In the world of armchair experts on social media, it’s always best to do your homework before trying a hack or trend — no matter how viral. The latest: With 41.2 million views and counting on TikTok, #lettucewater posts share a sleep hack that involves, obviously, drinking water infused with lettuce (usually romaine or iceberg). While the origin of the trend is unclear, TikTok user Shapla Hoque, or @shapla_11, was one of the first to post about lettuce water, also called lettuce tea, in May last year. Since then, the post has garnered 1.5 million likes, which isn’t surprising given how many people struggle with sleep on the reg. (FWIW, about 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)
Another rodent study published in 2019 also found that romaine lettuce extract helped rats sleep longer than usual. But, again, this is research on animals, not people, and included pretty high doses of lettuce extract, not lettuce water.
There are a few other potential issues with the claim that lettuce water will make you sleepy. "The biggest thing is volume — as in, how much you would need to give somebody to feel sedated," says Dr. Winter. "How would you ever get enough out of a few pieces of lettuce steeped in water? The process of extracting lactucarium is much more complicated."
"If this was something that was actually sedating, you wouldn't be able to leave a restaurant after having a chef salad," continues Dr. Winter. "You'll get way more lettuce — and potentially sedating lactucarium — if you're eating a salad than if you're just steeping a few leaves."
So why are all these TikTok users dozing off after drinking lettuce water? There are a few potential reasons: One is that it could simply be the placebo effect at play, says Alan. Meaning, if you think lettuce water will make you tired, it can actually make you feel tired on some level.
Another has to do with the fact that you’re sipping on a warm beverage. “The warmth of a beverage can feel relaxing and sedating for some people,” adds Dr. Winter. In fact, research has linked a slew of warm drinks, including milk and various teas, to sleepiness. But, beyond that, “there’s really no science to support” drinking lettuce water to help you sleep, says Dr. Winter. (See also: The 10 Best Natural Sleep Aids, According to Customer Reviews)
Not to mention the concoction may taste pretty gross. After all, you're literally soaking lettuce in water — a process that allows the liquid to take on the flavor of the dry ingredients, which in this case are lettuce leaves. Other than potentially having to chug nasty-tasting beverage, drinking lettuce water is pretty safe, says Alan. "Unless you have some sort of lettuce allergy, this is completely harmless."
What are some other hacks to help you sleep?
If you like the idea of a natural sleep aid, try just having a warm beverage before bed instead, suggests Dr. Winter. His personal recommendations include chamomile or passionflower tea — both of which have been linked to better sleep. “Drinking that warm tea could be a natural trigger for sleepiness,” he says. And, if you’re doing this — or any other healthy sleep hygiene habit, such as taking a hot bath, journaling, or spritzing your pillow with a lavender spray — nightly, it can create a routine that signals to your body that you’re preparing to rest. “All of that can help signal to your body that when you smell, feel, and taste these things, it’s time for sleep,” he explains. (BTW, doing some breathing exercises for sleep before hitting the hay can also help with those Zzz’s.)
Still, if you really want to add lettuce water to your p.m. routine, go for it: “It’s not hurting anything,” he notes. And hey, you can always take another tip from TikTok (specifically, Hoque) and steep the leaves alongside a bag of peppermint tea for a tastier bedtime beverage.
