instantly.
What to do with all your extra lettuce
Sweet dreams!
xoxo steph
Lettuce Water
Fall asleep easier with lettuce water.
- Place the lettuce and herbal tea in a tea cup and pour boiling hot water on top.
- Let steep for 5 minutes, then remove the lettuce and tea bag. Let cool slightly, enjoy, and fall asleep.
Nutrition Facts
Lettuce Water
Amount Per Serving
Calories 0.01
% Daily Value*
Fat 0.01g0%
Saturated Fat 0.01g0%
Cholesterol 0.01mg0%
Sodium 0.01mg0%
Potassium 0.01mg0%
Carbohydrates 0.01g0%
Fiber 0.01g0%
Sugar 0.01g0%
Protein 0.01g0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
