‘A Nightcap’
Why Have One? — An Herbal One That Is
A nightcap, with reference to the drink rather than the item of clothing, is a hot or alcoholic drink taken before bedtime. It is historically thought that consumption of a warm glass of milk or glass of alcohol would promote and help with better sleep.
In the world we live in, (most) things change and evolve and this includes research. The effects of alcohol on the body are widely known and though commonly used to help relax after a long day, booze is a less-than-ideal substance to incorporate when trying to hack optimal sleep hygiene.
“Sure, that nightcap, last glass of wine or beer before bed may help you feel sleepy. But it can actually end up robbing you of a good night’s rest — or worse, could cause some challenging sleep problems.
While it’s true that alcohol is a sedative, both having it in your system as well as the process of it wearing off can cause a variety of different problems,” says neurologist and sleep expert Jessica Vensel Rundo, MD. “You’re likely to experience fragmented sleep, insomnia or possibly more serious sleep issues.”-health.cleavlandclinic.org
(for the full article check it out here: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-you-should-limit-alcohol-before-bed-for-better-sleep/)
Cow’s milk is also traditionally used as a nightcap because it “contains two nutrients widely known to improve or induce sleep. L-tryptophan: Tryptophan is the precursor to serotonin in your brain. Theoretically, if you consume enough tryptophan, your brain will produce more serotonin a few hours later, which will make you relax and feel good.”-zomasleep.com
The thing is, cow’s milk doesn’t jive well with many people and for reasons such as lactose intolerance, the personal choice to not drink it or otherwise, tea, hot water with lemon and apple cider vinegar concoctions are popular alternatives.
We prefer herbal tea around our place.
Currently Jeff, Braden and I are all enjoying a hot mug of Raspberry Zinger. Perhaps it’s the warm hug-type feeling from the temperature of the tea or that it’s 21:00 and it’s time to chill out anyway but I definitely feel relaxed.
When I used to drink…and at the height of my most unhealthy amounts of alcohol consumption…I would put back a bottle of Apothic Red (uh…and eventually/progressively other stuff) to help me fall asleep.
Sure, it made me pass out but like the statement above, after time it only compounded and wreaked havoc on my circadian rhythm, my body and my emotions.
If the term ‘circadian rhythm’ is new to you or you haven’t looked into it much, I highly recommend doing so.
Here’s a good place to start: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/basics/circadian-rhythm
As I have shared before, honey is great for promoting sleep. So a touch of that (preferably organic and of Manuka-style) in any herbal (not black or green) tea, warm almond or oat milk or simply hot water and lemon makes for fantastic nightcap options.
Sleep well,
-Becky
