Milk, for a long time, has been seen as a medicine for every ailment. Some prefer to have it in the morning, while some like to have it before they sleep. Some people just hate milk. But is it healthy to drink milk before bed? Our elders also advise us to drink milk before bedtime. Why?
According to Ayurveda, you should have a glass of warm milk with a pinch of turmeric and cardamom in it. It tastes good and also helps to get you a sound sleep. Before choosing to drink milk before bed, let’s see its essential nutrients and the health benefits milk offers.
Essential Nutrients In Milk
Why do you think milk is beneficial for the body? When you drink milk, it provides your body with the essential nutrients, such as calcium, proteins, vitamin A, vitamin B12, potassium, zinc, magnesium, and many more. The body requires these nutrients for its proper functioning and maintenance.
Milk is high in calcium and vitamin D. We always heard from our elders in our home to have a glass of milk. Both calcium and vitamin D in the milk help build strong bones and teeth.
Proteins present in the milk are required to give energy to the body. They help build muscles in the body. This essential nutrient is used to maintain and repair tissues in the body.
Milk also contains other vitamins like A, B12, which promote stronger body immunity and help build red blood cells (RBCs), respectively. Both these vitamins ensure and maintain its proper functioning.
Along with these nutrients, milk also has riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, zinc, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, etc. These vitamins and minerals promote proper body functioning.
Is It Healthy To Drink Milk Before Bed?
Drinking milk is always a healthier choice, but whether it is important to consume milk before sleeping is what we will discuss. Milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid responsible for promoting calmness in your body. It also contains melatonin that helps regulate sleep.
Our bones require calcium for strength, and milk is abundant in calcium content. Drinking milk before bed helps in optimal calcium consumption in the night hours; there are fewer physical activities in the late evenings that boost the absorption process. Therefore, Ayurveda also recommends to drink milk before bed, as it is healthy for our body.
You may feel a sudden pang of hunger before sleep. These hunger pangs can keep you awake the whole night, but drinking milk before you sleep will solve your problem. Protein in the milk will help satisfy your small hunger, promoting proper sleep.
People who are facing constipation are recommended to have a glass of hot milk. Milk is high in both soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fibers bind with sugar and fat; thus, milk delays digestion. Hence, milk helps to fight constipation.
Although milk is beneficial in many aspects, we cannot say the same for lactose-intolerant people. Lactose is not recommended before you sleep as it prevents body function from slowing down. It will bring discomfort to your body and cause gas problems, bloating, etc. (However, there are healthy alternatives to milk for lactose-intolerant people you can consume in your diet.)
Also, milk contains glucose that can cause health problems. Therefore, someone with low glucose tolerance will find it difficult to drink milk before bed. It will lead to a blood sugar crash that will force your body to eat more food.
Conclusion
It is healthy to drink milk before bed as it can get you uninterrupted sleep; it is packed with protein that will satisfy your hunger, and the mild sweetness of lactose is enough for your sweet cravings at night. A glass of milk before bed will make you feel all content and will get you sound sleep.
But if you are lactose intolerant, you will get disrupted sleep because of an upset stomach or may experience bloating and cramps.
The bottom line is “Listen to your body.” If you know you are lactose intolerant, try other tasty alternatives like almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk. But if you do not, then have that cup of warm milk and get to your cozy bed.
Read Also: 6 Surprising Negative Effects Of Drinking Milk
