When it’s hard to fall into the arms of Morpheus, nothing like a good hot milk. According to a study, this comforting drink indeed promotes sleep.
As explained by researchers from the South China University of Technology, whose work was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, dairy products contain tryptophan.
This amino acid is used by our body to produce, among other things, serotonin, a neurotransmitter that acts as a precursor to melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone.
Based on this observation, the authors sought to find out if cow’s milk could particularly help sleep and if other components could play a role.
tryptophan and peptides
To do this, they carried out tests on two groups of mice, and they actually confirmed that hot milk is a great ally if you have sleep disorders. And not just because it’s high in tryptophan.
According to their analyses, it is also linked to the presence of peptides, small chains of amino acids. They would act like sleeping pills and could “significantly prolong the duration of sleep and increase its quality by 58 to 83%”.
The researchers point out that it is during the digestion process that the peptides take effect. Hence the interest of drinking hot milk in the evening, 30 minutes to an hour before going to bed.
Note that for more indulgence and efficiency, you can also prepare a hot chocolate, preferably based on dark chocolate (70% cocoa minimum). This food is a good source of magnesium, a nutrient known to reduce stress and anxiety.