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- BioMed Central: Food and Nutrient Intake in Relation to Mental Well-Being
- BioMed Central: Food and Nutrient Intake in Relation to Mental Well-Being
- Mayo Clinic: Insomnia
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Why Does Warm Milk Make You Sleep Better?
To some people, just the image of a warm glass of milk comforting one to sleep at night can create drowsiness.The drowsiness caused by that warm glass of milk may be caused by some factors that might surprise some people. The benefit of a good night's sleep from a warm glass of milk may be a tossup between the psychological and the physiological.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Theories/Speculation
Tryptophan is an amino acid found in milk and turkey. Tryptophan in large doses does produce sleepiness, and many people attribute tryptophan to the drowsy feeling after the big Thanksgiving meal. However, according to Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler, a sleep specialist at the Mayo Clinic, there is no food that can produce sleep in an individual 2. The amount of tryptophan found in a turkey dinner or a glass of milk does not contain enough of the chemical to induce drowsiness.
- Tryptophan is an amino acid found in milk and turkey.
- Tryptophan in large doses does produce sleepiness, and many people attribute tryptophan to the drowsy feeling after the big Thanksgiving meal.
Psychological Aspects
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That sleepiness associated with a warm glass of milk may be more psychological than most would suspect. Most people recall pleasant thoughts about their mothers. Milk is associated with mothers and a mother's love and care. Comforting feelings and remembrances can produce chemicals in the brain that actually form a sensation of well-being and relaxation. This brain chemical, serotonin, is associated with sleep. This feeling of well-being and relaxation may cause the sleepiness.
- That sleepiness associated with a warm glass of milk may be more psychological than most would suspect.
- This feeling of well-being and relaxation may cause the sleepiness.
Reactions
A glass of warm milk warms the body. People sleep better when they are warm because the muscles relax more. When the body temperature is raised, the body also slows responses. The slowing of bodily responses precedes sleep. The warmth of the milk induces bodily changes that create this slowing of the body's responses and relaxation of muscles.
- A glass of warm milk warms the body.
- When the body temperature is raised, the body also slows responses.
Effects
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Warm milk coats and soothes the stomach. When drinking warm milk, a person may actually be a little peptic and milk may ease the feeling and create a sense of relief. Another factor is that most people sleep better when the stomach has something in it. Babies sleep after nursing when their stomachs are full. The same is true of children and adults. A stomach with some milk in it is comforting, which helps to induce sleep.
- Warm milk coats and soothes the stomach.
- A stomach with some milk in it is comforting, which helps to induce sleep.
Considerations
For some people, particularly those with milk allergies or lactose intolerance, a glass of warm milk may be followed by digestive upsets. Other options that may be tolerated include soy, lactose-reduced, almond and rice milk.
Related Articles
References
- BioMed Central: Food and Nutrient Intake in Relation to Mental Well-Being
- Mayo Clinic: Insomnia
- Milk, reduced fat (2%). FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published April 1, 2019.
- Månsson HL. Fatty acids in bovine milk fat. Food Nutr Res. 2008;52. doi:10.3402/fnr.v52i0.1821
- Wadolowska L, Sobas K, Szczepanska JW, Slowinska MA, Czlapka-Matyasik M, Niedzwiedzka E. Dairy products, dietary calcium and bone health: possibility of prevention of osteoporosis in women: the Polish experience. Nutrients. 2013;5(7):2684-707. doi:10.3390/nu5072684
- Varenna M, Manara M, Galli L, Binelli L, Zucchi F, Sinigaglia L. The association between osteoporosis and hypertension: The role of a low dairy intake. Calcif Tissue Int. 2013;93(1):86-92. doi:10.1007/s00223-013-9731-9
- Cormick G, Ciapponi A, Cafferata ML, Belizán JM. Calcium supplementation for prevention of primary hypertension. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;(6):CD010037. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010037.pub2
- National Cancer Institute. Calcium and cancer prevention. Updated May 4, 2009.
- Radavelli-Bagatini S, Zhu K, Lewis JR, Dhaliwal SS, Prince RL. Association of dairy intake with body composition and physical function in older community-dwelling women. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2013;113(12):1669-74. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2013.05.019
- Josse AR, Tang JE, Tarnopolsky MA, Phillips SM. Body composition and strength changes in women with milk and resistance exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010;42(6):1122-30. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181c854f6
- Rautiainen S, Wang L, Lee IM, Manson JE, Buring JE, Sesso HD. Dairy consumption in association with weight change and risk of becoming overweight or obese in middle-aged and older women: a prospective cohort study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;103(4):979-88. doi:10.3945/ajcn.115.118406
- Flom JD, Sicherer SH. Epidemiology of cow's milk allergy. Nutrients. 2019;11(5). doi:10.3390/nu11051051
Writer Bio
Karen Winter has been a professional writer since 1994 and is the author of two novels. She has lived and traveled extensively in Asia, Africa and Europe and has been a contributing writer for Christian Woman Magazine since 1994. She holds master's degrees in psychology and special education, and holds undergraduate degrees in sciences, English, theology and physical education.