When I'm nervous about something or under a lot of stress, I'm pretty good at denial during the daylight hours. But my body reveals my true feelings at bedtime, when I find myself staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Insomnia is the way I react to stress, and I've tried nearly everything out there to combat it -- beyond medication.

I can honestly say that on more than one occasion, a big glass of warm milk has helped me fall asleep. But does milk truly make you drowsy? It's been touted as a folk remedy for insomnia for ages. Milk contains tryptophan -- the same substance that makes you sleepy after eating Thanksgiving turkey -- so there is the possibility that it really does cause drowsiness, but studies have also shown that tryptophan has trouble accessing the brain when combined with protein-rich foods like milk.

Experts say that even if the jury is still out on the science behind milk and insomnia, the soothing ritual of sipping a warm beverage before bedtime can be relaxing enough to help you fall asleep.