6 Remedies for Sleep Problems—Do They Work?

By Rachel Johnson, Ph.D, M.P.H., R.D., March/April 2008

Can anything we eat or drink help? Here’s what the science says.

READER'S COMMENT:

"Dear author of this article: You say that you are using your sleepless nights to keep on doing research. Can we as sleepless human sand as readers and as non-scientists find out what amount of effort and financial resources are being...

Also of Interest
Mood Boosting Foods
Health Benefits of Tea
Health Perks of Drinking Coffee
Try this drink to cure a headache & 4 more home remedies for common ailments
A Natural Solution for Hot Flashes
Healthy Recipes for Mind, Body & Spirit
Mind, Body & Spirit Center

1. Drink some warm milk before bedtime

Decades ago, scientists looked into this folk remedy and posited that tryptophan, an amino acid in milk (and turkey), might be responsible for its supposed sleep-inducing effects. Earlier research had shown that when tryptophan is released into the brain, it produces serotonin—a serenity-boosting neurotransmitter. But when milk (and other tryptophan-rich foods) were tested, they failed to affect sleep patterns. “Tryptophan-containing foods don’t produce the hypnotic effects pure tryptophan does, because other amino acids in those foods compete to get into the brain,” explains Art Spielman, M.D., an insomnia expert and professor of psychology at the City University of New York. Warm milk at bedtime may be comforting, but it won’t boost sleep-promoting serotonin.

Next: 2. Have a bedtime snack »