Does drinking beer help me sleep?

Alcohol may make you drowsy, and it also disrupts sleep later in the night. The hops in beer are a small amount, and I would not look to beer for sleep.

Are hops the same as cannabis?

They belong to the same plant family, and they are different plants with different chemistry. Hops do not contain THC.

The plant-oestrogen point applies to anyone with a hormone-sensitive condition. For others there is no specific monograph restriction by sex, though I would speak to a practitioner if you have any doubt.

Can I take hops with sleeping tablets or antidepressants?

Please speak to your GP or practitioner first. The EarthWise guidance asks anyone on sedatives, sleeping tablets or antidepressants to check before using Sleep Deep.

Is hops safe in pregnancy?

Safety is not established, so the monograph does not recommend it. The EarthWise guidance advises against Sleep Deep in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Hops: What It Is, How It Works, and When to Use It

Sarah Burt

Oct 14

6 min read

Hops (Humulus lupulus) are best known as the bitter flavouring in beer, and they have a second, quieter career as a herb traditionally used to support relaxation and sleep. The traditional case is old, the clinical research is thin, and there is one safety point that is often missed: hops contain a potent plant oestrogen. It is one of the six herbs in the EarthWise Sleep Deep tonic.

Green hop cones scattered on a rustic white wooden table, close-up with soft focus background

What it is

Hops belong to the hemp and cannabis family (Cannabaceae), and the plant is a vigorous perennial climbing vine that can grow six metres in a season, twining clockwise up poles and hedgerows. It grows wild in British hedgerows, and it is grown in Kent, Herefordshire and Worcestershire for brewing. Male and female flowers grow on separate plants, and the part used is the female flower cone, called a strobile, which looks like a small, papery, pale green pine cone.

Inside the cone are tiny yellow glands that hold the resin and oils responsible for both the bitterness of beer and the herb's medicinal use. The sleep tradition has a charming origin story, which is that hop pickers grew drowsy while harvesting, and pillows stuffed with hops were once a folk remedy for sleeplessness. I regard that as folklore and not as evidence.

A buyer's note worth reading. Check that the label names the cones (strobiles) and gives the Latin name Humulus lupulus. Hops lose their potency quickly, because the resins oxidise. Fresh cones smell strongly and sticky, while old ones smell cheesy and stale. Many supplements are standardised to a percentage of a particular compound, and the number on the label tells you about concentration and not about how well the product will work.

The active compounds

The cones contain bitter acids (humulones, or alpha acids, and lupulones, or beta acids), an essential oil rich in terpenes such as myrcene and humulene, and flavonoids, including xanthohumol and a compound called 8-prenylnaringenin.

The main proposed mechanism: calming activity. Hop extracts and some of their compounds have shown sedative-type effects in animal studies, and some of the bitter acid breakdown products have been studied for their effects on the receptors involved in calming signals.

Plant oestrogen. 8-prenylnaringenin is one of the most potent plant oestrogens known, acting on oestrogen receptors in laboratory studies. This is the reason for the caution about hormone-sensitive conditions in the safety section below.

How it is traditionally used

The EU herbal committee (HMPC) has a monograph on hop strobile (revision 1 adopted in 2014, with a periodic review under way). It recognises hops as a traditional herbal medicine for the relief of mild symptoms of mental stress and as an aid to sleep. It rests on long-standing use and not on clinical trials.

For adults and adolescents over 12, the monograph gives these traditional amounts:

For mental stress: a herbal tea of 500 mg of herb in 150 to 200 ml of boiling water, up to four times a day, or a tincture (1:5) of 1 to 2 ml up to three times a day.
As a sleep aid: a herbal tea of 500 to 1000 mg of herb in 150 to 200 ml of boiling water, taken 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime.

t lists hypersensitivity as the only contraindication, reports no known adverse reactions or interactions, and says safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding is not established, so it does not recommend use. It warns that hops may impair the ability to drive or use machinery, and it advises seeing a doctor or qualified practitioner if symptoms last more than two weeks.

In Western herbal practice hops are a classic evening herb, often combined with valerian, which is how they appear in Sleep Deep alongside Passionflower, Valerian, Lemon Balm, Lime Flower and Lavender.

What the research shows

Here is how the evidence reads.

Traditional evidence: mild stress and sleep. This is the basis of the EU monograph. It is a legitimate foundation for a gentle supporting herb and a weaker one than a well-run trial.

Limited evidence: sleep. Memorial Sloan Kettering's herb database describes the human data on hops for insomnia as preliminary, and notes that some studies combine hops with other herbs such as valerian. A hops and valerian combination may improve sleep in mild insomnia.

Limited evidence: menopausal symptoms. A few studies in postmenopausal women suggest a possible benefit, according to the same source. I have not reviewed these studies in enough detail to make claims.

Laboratory evidence. Hops have shown many activities in the laboratory, including anti-inflammatory and plant-oestrogen effects. I regard these as a reason for study and a reason for caution, and not as a result.

Safety evidence. The EU monograph reports no known adverse reactions. Respiratory problems have been linked to inhaling hop dust during harvesting and processing, which is an occupational matter. In laboratory studies, hops may affect some liver enzymes, although a standardised extract did not cause clinically relevant interactions in humans.

The honest caveat. Hops have a long tradition, a plausible rationale and little direct clinical evidence of their own. I regard them as a supporting herb in a sleep formula, and I take the plant-oestrogen point seriously.

Sarah's clinical perspective

I use hops in Sleep Deep as a tincture at a 1:5 ratio in 25% ethanol, alongside Passionflower, Valerian, Lemon Balm, Lime Flower and Lavender.

I am careful with anyone taking prescribed sedatives, sleeping tablets or antidepressants. I advise against combining Sleep Deep with alcohol, and I ask people to avoid driving or operating machinery until they know how it affects them.

Practical guidance

Dose. The EU monograph gives traditional adult amounts: a tea of 500 mg of herb up to four times a day for stress, 500 to 1000 mg 30 to 60 minutes before bed for sleep, or 1 to 2 ml of a 1:5 tincture up to three times a day for stress. These are traditional amounts, and they are not a dosing instruction for any particular product, including Sleep Deep.

Format. A tea of the cones is very bitter. A tincture or a standardised extract is the practical choice. Hop pillows are a folk remedy, and I know of no good evidence for them.

Time to effect. There is no clinical timeline for hops alone. The monograph advises seeing a doctor or practitioner if symptoms last more than two weeks.

Timing. For sleep, 30 to 60 minutes before bed, as in the monograph.

What it does not replace. Hops do not replace a proper approach to sleep, and they do not replace medical assessment of persistent insomnia. Snoring with pauses in breathing, restless legs, low mood or insomnia that lasts weeks need a GP.

For how to take the EarthWise tonic specifically, the dose and full safety information are on the product page.

Common questions

Does drinking beer help me sleep? Alcohol may make you drowsy, and it also disrupts sleep later in the night. The hops in beer are a small amount, and I would not look to beer for sleep.
Are hops the same as cannabis? They belong to the same plant family, and they are different plants with different chemistry. Hops do not contain THC.
Can men take hops? The plant-oestrogen point applies to anyone with a hormone-sensitive condition. For others there is no specific monograph restriction by sex, though I would speak to a practitioner if you have any doubt.
Can I take hops with sleeping tablets or antidepressants? Please speak to your GP or practitioner first. The EarthWise guidance asks anyone on sedatives, sleeping tablets or antidepressants to check before using Sleep Deep.
Is hops safe in pregnancy? Safety is not established, so the monograph does not recommend it. The EarthWise guidance advises against Sleep Deep in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Where hops appear in the EarthWise range

Hops are one of the six herbs in Sleep Deep, Sarah's formula for restless nights, where they sit with Passionflower, Valerian, Lemon Balm, Lime Flower and Lavender.

If you are not sure which formula fits, the EarthWise health quiz is the best place to start. Full safety information is on each product page.

When to seek professional support

Hops are generally well tolerated. Check with a practitioner first in these situations:

Sedatives, sleeping tablets or antidepressants. Hops may add to the effect.
A hormone-sensitive condition, such as certain breast, uterine or ovarian conditions. Hops contain a potent plant oestrogen.
Hormonal medication, including HRT or hormonal contraception. Check with your GP or pharmacist first.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Not recommended, as safety has not been established.
Driving or operating machinery. Hops may impair your ability, so avoid these activities until you know how you react.
Insomnia that lasts more than two weeks. The monograph advises seeing a doctor or qualified practitioner.
Under 12. The monograph does not recommend use in young children.

Sarah Burt is a registered naturopath, medical herbalist and iridologist with 25+ years of clinical experience. All EarthWise tonics are formulated by Sarah based on her clinical protocols.

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This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any health condition. Always consult a qualified health practitioner before making changes to your health regimen.