: Is there a reason as to why people believe that “warm milk is supposed to make you sleepy?”

Question

I’ve heard it as being a traditional method to help kids (or adults, not judging) go to sleep, but is there a reason why? Where and when did this thought come from? And is it true? Is there a chemical reaction that occurs that gives off a sleepy effect when ingesting milk heated to a certain temperature? I’ve wondered this for years

In: Biology

Answer 1

Drinking warm milk before bed may help you relax, but there is no evidence that milk makes you sleepy. The ‘milk myth’ may have persisted because milk has small amounts of tryptophan, the raw material the brain uses to build both serotonin and melatonin. These are compounds that help us relax and prepare for sleep.