Worst drink to have before bed revealed - and it's not what you'd expect

It's common knowledge that drinking coffee or tea just before hitting the hay isn't the best idea, but it turns out there's another drink you should steer clear from if you're after a good night's rest.

If you end your day with a comforting glass of warm milk or a bowl of cereal, new research might make you rethink your bedtime routine due to its implications on sleep quality.

A surprising study conducted by 888 Casino looked at milk, coffee or tea's influence on sleep - and it unveiled quite a startling revelation.

Contrary to popular belief, the true culprits behind disrupted slumber were not coffee and tea as one could be led to believe, but rather milk. Despite being packed with health benefits such as calcium and vitamin D, milk also has its downsides when consumed right before bed, reports the Mirror.

The research team explained their methodology: "To find out which drinks affect our sleep more than others, 888 Casino provided a group of participants with sleep trackers and five different drinks. Each participant then had a different one each night for five days, recording how well they slept."

So next time you head to the fridge for a nighttime beverage, you might want to reconsider your choice.

"Milk is the worst drink for a good night's sleep, with participants only sleeping for six hours and 52 minutes, nearly one hour less than on a normal night. Contrary to popular belief, coffee isn't the worst drink before bed, only keeping participants awake for 54 minutes."

"Tea is the best beverage to drink before bed and encourages dreaming the most, encouraging one hour and 14 minutes of deep sleep and one hour 30 minutes of REM sleep."

The study didn't specify why milk led to poorer sleep than expected, but Professor John Young from Teesside University shed some light on the issue. He pointed out that milk might not be the ideal nightcap, especially for those with dairy allergies, lactose intolerance, or conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as it can cause symptoms that lead to "discomfort" and disrupt sleep.

He remarked: "These symptoms would delay falling asleep and may even prevent a good night's sleep. For this reason, those individuals would be advised to avoid milk before bed. Likewise, anyone who suffers from acid reflux would likely experience symptoms of heartburn and regurgitation if they consumed milk, or anything rich in protein, before lying down to go to sleep."

However, he also stated that there is evidence to suggest that for others drinking milk could be beneficial in helping you get to sleep - although research into the topic is "mixed". He explained: "The evidence that milk before bed improves our ability to fall asleep and maintain a good night's sleep is actually mixed - a good night's sleep is much more influenced by our overall diet, physical activity and exposure to sunlight throughout the day. "".

According to another study, having a varied diet, including adequate amounts of milk and dairy products, will help improve sleep habits. It's clear that more research into the area is needed.

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