09 March 2024 , 19:45
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The way you wind down before going to bed could actually be keeping you awake.
Having a set bedtime routine can help you get a better night's sleep, but what you choose to do before getting into bed matters. You might opt to put your phone down an hour before bed or read a book to help you unwind, but there's one common bedtime practice that experts have said might not be as beneficial as we once thought - having a glass of milk.
Milk is a common bedtime drink, but after it was recently featured on a list of food and drinks that might be keeping you awake at night, a health expert told The Mirror that while it can help some, it's not for everyone - and evidence around it is "mixed" at best.
Drinking milk could cause 'discomfort' and keep you awake (stock photo) (Getty Images/Stock4B Creative)Professor John Young, Professor of translational clinical and health research at Teesside University, explained that milk isn't a good bedtime drink if you have a dairy allergy, are lactose intolerant, or have a condition such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as it can cause symptoms that create "discomfort" and keep you awake.
He said: "These symptoms would delay falling asleep and may even prevent a good night's sleep. For this reason, those individuals would be advised to avoid milk before bed. Likewise, anyone who suffers from acid reflux would likely experience symptoms of heartburn and regurgitation if they consumed milk, or anything rich in protein, before lying down to go to sleep."
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However, there is also evidence to suggest that for others, drinking milk could be beneficial in helping you get to sleep - although research into the topic is "mixed" according to Prof Young. He added: "The evidence that milk before bed improves our ability to fall asleep and maintain a good night’s sleep is actually mixed - a good night's sleep is much more influenced by our overall diet, physical activity and exposure to sunlight throughout the day.
"There are a number of reasons why drinking milk before bed ought to help. The first is that it's rich in something called 'tryptophan', an amino acid which is used by the body to make a hormone called 'melatonin'. Our bodies regulate our daily cycle of waking and sleeping by levels of melatonin in the blood. Production of melatonin peaks in the evening and drops rapidly in the early hours of the morning as we approach the time that we'd normally wake."
The expert also suggested that drinking milk could have a "psychological" effect on the body as we're "raised from birth having milk before bed", so it has become part of a "routine" for many of us.
And if having a glass of milk before bed helps you sleep, Prof Young says there's "no compelling scientific evidence" to say you should stop doing so. However, there's a better way to guarantee a good night's sleep. The expert said: "The best way to fall asleep and maintain a good night's sleep would be to eat a breakfast of foods rich in tryptophan at breakfast, like eggs or porridge, and have some physical activity and exposure to sunlight during the day."