Last updated: October 2026
Not directly. Horlicks’ own UK FAQ says it “will not directly aid sleep” and contains nothing that causes drowsiness. Two small studies from 1972 found slightly less restless sleep after a mug, but a later study found no effect. Any help comes from the ritual: a warm, almost caffeine-free drink as part of a regular wind-down.
Facts come from Horlicks’ UK website, checked October 2026. Evopure isn’t connected with Horlicks.
Does Horlicks help you sleep? What the studies say
Horlicks has been tested by name, but only in small, old studies:
- 1972, BMJ: 18 people slept in a lab for 10 nights each, after Horlicks or a dummy capsule. Young adults were slightly less restless; in 8 older adults, sleep was longer and less broken.
- 1972, BMJ, medical students: hot milk with Horlicks reduced small movements during sleep compared with hot water.
- 1978, Edinburgh: a thesis found Horlicks “had no effect on sleep” against a dummy capsule, though sleep was less broken than after plain milk.
Nothing modern has tested it, and a 2020 review of 14 milk studies found mixed results. So is Horlicks good for sleep? It’s a pleasant bedtime drink, not a sleep aid, as Horlicks itself says.
Want a bedtime drink with more on the label?
If you like a mug before bed, these are ours:
- Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex: a berry drink powder you mix hot or cold, with magnesium bisglycinate and citrate (148mg magnesium per serving), glycine, L-theanine, chamomile, passionflower, hops and oat straw. Magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue. See magnesium for sleep and magnesium drinks.
- Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex: a cosy reishi hot chocolate. It contains a little natural caffeine from the cacao, so it suits earlier in the evening. See reishi cacao.
- Sleep CBD Oil: broad spectrum CBD (0% THC) with passionflower extract and a terpene blend. CBD isn’t a treatment for sleep problems. See CBD oil for sleep.
The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.
All Evopure products are for adults (18+). We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Why a warm milky drink can still feel like it helps
The ritual. The same warm drink at the same time each night is a cue that the day is over. See our bedtime routine.
Tryptophan is overstated. Milk contains tryptophan, used to make serotonin and melatonin, but a 200ml glass gives about 80mg, a fraction of the gram-sized doses used in trials. See our tryptophan guide.
Carbohydrate studies are small. In one trial, 12 healthy men fell asleep in about 9 minutes after a high-GI rice meal 4 hours before bed, against about 17 after a low-GI one. That tested a meal, not a malted drink. See foods that help you sleep.
Does Horlicks have caffeine?
Horlicks says none of its malted drinks contain added caffeine. Its FAQ gives Original as less than 1.25mg per 25g serving and Light Instant Chocolate as 2.56mg per 32g serving, because cocoa naturally contains caffeine. The NHS puts a mug of tea at about 75mg.
Sugar, calories and allergens
| Horlicks (UK) | Made with | Calories | Sugars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original, 25g | 200ml semi-skimmed milk | 182 kcal | 19.2g |
| Instant, 32g | 200ml hot water | 115 kcal | 14.8g |
| Chocolate, 32g | 200ml hot water | 119 kcal | 15.4g |
About half the sugar in a mug of Original is the milk’s own, which doesn’t count towards the NHS limit of 30g of free sugars a day for adults. The powders are mostly wheat and malted barley, with added vitamins and minerals such as calcium and vitamin D.
Horlicks contains milk, wheat and barley, so it isn’t gluten-free; its FAQ says it’s vegetarian and nut-free. Trade press reported a “Healthy Sleep” shake with chamomile and valerian in 2022, but we couldn’t find it, or Horlicks Light, on Horlicks’ UK shop in October 2026.
Horlicks vs Ovaltine, hot chocolate and other bedtime drinks
| Drink | Caffeine | Sugar | Sleep evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horlicks Original | Under 1.25mg | 19.2g a mug with milk | Small 1970s studies, mixed |
| Ovaltine Original | A little (contains cocoa) | 22g a mug with milk | No trials found |
| Hot milk | None | Milk sugar only | Mixed, small studies |
| Chamomile tea | None | None | Small trials, sleep quality |
| Hot chocolate (mix) | About 5mg | Often high | No trials |
| Our magnesium drink | None | Sweetened with stevia | Not tested for sleep |
Ovaltine Original (sold by Twinings) is mostly barley malt extract with 8% cocoa. Neither has better sleep evidence than the other. Other ideas: chamomile tea, the best tea for sleep, Pukka Night Time, hot chocolate before bed and the sleepy girl mocktail.
What actually helps you sleep
The NHS’s sleep advice doesn’t mention bedtime drinks. It suggests waking at the same time every day, relaxing for an hour before bed, a dark, quiet bedroom, no big late meal, no screens right before bed, and no alcohol, tea or coffee for 6 hours before bed. Skip the nightcap too: see alcohol and sleep.
With the clocks gone back, a warm drink at the same time each night can anchor your routine: see clocks go back sleep tips and natural sleep aids ranked by evidence. See a GP if you’ve had trouble sleeping for months or it’s affecting daily life.
FAQs
Is Horlicks good for sleep?
It’s a comforting bedtime drink, but Horlicks says it will not directly aid sleep. Small 1970s studies were mixed, and nothing modern has tested it.
Can I drink Horlicks before bed?
Yes. It has almost no caffeine. Have it 30 to 60 minutes before bed to avoid a night-time loo trip, and watch the sugar.
Is Horlicks or Ovaltine better for sleep?
Neither has good evidence over the other. Ovaltine Original contains cocoa, so it has a little caffeine; Horlicks Original has less than 1.25mg per serving.
Does Horlicks have caffeine?
No added caffeine. Horlicks says Original has less than 1.25mg per 25g serving; chocolate versions have a little more from the cocoa.
Is Horlicks gluten-free?
No. It contains wheat and barley (and milk), and Horlicks says the range isn’t suitable for a gluten-free diet.
Sources
- Horlicks UK (Aimia Foods). FAQs, Original, Instant and Chocolate (checked 27 October 2026).
- Twinings. Ovaltine Original.
- Brezinová V, Oswald I. Sleep after a bedtime beverage. BMJ, 1972. Southwell PR et al. Effect of a hot milk drink on movements during sleep. BMJ, 1972.
- Adam K. Eating, sleeping and body maintenance. University of Edinburgh thesis, 1978.
- Komada Y et al. The effects of milk and dairy products on sleep: a systematic review, 2020. Afaghi A et al. High-glycemic-index carbohydrate meals shorten sleep onset, 2007.
- NHS. Insomnia, sugar and caffeine amounts.
General information, not medical advice. Evopure makes the Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex, Reishi Mushroom Adaptogenic Complex and Sleep CBD Oil, and isn’t connected with Horlicks or Ovaltine.
