What is an ice cream that makes you sleepy?

December 20, 2025 •

4 min read

According to research published in the journal Nutrients, dairy products like milk and cheese, and therefore potentially some ice creams, contain tryptophan and other components that may promote sleep. This has led to the development of specially formulated products, such as Nightfood, which is an ice cream that makes you sleepy, or rather, a sleep-friendly alternative designed for nighttime consumption.

Quick Summary

Nightfood is a 'sleep-friendly' ice cream designed for nighttime consumption by minimizing ingredients that disrupt sleep and incorporating elements like magnesium and tryptophan that support rest. The aim is not to act as a sedative but to provide a less disruptive alternative to traditional, high-sugar, high-fat ice creams consumed before bed.

Key Points

Nightfood Ice Cream: The specific brand Nightfood is a sleep-friendly ice cream formulated to be less disruptive to your sleep cycle.
Key Ingredients: These ice creams contain ingredients known to support sleep, such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, and the amino acid glycine.
Fewer Sleep Disruptors: They are designed with lower levels of sleep-disrupting elements like excess sugar, fat, and caffeine.
Tryptophan-Rich Dairy: Dairy products naturally contain tryptophan, which helps the body produce sleep-regulating hormones like melatonin.
Natural Sleepy Foods: Ingredients like bananas, tart cherries, almonds, and walnuts are rich in sleep-promoting compounds and can be used in homemade versions.
Not a Cure for Insomnia: While these products can support better rest, they are not a cure for insomnia and should be part of a larger, healthy sleep routine.

The Science Behind Sleep-Friendly Ice Cream

For many, a late-night craving for a sweet treat like ice cream is a hard-to-resist habit. However, traditional ice cream, loaded with sugar and fat, can wreak havoc on your sleep cycle by causing blood sugar spikes and crashes. To address this, a company named Nightfood created a line of 'sleep-friendly' ice creams specifically formulated for evening consumption. Instead of adding sedatives, this ice cream is designed to be less disruptive to sleep by using a thoughtful combination of ingredients.

The formulation of a 'sleep-friendly' ice cream like Nightfood is not based on a single magic ingredient, but on a combination of factors. The developers remove common sleep disruptors and add ingredients known to support rest. These sleep-supportive elements can include:

Tryptophan: This essential amino acid is a precursor to serotonin and melatonin, the hormones that regulate sleep. Dairy products are naturally rich in tryptophan.
Magnesium: This mineral plays a crucial role in relaxing muscles and calming the nervous system, helping to activate the neurotransmitter GABA.
Calcium: Calcium helps the brain convert tryptophan into melatonin and promotes muscle relaxation.
Zinc: Zinc works as a cofactor in the synthesis of melatonin.
Amino Acid Glycine: Studies show glycine can help improve sleep and aid with sleep onset.
Fewer Sugars and Fats: High sugar and fat content can disrupt digestion and sleep. By reducing these, the ice cream is less taxing on the digestive system before bed.
Decaf Options: For flavors like coffee, decaf is used to eliminate caffeine.

The Role of Key Nutrients in Sleep

While Nightfood is a specific brand, the principles of using certain nutrients to aid sleep apply more broadly. Many foods naturally contain elements that can help you relax and prepare for rest. Incorporating these into homemade desserts or choosing products with similar nutritional profiles can also be beneficial.

Comparison: Sleep-Friendly vs. Regular Ice Cream


Feature	Sleep-Friendly Ice Cream (e.g., Nightfood)	Regular Premium Ice Cream
Primary Goal	Provides a sleep-supportive dessert with reduced sleep disruptors.	Offers a decadent, rich flavor and texture.
Sugar Content	Lower in sugar to prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes.	Often very high in sugar, which can disrupt sleep.
Fat Content	Lower in fat, making it easier to digest before bed.	High in saturated fat, which can hinder digestion.
Added Ingredients	Often fortified with magnesium, calcium, and amino acids to support relaxation.	No added sleep-promoting nutrients. May contain caffeine.
Caffeine	Uses decaf for coffee-flavored variants.	Standard coffee or chocolate flavors contain caffeine.
Lactose	Some formulations use ingredients like milk protein isolate to be relatively low in lactose.	Standard dairy-based products with higher lactose content.

Natural Ingredients for a Sleepy-Time Dessert

If you want to create your own sleep-friendly treats, several ingredients are worth considering due to their natural sleep-promoting properties:

Bananas: A great source of magnesium, potassium, and tryptophan, which support muscle and nerve function crucial for sleep. They are a core ingredient in 'nice cream'.
Tart Cherries: These are one of the best food sources of natural melatonin, the hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Tart cherry juice has been shown to improve sleep time and efficiency.
Almonds and Walnuts: These nuts contain magnesium and are good sources of melatonin, making them an excellent topping for a sleep-conscious dessert.
Oats: Oats contain melatonin and tryptophan. Combining oats with dairy can create a potent, sleep-enhancing combination.
Vanilla: The scent of vanilla is known for its relaxing properties, which can help reduce stress and anxiety, setting the stage for better sleep.

Creating Your Own Sleep-Friendly Ice Cream

Making a homemade version of an ice cream that makes you sleepy offers customization and control over ingredients. A simple 'nice cream' can be made by blending frozen bananas with almond milk and other flavorings. For a more traditional approach, you can create a base with milk high in alpha-lactalbumin and infuse it with sleep-friendly flavors like vanilla or cherry. The key is to keep sugar levels low and avoid heavy, hard-to-digest additions. For those interested in a pre-made solution, Nightfood offers various flavors designed with sleep in mind, such as 'Cookies N' Dreams' and 'Midnight Chocolate'. While not a magic bullet for insomnia, it represents a thoughtful approach to evening snacking for better rest.

Conclusion

There is no single traditional ice cream flavor that will guarantee a sleepy feeling, but specific products like Nightfood and homemade versions utilizing ingredients rich in tryptophan, magnesium, and melatonin are designed to promote better sleep by avoiding disruptive elements like excessive sugar, fat, and caffeine. By focusing on a balanced recipe that supports relaxation and healthy digestion, these specialized treats offer a guilt-free way to satisfy a nighttime craving without compromising sleep quality. For those with sleep concerns, a healthy diet combined with proper sleep hygiene remains the most effective strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, eating regular ice cream before bed is generally not recommended for sleep. The high sugar content can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, potentially waking you up during the night.

Nightfood is a brand of ice cream specifically designed to be 'sleep-friendly.' It is formulated by sleep and nutrition experts to be less disruptive to your sleep cycle.

Sleep-friendly ice creams can contain ingredients such as magnesium, calcium, zinc, the amino acid glycine, and tryptophan, which aid in relaxation and hormone production for sleep.

Yes, you can make your own version by blending sleep-supportive ingredients. For example, a 'nice cream' can be made by blending frozen bananas with milk, which provides magnesium and tryptophan.

No, Nightfood is not a cure for insomnia or a magic sleeping pill. It is designed to be a less disruptive alternative to traditional sugary desserts and part of a healthy sleep routine.

Side effects are minimal as these products don't contain sedatives. However, for those with lactose intolerance, even low-lactose products might cause mild digestive upset, which can disturb sleep.

Using milk with a higher content of alpha-lactalbumin, a protein rich in tryptophan, can be beneficial. Alternatively, lactose-free milk or milk alternatives like almond milk can be used.