Can't Sleep? Which Home Remedies Really Work

Warm Milk.. Lullabies.. Counting Sheep: Which Sleep Remedies Really Do (And Don't) Work

Before you ever learned about keeping your bedroom dark, cool, quiet and gadget-free, chances are someone (Hi, Mom!) told you some of their own theories about how to get the best sleep.

While we know that things like staying away from caffeine and exercise close to bedtime really do promote better zzz's, there's --unsurprisingly! -- not much scientific evidence surrounding folk methods like drinking warm milk or counting sheep. Just because these home-grown sleep remedies continue to be passed down over the years doesn't mean they work!

So does Mom really know best when it comes to falling asleep fast? We asked Michael Decker, Ph.D., an associate professor at Georgia State University and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, to explain if your go-to method really works.

Lullabies

Can't Sleep?

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