Improving sleep quality with grandma's secret: Warm milk with a sprinkle of nutmeg
This addition serves to relax and unwind, relieving after a tense day. Many people may associate this combination with their childhood when their grandmothers would give them warm milk before bedtime. However, this isn't as much about the milk as a warming ingredient. We rarely use this spice, but it's worth keeping in our pantry.
Feb 4, 2024 | updated: 4:20 AM EST, March 7, 2024
Nutmeg for better sleep
How does nutmeg improve sleep quality? This spice increases serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine levels, thereby improving mood and facilitating the process of falling asleep. It allows for relaxation, soothes stress, and calms. A pinch, or at least 0.2 ounces of this spice before bedtime ensures a restful and uninterrupted sleep.
How to consume nutmeg before bedtime? Preparing a mixture using warm milk is beneficial and is also recognized for its sleep-enhancing properties. Milk provides energy and helps us feel content and full, leading faster to a sense of sleepiness and tranquility. This all together makes falling asleep easier. Drinking warm milk usually provides a pleasant feeling of satiety without causing lethargy or stomach discomfort.
Preparing a mixture for restful and uninterrupted sleep
Warm up a glass of milk to a maximum of 122°F - any hotter might diminish nutmeg's beneficial properties. Add one-eighth to one-fourth of a teaspoon of nutmeg to the warm milk and stir well. Consume this mixture around 30 minutes before bedtime.
Remember not to consume more than 0.2 ounces of nutmeg in a day. Despite its health benefits, excessive consumption can potentially be harmful and could even lead to poisoning or death. Overdosing may cause severe stomach pain (which can last up to 24 hours), nausea, vomiting, headaches, chest pain, and convulsions. Given its content of myristicin, taking too much nutmeg can induce hallucinations.
