If you're scrolling through TikTok late at night, desperately searching for a sleep remedy, you've probably stumbled upon the bizarre yet oddly intriguing trend of lettuce water. This viral hack claims that boiling lettuce and drinking the resulting "tea" can knock you out faster than counting sheep. But before you raid your fridge for that sad head of iceberg, let's dig into whether this leafy elixir actually works or if it's just another social media placebo with great PR.
The Science (or Lack Thereof) Behind Lettuce Water
Here's the deal: while TikTokers swear by lettuce water’s drowsy magic, the scientific backing is thinner than a slice of deli ham. A handful of studies exist—mostly on mice—suggesting certain lettuce extracts might have mild sedative effects. One 2017 mouse study found that lettuce leaf and seed extracts prolonged sleep duration, while a 2018 human study focused on pregnant women with insomnia reported reduced symptoms after taking lettuce seed extract. But here’s the catch: boiling a few lettuce leaves in your kitchen isn’t the same as consuming concentrated extracts used in clinical trials. As sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus puts it, "You’d need a truckload of lettuce to match the doses used in research." The lactucarium (a milky, opiate-like compound found in wild lettuce) that 19th-century folk medicine relied on? It’s barely present in your grocery-store Romaine. So unless you’re harvesting wild lettuce like a Victorian apothecary, the sleepiness you feel is likely psychological—or just the comforting ritual of sipping warm liquid before bed.
Why People Think It Works
Placebo effect, baby. If you chug lettuce water convinced it’ll make you snooze, your brain might just oblige. Plus, the act of preparing a bedtime "tea" signals relaxation—similar to chamomile rituals. Warm liquids also raise body temperature slightly, which can trigger drowsiness as your core cools afterward. And let’s be real: if you’re desperate enough to try lettuce water, you’re probably already primed for exhaustion. As one TikTok user admitted, "I was so tired from Googling sleep hacks that I’d have passed out anyway."
How to Make It (If You’re Curious)
For those still tempted to experiment, here’s the low-effort recipe taking TikTok by storm:
1、Grab 3–4 large Romaine or iceberg leaves (organic, unless you fancy pesticide tea).
2、Simmer in 2 cups of water for 10–15 minutes.
3、Strain, sip, and pray to the sleep gods.
Pro tip: Add mint or honey to mask the flavor—described by one brave soul as "like licking a wet lawn." And for the love of all things hygienic, WASH YOUR LETTUCE. Bugs and bacteria don’t need invites to your slumber party.
Better Alternatives for Better Sleep
Instead of gambling on lettuce broth, try these research-backed sleep boosters:
At the end of the day, lettuce water won’t hurt you—unless you consider disappointment a health risk. If it works for you, great! But if you’re still staring at the ceiling, it might be time to swap TikTok trends for a white-noise machine and a boring podcast. Sweet dreams, or at least sweeter than boiled salad.
