Many people enjoy an after-dinner treat. Historically, however, chocolate at bedtime has been somewhat controversial. For one thing, it contains a trace amount of caffeine, as well as theobromine, a compound that, although health-promoting, can also boost wakefulness.
But chocolate also contains nutrients that can aid sleep. One ounce of dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao) has more than 15% of your daily recommended dose of magnesium, the same amount as half a cup of black beans or quinoa. Magnesium is responsible for many functions in the body, including promoting relaxation and improving sleep. Chocolate also contains tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body produce serotonin, a hormone that in turn helps to regulate sleep.
Since one-third of American adults report regular insufficient sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the sleep-inhibiting elements of chocolate should probably not be taken lightly. Enter chocolate-flavored sleep aids.
Along with chocolate or cocoa, these sleep aids contain natural elements that help you drift off, such as melatonin, GABA, and L-theanine. So along with getting a good night’s rest, you also get to enjoy some chocolate.
We purchased and sampled some of these chocolate-covered sleep aids; here are five that we liked. A word of warning: Keep these supplements out of the reach of young children, who could mistake them for regular sweets.
Dream by Fx Chocolate
Dream is the sleep-promoting product by Fx, which also offers chocolates to boost focus, immunity, beauty, and more. Each square contains 3 mg of melatonin and 5-HTP, a compound that helps boost serotonin production. No worries about a sugar rush; these chocolates are sweetened with allulose, a low-calorie, naturally occurring sweetener found in figs, raisins, and some other fruits, that doesn’t raise blood sugar.
Dream by Fx Chocolate: $20 for 15 pieces
Sleep by Good Day Chocolate
These candy-coated M&M-like milk chocolate treats are delicious and fun; plus, you can get them in dosages with 1, 3, or 5 mg of melatonin, so you can have just what you need. They also contain chamomile, a popular natural sleep remedy. They’re non-GMO and made with Fair Trade chocolate, and the bright candy coating is colored with dyes made from fruits and vegetables.
Sleep by Good Day Chocolate: 80 pieces; $28 for 1 mg melatonin, $32 for 3 mg, $36 for 5 mg
Sleepy Chocolate by The Functional Chocolate Company
Along with bars to help with mood, focus, energy, PMS, and libido, this company offers a blueberry-lavender bar for bedtime. Nibble on a couple of 60% cacao squares to get sleep-promoting botanical ingredients like chamomile, lemon balm, and valerian root, along with GABA and melatonin. Plus, it’s non-GMO and made with Fair Trade cocoa.
Sleepy Chocolate by The Functional Chocolate Company: $7.50 for a 1.75-ounce bar (three two-square servings)
Sleep Hot Cocoa by Hydrant
Your grandma was right: The ritual of making yourself a warm drink at bedtime, and then sipping it, can help you wind down. Make yourself this hot cocoa, and you also get soothing L-theanine, GABA, and 3 mg of melatonin. Plus, since hydration is key to good sleep, Sleep hot cocoa also contains electrolytes, minerals that help the body maintain fluid balance. The company recommends stirring a packet into 4 to 8 ounces of hot water or your milk of choice 30 minutes before bedtime; we’d stick to the smaller amount so you won’t have to get up in the middle of the night to visit the bathroom.
Sleep Hot Cocoa: $12 for 10 single-serve packets
Slumber Party Sleep Boost by Love Sweat Fitness
Simply stir a scoop of this chocolate powder into your milk of choice (hot or cold) 30 minutes before bed and enjoy the indulgence, along with relaxing magnesium, L-theanine, GABA, valerian root, chamomile, and 2.2 mg of melatonin. Using vanilla for a creamy flavor and sweetness from stevia, this powder is a treat you’ll welcome into your nighttime routine.
Slumber Party Sleep Boost by Love Sweat Fitness: $35 for a 4.4-ounce can (28 servings)
