😴 Sleep

Sleep is the natural state of rest in which people and animals recover their strength. Warm milk before bed is an old folk remedy. Grandmothers in many countries recommend it. The usual explanation is that milk contains tryptophan. This is an amino acid — a “building block” of protein — that the body uses to make serotonin and melatonin. Melatonin is the sleep hormone.

Science is cautious here. Milk really does contain tryptophan and melatonin, but according to reviews, one glass most likely has too little of them to have a noticeable effect on sleep. There is “night milk” — milk taken from cows at night, which has more melatonin. But so far it has only been tested on animals. Small studies in people have given mixed results: for example, older people who drank a fermented milk drink for three weeks woke up less often at night.

Warm milk or some other sleep aid? Milk is an old folk remedy rather than a tested sleep treatment: it does contain tryptophan and melatonin, but according to reviews one glass has too little for a noticeable effect. “Night milk” from cows milked at night has more melatonin, yet so far it has only been tested on animals. Most likely the ritual is what matters, because a warm drink is calming. Going to bed at the same time every night counts for far more, and with lactose intolerance, bloating can spoil the effect.

In a supermarket you will find ordinary milk and fermented milk drinks in the dairy chiller; for an evening ritual, plain milk warmed at home is enough. The nutrition table lists protein, not any effect on sleep: no pack can promise that. “Night milk” is a term from studies. If lactose does not agree with you, check the lactose information on the pack, since bloating gets in the way of sleep.

Most likely, the ritual itself is what matters. A warm drink is calming and tells the body it is time to rest. Sleep experts believe it is far more important to go to bed at the same time every night and follow simple sleep habits. If milk causes bloating, for example with lactose intolerance, it will only get in the way of sleep.