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A nightcap is a drink taken shortly before bedtime. For example, a small
"Sleep and low doses of alcohol"
'' Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology''. 1980; 48: 706-709.Green, Wendy.
The Greatest Guide to Slimming & Healthy Living
', p. 15 (2010).
Oxford Reference,
The Greatest Guide to Slimming & Healthy Living
', p. 15 (2010). Alternatively, honey can improve the flavor. The effectiveness of warm milk for inducing sleep is disputed.Wright, Brierly.
“Six sleep myths busted”
A nightcap is a drink taken shortly before bedtime. For example, a small alcoholic drink
An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The c ...
or glass of warm milk
Warm milk is milk that has been heated above room temperature. It is commonly used as a nightcap for children and people who abstain from alcohol. Its effectiveness as such is disputed.
As a nightcap
Warm milk is commonly touted as a sleep aid ...
can supposedly promote a good night's sleep
Sleep is a sedentary state of mind and body. It is characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, reduced muscle activity and reduced interactions with surroundings. It is distinguished from wakefulness by a de ...
.Stone, Barbara"Sleep and low doses of alcohol"
'' Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology''. 1980; 48: 706-709.Green, Wendy.
The Greatest Guide to Slimming & Healthy Living
', p. 15 (2010).
Alcoholic nightcaps and sleep
Nightcaps can be neat or mixed. They should not be served chilled or on the rocks, because their point is to induce a feeling of warmth. Thehot toddy
A hot toddy, also known as hot whiskey in Ireland, is typically a mixed drink made of liquor and water with honey, (or in some recipes, sugar), lemon, herbs (such as tea) and spices, and served hot. Hot toddy recipes vary and are traditionall ...
is usually considered the original nightcap. Other traditional nightcaps include brown liquor like brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
or bourbon Bourbon may refer to:
Food and drink
* Bourbon whiskey, an American whiskey made using a corn-based mash
* Bourbon barrel aged beer, a type of beer aged in bourbon barrels
* Bourbon biscuit, a chocolate sandwich biscuit
* A beer produced by Bras ...
, and cream-based liqueurs such as Irish cream. Wine
Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...
, especially fortified
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
, can also function as a nightcap. Since some nightcaps are made of amaro, a digestif, they are believed to also make settling into bed easier by promoting digestion.
In folk medicine
Traditional medicine (also known as indigenous medicine or folk medicine) comprises medical aspects of traditional knowledge that developed over generations within the folk beliefs of various societies, including indigenous peoples, before the ...
, consuming a nightcap is for the purpose of inducing sleep. Alcohol
Alcohol most commonly refers to:
* Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom
* Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks
Alcohol may also refer to:
Chemicals
* Ethanol, one of sev ...
is not recommended by many doctors
Doctor or The Doctor may refer to:
Personal titles
* Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree
* A medical practitioner, including:
** Physician
** Surgeon
** Dentist
** Veterinary physician
** Optometrist
*Other roles
** ...
as a sleep aid
Sleep is a sedentary state of mind and body. It is characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, reduced muscle activity and reduced interactions with surroundings. It is distinguished from wakefulness by a de ...
because it interferes with sleep quality. But, in low doses, alcohol has sleep-promoting benefits, and some popular sleep medicines include 10% alcohol, although the effects of alcohol upon sleep can wear off somewhat after several nights of consecutive use.
Non-alcoholic
A nightcap was originally alcoholic, since it makes the drinker feel warm and helps them sleep, just like the garment of the same name."Overview Nightcap"Oxford Reference,
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, accessed November 20, 2017. However, warm milk
Warm milk is milk that has been heated above room temperature. It is commonly used as a nightcap for children and people who abstain from alcohol. Its effectiveness as such is disputed.
As a nightcap
Warm milk is commonly touted as a sleep aid ...
is often recommended as a nightcap for inducing sleep. It contains both tryptophan
Tryptophan (symbol Trp or W)
is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. Tryptophan contains an α-amino group, an α- carboxylic acid group, and a side chain indole, making it a polar molecule with a non-polar aromatic ...
and calcium
Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to ...
.Green, Wendy. The Greatest Guide to Slimming & Healthy Living
', p. 15 (2010). Alternatively, honey can improve the flavor. The effectiveness of warm milk for inducing sleep is disputed.Wright, Brierly.
“Six sleep myths busted”
Sun-Sentinel
The ''Sun Sentinel'' (also known as the ''South Florida Sun Sentinel'', known until 2008 as the ''Sun-Sentinel'', and stylized on its masthead as ''SunSentinel'') is the main daily newspaper of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, as well as surrounding Br ...
(June 13, 2012).
In 1930, Ovaltine
Ovaltine (also known by its original name Ovomaltine) is a brand of milk flavoring product made with malt extract (except in the blue packaging in the United States), sugar (except in Switzerland), and whey. Some flavors also have cocoa. Ovaltin ...
was advertised as "the world's best 'night-cap' to ensure sound, natural sleep".
See also
*Apéritif and digestif
Apéritifs (; ) and digestifs () are drinks, typically alcoholic, that are normally served before (''apéritif'') or after (''digestif'') a meal.
Apéritif
An apéritif is an alcoholic beverage usually served before a meal to stimulate the appe ...
*Sleep hygiene
Sleep hygiene is a behavioral and environmental practice developed in the late 1970s as a method to help people with mild to moderate insomnia. Clinicians assess the sleep hygiene of people with insomnia and other conditions, such as depression, ...
References
External links
* . * . {{Alcohol and health Drinking culture Sleep medicine