Almond milk has certain benefits, but does drinking almond milk before bed actually benefit your sleep?
Drinking high-quality almond milk before you go to bed can help you fall asleep and sleep better overall. Almond milk contains certain minerals and nutrients that are known to promote sleep.
In this article, we’re unpacking the benefits of drinking almond milk before bed and which particular nutrients affect sleep. We’ll also compare the sleep benefits of hot milk and almond milk before bed and different ways to enhance almond milk for better sleep. Keep reading to learn about the above topics and get answers to some frequently asked questions.
Is it Good to Drink Almond Milk Before Bed?
Drinking almond milk before you go to bed can be helpful if you struggle to get to sleep or get deep sleep.
This is due to several nutrients in almonds that promote naturally promote sleep in your body:
Tryptophan (amino acid)
Magnesium (mineral)
Melatonin (sleep hormone)
Vitamin E
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid (EAA) that helps you sleep because it produces melatonin (a hormone that regulates the sleep cycle).
Tryptophan also produces serotonin, which is important for regulating sleep.
Magnesium is a mineral that naturally reduces stress and helps to regulate mood.
Magnesium in almond milk may help with your sleep cycle due to its relaxing properties. However, most evidence of its sleep promoting properties have to do with the fact that a lack of magnesium is linked to poor sleep.
And Vitamin E, which is found in most vitamin/mineral blends in almond milk, is linked to improved sleep via its antioxidant properties.
Benefits of Almond Milk Before Bed
The benefits of drinking almond milk before bed mainly have to do with sleep improvement.
However, on a more specific level, the nutrients and minerals in almond milk can:
Regulate the sleep-wake cycle
Regulate mood and pain, which in turn relaxes the body for sleep
Reduce the oxidative stress of sleep deprivation, by lowering sleep deprivation
Improve sleep quality
Decrease insomnia
Hot Milk vs. Almond Milk Before Bed: Which is Better?
Many people who want to reap the sleep-promoting effects of almond milk before bed may be aware that warm dairy milk can have a similar effect.
This is due to the fact that dairy milk contains some of the same sleep-promoting nutrients.
Specifically, warm milk contains tryptophan - the essential amino acid responsible for producing sleep-regulating serotonin and melatonin hormones.
There are other sleep benefits to dairy milk, as well, such as the soothing or relaxing effect of drinking it warm before you go to bed.
This could be useful on its own for inducing sleep in people who struggle with insomnia.
But when compared to almond milk, warm milk doesn’t contain as many ingredients or nutrients that are helpful in promoting sleep.
Milk contains important nutrients such as calcium and Vitamin D. However, it doesn’t contain the magnesium that you’ll find in almond milk products.
Therefore, almond milk poses more sleep-promoting benefits than warm milk before bed.
Furthermore, drinking dairy before bed could be uncomfortable on the digestive tract, especially if you’re lactose intolerant or sensitive.
This can cause symptoms like bloating, gas, diarrhea, and/or abdominal cramps, leading to difficulty sleeping, so that’s something to keep in mind.
Best Almond Milk Drinks For Sleep
If you want to reap the sleep benefits of almond milk as a pre-sleep ritual, there are a few ways to optimize its effects with supplemental ingredients.
Spices and foods like turmeric, cinnamon, and bananas contain their own sleep-promoting nutrients that will aid the almond milk in helping you rest.
Warm Almond Milk
Warm almond milk on its own is an effective way to help your body go to sleep naturally due to the amino acids and sleep-promoting nutrients.
In addition to having the benefits we noted above - including increased melatonin production, mood regulation, and relaxation - the warmth of warm almond milk may have a soothing effect.
According to Medical News Today, ingesting warm liquids can help to temporarily expand blood vessels, thus improving blood circulation.
When your blood circulation improves, your muscles can relax more easily, and you may even notice a reduction in pain that can calm you down for sleep.
Cinnamon Almond Milk
Adding cinnamon to your pre-sleep glass of almond milk may be another effective way to reap its benefits.
Studies on cinnamon have shown that this spice can act as a vasorelaxant. This means that it has the property of relieving tension within blood vessel walls and helping with blood circulation.
At night, when you’re trying to get deep and healthy sleep, having well-regulated blood pressure can help to relax your body overall.
This may in turn lead to an easier ability to get to sleep or stay asleep.
So, you might consider adding a sprinkle or teaspoon of powdered cinnamon to your glass of almond milk.
Banana and Almond Milk
Next up, we want to present banana as another healthy item to pair with almond milk for sleep-promoting advantages.
Bananas actually contain a trifecta of ingredients that have sleep-benefiting properties.
First of all, bananas are rich in potassium, which is useful in relaxing muscle tension, which can lead to more restful sleep.
Second, they contain magnesium - a nutrient that we already established has sleep-inducing qualities such as reduction of stress.
And third, bananas actually contain some tryptophan, which will boost your body’s production of melatonin before sleep.
Therefore, having a banana with a glass of almond milk before you go to bed might be just the thing you need to improve sleep quality.
Almond Milk and Turmeric
Next, let’s consider turmeric powder as a natural supplement to almond milk.
This one is particularly useful if you struggle with sleep due to regular aches and pains. Turmeric root has anti-inflammatory properties, which allows it to soothe joints and relax you more.
Additionally, turmeric is known to aid in healthy digestion, so if you struggle to sleep due to GI issues, it may be of benefit.
Cramps, bloating, reflux, and stomach discomfort can all inhibit sleep, so adding a teaspoon of turmeric to almond milk before bed (“golden milk”) could help you to sleep better. This is due to the curcumin contained in the spice.
Black Sesame Seed and Almond Milk
Black sesame seeds are also helpful for those who struggle to get quality sleep or struggle to get to sleep at all. Black sesame seeds are known to reduce oxidative stress, which is a common cause of insomnia symptoms.
Because of these positive potential effects, adding some black sesame seeds to your almond milk before bed, or adding black sesame seed oil to your almond milk, may help with sleep.
Additionally, these seeds are rich in the essential amino acid tryptophan. And as we know, tryptophan produces the melatonin and serotonin that we need in order to regulate sleep.
Almond Milk and Honey
Last but not least, take note of the positive effects of honey when it comes to sleep regulation.
Clinical trials have studied the effects of honey on sleep cycles, noting in particular the fact that honey contains tryptophan.
This melatonin-producing amino acid is important for sleep and helping the body to relax and recover when we sleep.
Furthermore, adding a teaspoon of honey to almond milk may improve its taste and have a soothing effect on the throat before bed. One precaution you should take with honey before bed, though, is to make sure that you watch the sugar content so it doesn’t keep you awake.
FAQ
Do Amino Acids and Almond Milk Help You Sleep?
Yes, both amino acids and almond milk can help you to improve your sleep cycle. The amino acid contained in almond milk called “tryptophan” produces hormones like melatonin and serotonin in your body, which regulate sleep.
And almond milk itself also contains important ingredients like magnesium, which relax the body, regulate mood, and reduce stress. Together, these substances can be a good thing to consume before bedtime.
Why is Warm Almond Milk Better Than Cold Milk For Sleep?
If you’re going to have almond milk before you go to bed, you might consider drinking it warm instead of cold. This is because warm liquids have more of a calming or relaxing effect on the body than chilled drinks. Specifically, warm liquids can expand your blood vessels and improve circulation, which is essential for good sleep.
How Much Almond Milk Should I Drink Before Bed?
If you’re going to use almond milk as a pre-bed drink for enhancing sleep, you really only need about one cup or small glass.
One cup (240mL) of almond milk contains roughly 25% of the daily value of magnesium, which is plenty to ingest before you go to sleep.
Further, you don’t want to consume too much before you sleep, which could upset your digestive tract or cause you to wake up to use the bathroom.
