Need help winding down after a long day?
It’s no surprise how important a good night’s sleep is to carry out the many aspects of our day-to-day lives. But, with our busy schedules and the endless list of things to binge-watch, one-third of Americans don’t receive the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a night. It can get a little overwhelming with the various home remedies and tips (which doesn’t help us fall asleep.)
Were our grandmothers onto something? Could a simple glass of warm milk improve our sleep? It’s possible! The Sleep Foundation states there is scientific evidence suggesting that warm milk before bed may help you sleep.
What is it about milk that helps with sleep? The answer, like milk, is quite complex and research on the topic continues today.
A review on the link between dairy and sleep found that a well-balanced diet — including dairy products — was effective in improving the quality of sleep. It looked at 14 studies published between 1972-2019 that investigated how milk could impact your sleep. They focused on milk’s 13 essential nutrients, such as calcium and tryptophan, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory benefits, and physical activity recovery. Calcium is the main reason that the dairy food group is such an important part of a healthy dietary pattern.
In a 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Study, difficulty falling asleep was attributed to low calcium intake. Lucky for you, all it takes is 1 cup of milk to get 25% of the daily value for calcium!
If you’re struggling to get adequate sleep, give a warm glass of milk a try. Whether it’s backed by science or our grandparents, adding a soothing milk tea, hot chocolate after dinner, or some other yummy dairy treat to your nightly routine may just be the ticket to dream town!
