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Why Are People Drinking Lettuce Water Before Bed?

A New Sleep Hack Making the Rounds on Social Media Deserves a Closer Look

August 21, 2025

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It can be hard to unwind at the end of a busy day. Between going to work, hitting the gym, running errands and squeezing in social plans, you may find yourself feeling wired when bedtime rolls around. Scrolling won’t help. So, what do you do? You drink a cup of lettuce water — at least if you’re using TikTok’s latest sleep hack. Here’s what you need to know about the trend.

What Is Lettuce Water?

A viral video from TikTok user shapla_11 breaks it down. “Apparently lettuce water makes you sleepy. Sis don’t sleep, so I’mma try it out,” she says. She then stuffs a handful of lettuce leaves in a mug and pours boiling water over it. She adds a bag of peppermint tea for taste, specifying that the tea itself doesn’t tend to make her sleepy.

After 10 minutes, she pulls out the lettuce leaves and takes a sip. “It tastes like nothing,” she notes. “Update: I do feel slightly drowsy,” she says a bit later. In the last clip of the video, she comes back obviously sleepier and confirms that the hack did the trick. The video has 1.5M views and comments like “it worked” and “my mom used to do this for me,” so it’s safe to say lettuce water struck a nerve.

Why People Are Trying Lettuce Water for Better Sleep

If you’re wondering why people would be so enthusiastic about lettuce water, it’s partly because of collective exhaustion, partly because Gen Z is obsessed with the idea of better sleep. According to Gallup, a majority of U.S. adults (57%) say they would feel better if they got more sleep.

Meanwhile, “sleepmaxxing” has been making the rounds on social media. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it encompasses techniques, rituals and products that are meant to improve your sleep. They don’t all work, of course, but they do highlight younger people’s growing interest in optimizing sleep.

Against that backdrop, it makes sense that a simple, cheap and natural hack like lettuce water would blow up. Plus, it seems harmless enough to experiment with. “I think the idea of drinking lettuce water is quite interesting. When I first heard of this trend, I was skeptical but not alarmed by it,” says registered dietitian Kristi Ruth.

Does Drinking Lettuce Water Work?

So, is there any actual science behind the concept of drinking lettuce water before bed or is it all anecdotal evidence and the power of the placebo effect? It turns out, a bit of both. “While some studies show promise for extracts of romaine lettuce to help improve sleep, there is no sound evidence involving humans showing that lettuce water will help you sleep,” according to Ruth.

“Lettuce contains a tiny amount of tryptophan, which may have some sedative effects. However, the concentration of tryptophan is low in lettuce. Lettuce also has lactucarium, which has sedative effects, as well. But, like tryptophan, the concentration is extremely low. Therefore, I can’t say that there is a strong scientific basis behind lettuce helping with sleep,” adds Wesley Buckle, licensed naturopathic doctor at The Oasis Recovery.

That said, the bedtime ritual of enjoying a warm beverage might play a role in helping people feel sleepy. It’s less about the lettuce and more about the signal that the habit sends to the brain: it’s time to relax. For example, research suggests that people who read before sleeping enjoy better Zzzs. The benefits of taking a warm bath or shower before bed have also been studied.

Are There Potential Downsides to Lettuce Water?

Blindly following TikTok wellness tips is never a good idea. But the good news is, there aren’t really any downsides to trying lettuce water if you’re curious about it — as long as you properly wash it in the same way that you would before making a salad.

“I don't see any downsides to trying lettuce water with hopes that it will help you sleep better. After all, the act of steeping lettuce and then drinking it while it's still warm before bed might have a calming effect all on its own,” says Ruth.

Buckle agrees: “As a naturopathic doctor, I think it’s harmless, and makes a great soothing bedtime ritual.” As Buckle puts it, if you find it relaxing and you enjoy it, go for it. “It’s inexpensive and safe. It could be a great part of a calming bedtime routine.”

Here’s an important caveat: If you suffer from chronic insomnia or feel constantly fatigued, it’s always worth consulting a medical or sleep professional. Lettuce water won’t fix serious sleep issues or make up for poor sleep hygiene, warns Buckle. And you wouldn’t want to delay getting proper treatment for something like sleep apnea because you were too busy trying home remedies.

As long as you think of lettuce water as a quirky nighttime ritual that helps you wind down and not a cure for serious sleep issues, go ahead and steep your own cup.

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