A nightcap is a drink taken shortly before bedtime. For example, a small alcoholic beverage or glass of warm milk can supposedly promote a good night's sleep. [1] [2]
A nightcap is a drink taken shortly before bedtime. For example, a small alcoholic beverage or glass of warm milk can supposedly promote a good night's sleep. [1] [2]
In folk medicine consuming a nightcap is for the purpose of inducing sleep. Alcohol is not recommended by many doctors as a sleep aid because it interferes with sleep quality. [3] But, in low doses, alcohol has sleep-promoting benefits, [4] and some popular sleep medicines include 10% alcohol, [5] although the effects of alcohol upon sleep can wear off somewhat after several nights of consecutive use. [6]
Nightcaps can be neat or mixed. They should not be served chilled or on the rocks, because a nightcap is supposed to induce a feeling of warmth. [7] The hot toddy is usually considered the original nightcap. [8] Other traditional nightcaps include brown liquor like brandy or bourbon, [7] and cream-based liqueurs such as Irish cream. Wine, especially fortified, [9] can also function as a nightcap. [10] Since some nightcaps are made of amaro, a digestif, they are believed to also make settling into bed easier by promoting digestion. [8]
A nightcap was originally alcoholic, since it warms drinkers and helps them sleep, just like the garment of the same name. [11] However, warm milk is often recommended as a nightcap for inducing sleep, as it contains both tryptophan and calcium. [12] The effectiveness of warm milk for inducing sleep is disputed. [13]
In 1930, Ovaltine was advertised as "the world's best 'night-cap' to ensure sound, natural sleep". [11]
A drink or beverage is a liquid intended for human consumption. In addition to their basic function of satisfying thirst, drinks play important roles in human culture. Common types of drinks include plain drinking water, milk, juice, smoothies and soft drinks. Traditionally warm beverages include coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Caffeinated drinks that contain the stimulant caffeine have a long history.
The term punch refers to a wide assortment of drinks, both non-alcoholic and alcoholic, generally containing fruits or fruit juice. The drink was introduced from the Indian subcontinent to England by employees of the East India Company in the late 17th century. Punch is usually served at parties in large, wide bowls, known as punch bowls.
Vicks NyQuil is a brand of over-the-counter medication manufactured by Procter & Gamble intended for the relief of various symptoms of the common cold. All medications within the NyQuil imprint contain sedating antihistamines, hypnotics, and/or alcohol; they are intended to be taken before sleep. Its daytime counterpart is antihistamine-free DayQuil, formulated to avoid drowsiness. NyQuil is also used as a sleep aid. NyQuil was first marketed in the United States in 1966.
Eggnog, historically also known as a milk punch or an egg milk punch when alcoholic beverages are added, is a rich, chilled, sweetened, dairy-based beverage traditionally made with milk, cream, sugar, egg yolk and whipped egg white. A distilled spirit such as brandy, rum, whiskey or bourbon is often a key ingredient.
Apéritifs and digestifs are drinks, typically alcoholic, that are normally served respectively before and after a meal.
Vicks DayQuil is an over-the-counter combination medication product used for the temporary relief of common cold and flu symptoms. DayQuil is available in several formulations.
Liquor or distilled beverages are alcoholic drinks produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include spirit, spirituous liquor or hard liquor. While the word liquor ordinarily refers to distilled alcoholic spirits rather than beverages produced by fermentation alone, it can sometimes be used more broadly to refer to any alcoholic beverage.
Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in southern Italy, especially in the region around the Gulf of Naples, the Amalfi Coast and Sicily. It is the second-most popular liqueur in Italy and is traditionally served chilled as an after-dinner digestif. It is also a popular homemade liqueur, with various recipes available online and in print.
Advocaat or advocatenborrel is a traditional Dutch alcoholic beverage made from eggs, sugar, and brandy. The rich and creamy drink has a smooth, custard-like consistency. The typical alcohol content is generally between 14% and 20% ABV. Its contents may be a blend of egg yolks, aromatic spirits, sugar or honey, brandy, vanilla, and sometimes cream. Notable makers of advocaat include Warninks, Bols, Darna Ovo Liker, DeKuyper, and Verpoorten.
A liqueur coffee is a caffeinated alcoholic drink that consists of a shot of liqueur, mixed with coffee. It is typically served in a liqueur glass, often accompanied with cream and sugar. Coffee liqueur beverages are served in different fashions and can be found throughout many countries. One of the most popular liqueur coffee beverage is commonly known as Irish coffee. Liqueur coffee beverages are largely classified as cocktails as well as digestifs which are aimed at aiding the digestive process typically after a meal.
Licor 43, or Cuarenta y Tres, is a Spanish liqueur, made in Cartagena, Spain.
1-Butanol, also known as butan-1-ol or n-butanol, is a primary alcohol with the chemical formula C4H9OH and a linear structure. Isomers of 1-butanol are isobutanol, butan-2-ol and tert-butanol. The unmodified term butanol usually refers to the straight chain isomer.
Alcohol use and sleep have a complex relationship. While alcohol may initially induce drowsiness, it can disrupt sleep quality and exacerbate sleep disorders in the long run. During abstinence, sleep disruption is one of the greatest predictors of relapse.
Drinks containing alcohol are typically divided into three classes—beers, wines, and spirits—with alcohol content typically between 3% and 50%. Drinks with less than 0.5% are sometimes considered non-alcoholic.
The short-term effects of alcohol consumption range from a decrease in anxiety and motor skills and euphoria at lower doses to intoxication (drunkenness), to stupor, unconsciousness, anterograde amnesia, and central nervous system depression at higher doses. Cell membranes are highly permeable to alcohol, so once it is in the bloodstream, it can diffuse into nearly every cell in the body.
Sleep induction is the deliberate effort to bring on sleep by various techniques or medicinal means, is practiced to lengthen periods of sleep, increase the effectiveness of sleep, and to reduce or prevent insomnia.
An astro pop cocktail is a layered cocktail, mixed drink or shooter so named because it resembles the Astro Pop lollipop candy brand. Various recipes exist that use liquor and liqueurs to produce the drink. A version of the drink exists that is layered with red, white, and blue colors and served in a shot glass. It is a popular alcoholic beverage in some drinking establishments.
Alcohol, sometimes referred to by the chemical name ethanol, is the second most consumed psychoactive drug globally behind caffeine. Alcohol is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant, decreasing electrical activity of neurons in the brain. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies alcohol as a toxic, psychoactive, dependence-producing, and carcinogenic substance.
This page is a list of terms related to the psychoactive drug alcohol.
