There are some drinks that can actually help set you up for a sleepy night of slumber.

Food and drinks that contain certain minerals, therapeutic herbs and tryptophan — an essential amino acid — can aid your body's production of serotonin and melatonin. Those are "important hormones in regulating your sleep," Dr. Matthew Schmitt, a doctor of sleep medicine at Piedmont Healthcare in Georgia, told CNN.

Two general rules apply: Stop eating and drinking at least two hours before bed so you can avoid trips to the bathroom and heartburn throughout the night. Avoid caffeine past 2 p.m. and evening alcohol, since the downsides include bathroom runs and interruptions in the deeper stages of sleep, said Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a pulmonary and sleep doctor and an assistant professor of clinical medicine at Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.

And don't skip out on what the experts call good "sleep hygiene."

Subscribe to CNN's Sleep, But Better Newsletter: Want the best sleep of your life? Sign up for our newsletter series for helpful hints to achieve better sleep.

Supporting sleep with different foods and drinks can "really only work if the person obeys the foundation of good sleep," Dasgupta said.

"The foundation is always going to be having a sleep routine, having a nighttime ritual, transitioning into sleep and many things are involved in doing that."

If you're having trouble sleeping, make sure to consult with your physician or sleep medicine doctor. Here are some soothing and fragrant teas and other beverages that may help usher in the rest you need.

Chamomile tea

Is it time for a cup of chamomile? Chamomile tea is a sedative and sleep aid traditionally used in different parts of Iran.

Chamomile extract, a 2017 study found, improved the sleep quality of older adults and their daily performance in comparison to those who received a placebo.

"It's full of antioxidants, promotes calmness and can reduce anxiety," Schmitt said.

Ashwagandha tea

Ashwagandha, a revered herb of Indian ayurvedic alternative medicine, has traditionally been used to calm the nerves. It might work by mimicking the function of gamma-aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter that inhibits excited responses.

"When you activate this receptor, it makes you sleepy," Dasgupta said. "Many sleep aids that we take work on GABA."

Ashwagandha may help the body wind down and prepare for sleep, as well as improve overall sleep quality.

Valerian root tea

Originally hailing from Europe and Asia, valerian is a plant used to treat insomnia, anxiety, depression and menopause symptoms.

Most of the benefits have been in alleviating insomnia and improving sleep quality for menopausal women. Nearly a third of postmenopausal women who took a valerian capsule twice daily for four weeks reported better sleep quality, found one study.

Valerian "does work on the (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptor" that controls excited neural activity, Dasgupta said.

Warm milk and golden milk tea

Thanks to the tryptophan, calcium and magnesium in d