Does drinking warm milk really make people sleepy?
By nicmichiole
@nicmichiole (151)
Philippines
May 26, 2007 2:07am CST
It has been a tradition to drink a glass of warm milk before going to bed to have a good night sleep. But is it really effective until today? Someone once told me that it is already ineffective because some studies have found that a substance in milk makes people hungry. So, how are you going to sleep soundly when you have a growling stomach? Consequently, studies show that drinking milk must be accompanied by a carbohydrate such as cereals or bread.
I sometimes have insomnia attacks and I personally don't feel any help coming from the glass of warm milk I drink. It just makes me feel better but I don't get sleepy at all.
1 person likes this
9 responses
@juls2me2 (2150)
• United States
26 May 07
My mother swears by a cup of warm milk helping her get to sleep. She now even spruces it up and adds malted ovaltine to it as well on occassions. I've caught my youngest son getting up around midnight and warming a mug of milk. Maybe its all in his head or a placebo, but he swears it helps him go to sleep as well.
@gretats (63)
• Philippines
27 May 07
I am not sure if it is the milk or something else. But when I do get to drink a glass of it before I go to bed, I would feel a little sleepy... and not hungry at all. :/ Uhm.. I dont think that it would help too if you have insomia, I dont know what the cure for that is... but milk would just help a teeny bit in making people feel sleepy but with insomia... i think you would need something stronger than just milk. lols. well, good luck and have a good day. :)
@dppower37 (69)
• United States
27 May 07
I never heard of warm milk making you sleepy.But you should try not to do it to close to bed.Give yourself a half hour before bedtime.
@carryli (875)
• China
27 May 07
Though many people consider that it is useful for our sleeping if we have a warm milk before we go to sleep,i am not the people.I don't consider it is helpful for our sleeping obviously.I saw my firends who feel sleeping difficultly,and drink warm mil in order to sleep easy,but she is fail.
@h_gaurd9 (986)
• United States
26 May 07
Yes, this is a tradition that I've heard growing up in my family. It works for some, but it never worked for me. I don't think drinking warm milk has an effect on how well you sleep. Drinking warm milk may even keep me awake longer in the night.
The studies may have some truth to it. Drinking warm milk may start to work your metabolism and as a result, your digestive tract will be active and therefore makes you hungry. This is just what I think, but then again I have a really fast metabolism and I'm always hungry. =D
Normally, I don't have trouble falling asleep. Even if I do, I know that drinking warm milk isn't going to do much at all.
@beaniegdi (1964)
•
26 May 07
Ther is something in milk that can help you get to sleep. Hower if you have insomnia it maybe that you need something more effective like a sleeping pill. Also some people need to set up a good routine in the evening to help them get to sleep, bath, warm drink, relaxation exercises and they need to be done each evening at the same time so the body can get used to feeling sleepy when these actions are undertaken. Also the bedroom needs to be right for sleep, no TV in the room as the room has to be just for sleep.
