I Added CBD Hot Chocolate to My Bedtime Routine and *Spoiler* I’m Never Taking It Out

After hauling it to my local bookstore to stock up on some bedtime reads, the next step was getting some kind of soothing, sleep-time ritual in order. I was stumped... until I was introduced to Beam CBD Dream Powder. The hot chocolate blend of sleep-boosting nano CBD, vitamins, and minerals just has to be mixed in with water or your milk of choice—and boom: You've got an adult, de-stressing twist on everyone's favorite chocolatey beverage with no added sugar.

And I count myself in with everyone (my favorite dessert combination is chocolate and chocolate, with a side of chocolate). So, I figured: Why not add this cocoa CBD drink into my bedtime routine to see if my go-to flavor can also send me straight to snooze-town?

Plus, according to Beam co-founder Matt Lombardi: "Of our customers who have purchased dream, 98 percent of customers reported falling asleep faster after taking dream powder*." And 99 percent experience better sleep quality, he adds. All signs pointed to next stop: snooze-town.

Keep scrolling for my experience drinking CBD hot chocolate before bed—and why I don't plan on stopping.

The first prep + sip

For my first night, I grabbed my go-to mug with warm almond milk, added one scoop of Dream Powder, and blended it all together with my Beam frother (psst: the mug and frother are included with a dream subscription). I've always wanted to use a frother, and tbh I immediately felt cooler and extremely proud of my end result—so I totally understand the whole barista vibe now.

So far, so great with my execution. Plus, the texture of the powder mixed with milk was silky smooth, and blended up easily (thanks to my new-favorite kitchen gadget). Now, as for the taste? "Dream tastes like a cozy hot chocolate with cinnamon and cacao, and no added sugar," Lombardi says. Confirmed.

After my first few chocolatey, creamy sips, I instantly started making an extra cup for my boyfriend. It was sweet (but not overly so), and the hints of cinnamon solidified its status as the Alex-approved, late-night dessert-slash-beverage I'd been searching for—and we haven't even gotten to the wellness perks yet.

The sleepy benefits

Whipping up my CBD hot chocolate was a slam dunk for my taste buds and newfound barista skills. But the selling point with Dream Powder was the calm, soothing mood I slipped into after about 30 minutes of sipping my mug in bed—and then the eight (plus!) peaceful hours of sleep I got afterward. (And that's thanks to Dream's key ingredient: nano CBD.)

So, what exactly is nano CBD? "Nano CBD breaks down the particle size of oil molecules and enhances their water solubility, allowing for an increase of CBD absorption potential into your body," Lombardi says. "Increasing absorption potential allows your body to absorb more CBD and absorb it more quickly." Plus, this powder is chock-full of other sleep-supporting ingredients—like l-theanine (an amino acid that promotes relaxation), magnesium, reishi mushroom, and melatonin.

According to Lombardi, reishi mushroom works to support the body's sleep cycle, magnesium aids the body’s ability to fall asleep by boosting melatonin, and melatonin helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which is vital for a healthy sleep cycle. 

Together, they make a calming, wind-down powerhouse I seriously needed, as evidenced by my multiple nights of new-and-improved shut-eye—and my better mood (and better ability to focus during WFH life) the next day. Hot cocoa for adults is here, and it's legit.

Get 20 percent off when you subscribe to dream—plus a limited edition dream mug, frother, free shipping, and flexible delivery schedules.