Benefits of Drinking Milk Before Bed!

Sleep deprivation, also known as insomnia, is a severe health problem. It has been linked to a number of harmful effects on both physical and mental health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one out of every three adults in the United States suffers from insomnia. It is an issue that affects people’s health all over the world. In comparison to their male counterparts, women are 40 percent more vulnerable. As a result, many people are looking for easy home cures to increase their sleep quality and quantity. Drinking milk before bed has many benefits and is an age-old ritual that has been passed down through generations as a means to relax, ease anxiety, and get a good night’s sleep. Quality and quantity of sleep play a very important role in maintaining good health and overall development.

Since time immemorial, milk has been used as a staple diet by many people to maintain good health. Milk contains the necessary vitamins and minerals required for healthy living. It is always better to start your day with a glass of milk. The benefits of drinking milk before bed are that it facilitates good sleep, besides providing necessary nutrients.

Benefits of drinking milk before bed?

The following are the few health benefits of drinking milk before bed.

Drinking milk before bed may induce good sleep.

Consuming milk before bed may induce sleep and can remarkably improve the quality and quantity of your sleep. Milk contains a bioactive peptide that can have a positive impact on your sleep patterns. If you are unable to get sound sleep due to stressful conditions, drinking milk before bed can help you get relaxed and have sound sleep.

Drinking milk before bed may prevent you from gaining extra weight.

Drinking low fat milk at night can provide you with a feeling of fullness and can enable you to deal with the midnight snack urge as a healthy option. Milk is a rich source of protein and nutrients, which helps in maintaining sugar levels and provides sufficient energy levels. It prevents you from consuming an unhealthy diet and gaining extra weight.

Helps in maintaining bone health.

Milk is a rich and widely available source of calcium and vitamin D. One cup of cow’s milk (237 ml) contains 306–325 mg of calcium. which can be easily absorbed by your body. Calcium and vitamin D help with maintaining bone health. Deficiency of vitamin D may also increase the risk of several diseases, like osteoporosis (a condition in which bones become weak and brittle), heart disease diabetes, depression, etc.

Helps in maintaing skin health.

Drinking milk before bed may have many benefits for your skin health. Milk contains vitamin-B12. which helps in maintaining the glow and elasticity of skin. B12 is necessary for the production of new cells. It is also effective for skin conditions like- acne, psoriasis, and eczema. Vitamin A in milk provides protection from sun damage to your skin, by interrupting the processes that break down collagen (collagen is a major component of your skin that provides elasticity, hydration, and strength).

Drinking milk before bed provides energy.

Milk is a rich source of protein and nutrients. Drinking milk before bed helps in maintaining your blood glucose levels, which is the source of energy for all body cells. With a restful night’s sleep, drinking milk before bed can significantly and positively impact your following day. You will wake up in the morning fully energized and revitalized.

Helps in reducing stress levels.

The benefits of drinking milk before bed include reducing stress levels. Milk contains a protein called lactium. Lactium can induce a soothing effect on your body by relaxing muscles, reducing blood pressure, and lowering cortisol (stress hormone) levels. Lactium may have a positive impact on brain receptors. which can help to control anxiety and stress.

Helps in optimizing cholesterol levels.

Consuming low fat or no fat milk can play a vital role in optimizing your cholesterol levels. As per Elina Hypponen, PhD, director of the Australian Centre for Precision Health at the University of South Australia, “Higher milk intake was associated with greater body fat, but lower cholesterol levels and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.”

The milk proteins may help you decrease bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL). Cow’s milk is a rich source of vitamins A, D, and calcium. which can positively contribute to heart health.

Improves digestion.

Consuming honey with milk helps in improving digestion. It relieves constipation and cramps. The milk and honey combination acts as a prebiotic, which may help in the elimination of harmful bacteria and encourage the growth of good bacteria in your gut.

May relieve cough and cold symptoms

The benefits of drinking warm milk with a little turmeric added to it before bed help in relieving symptoms associated with cough and cold. The antioxidant and antibacterial properties of turmeric milk may help in the recovery process.

Does drinking warm milk before going to bed help?

A few studies suggest that drinking warm milk before bed helps you get a good sleep. As per a study, it was found, that patients staying in a hospital’s heart unit experienced an improvement in sleep- when they were given warm milk and honey. For details, click on the link. Effect of milk-honey mixture on the sleep quality of coronary patients: A clinical trial study

If you find it difficult to fall asleep- drinking warm milk may help. As per a study, it was found that people over the age of 65 years, who were engaged in physical activities and drank more milk reported- falling asleep more easily in comparison to their counterparts who did not. For details, click here Association between difficulty initiating sleep in older adults and the combination of leisure-time physical activity and consumption of milk and milk products: a cross-sectional study

How does drinking warm milk before going to bed help?

The benefits of drinking warm milk before bed—which may induce good sleep—are due to the presence of an amino acid tryptophan in the milk. Tryptophan may induce sleep due to its soothing and sedative effect. Milk also contains melatonin, a neurotransmitter hormone that helps in regulating sleep and wake patterns. Proteins present in milk are supposed to trigger GABA receptors in the brain. which helps in inducing sleep by reducing anxiety and stress.

Hence, since tryptophan content is low, consuming milk alone may not help. Thus, consuming milk along with carbohydrates and protein can be more effective. As they collectively stimulate insulin release. Which may help in facilitating the admission of tryptophan in the blood and induce an effective sedative effect.

Some people think that drinking milk before bed may lead to weight gain. However, studies suggest that drinking warm milk before bed may help in promoting body fitness. One study suggests that drinking milk after a workout and before bed helps in muscle recovery. One more study suggests that drinking milk before sleep may increase a persons resting metabolic rate that may help to quickly burn calories the following day.

Cautions:

Drinking milk immediately before bed may have some negative effects on your digestive system. Therefore, it is better to drink milk around 1-2 hours before going to sleep.

Some people who are lactose intolerant or have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) should not use milk to induce sleep. If you are avoiding milk, you can try other tryptophan enriched foods like- cheese, chicken, turkey, fish, sunflower seeds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, soy beans, etc.

Some people think that drinking milk before going to bed may lead to snoring. But contrary to popular belief, studies suggest that drinking milk does not increase mucus production.

**Benefits of drinking milk before bed-Good sleep induces good health**

Good quality and quantity of sleep induce good health.

The following tips may help you improve your sleep quality and quantity. thus improving your overall health.

Follow the sleeping routine: Fix and follow your daily routine for sleeping and waking time, including weekends.
Maintain a comfortable temperature: Maintain a comfortable temperature as suits you in your bed. so that your sleep is not disturbed due to too much cold or an increase in temperature.
Keep your bedroom dark: Use curtains or sleep masks so that your sleep is not disturbed due to light during the night.
Exercise regularly: Follow the daily exercise routine.
Avoid certain foods:-Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, or alcohol before bed.
Switch off electronic screens: Switch off electronic screens like TVs, computers, and smartphones at least 1–2 hours before bed. The blue light emitted from electronic screens may lead to disturbed sleep.
Reading Books:-Adopt a habit of reading books before sleeping.

Making a daily routine of drinking warm milk before going to bed may help you get a restful sleep and be an effective natural sleep aid. Consuming a cup of warm milk before going to bed can be a comfortable way to conclude your day and prepare for a good night’s sleep.

For treatment, please consult your healthcare provider.

for awareness purposes only.

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