If you’ve ever been handed a cup of warm milk and honey to help you fall asleep, you’ve used a remedy that’s been around for centuries. But it’s more than just a soothing tradition; this blend’s soporific, or sleep-inducing, properties are backed by science.
It’s the carbohydrates in milk and honey that could help soothe and relax you, making it easier to catch some z’s.
How Carbohydrates Promote Sleep
When you eat carbohydrates, your body releases a hormone called insulin. Insulin helps increase the amount of the amino acid tryptophan available in the bloodstream. As a result, more tryptophan reaches your brain, where it’s turned into serotonin and melatonin, the neurotransmitters integral to helping you sleep.
Zena le Roux
Author
Zena le Roux is a health journalist with a master’s in investigative health journalism and a certified health and wellness coach specializing in functional nutrition. She is trained in sports nutrition, mindful eating, internal family systems, and applied polyvagal theory. She works in private practice and serves as a nutrition educator for a UK-based health school.
