Drinking warm milk before going to bed is a common practice for many of us. If you remember, since childhood our parents stress on drinking 'haldi doodh' or 'badam doodh' after dinner. It is believed warm milk helps you get a good and tight sleep. Ever wondered why? Scientists suggest that a mixture of milk peptides, called casein tryptic hydrolysate (CTH), is known to relieve stress, further promoting a good sleep. That's not all. A report in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry has identified some specific peptides in CTH that "might someday be used in new, natural sleep remedies".
According to a report in ANI, scientists have also discovered "several natural peptides, or small pieces of proteins, that have anti-anxiety and sleep-enhancing effects". Researchers L in Zheng, Mouming Zhao and colleagues, who have been working on this, further feels that there might be other (perhaps more powerful) sleep-enhancing peptides in CTH.
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The research was conducted on mouse where it was seen that CTH had better sleep enhancing properties. When the strongest peptides were tested in mice, the best one increased the number of mice that fell asleep quickly by about 25 per cent. Moreover, the sleep duration increased by more than 400 percent, compared to a control group.
However, the researchers suggest that in addition to this promising peptide, others in CTH should be explored that might enhance sleep through other pathways.
Considering this, we suggest include a warm glass of milk in your post dinner regime to relax your mind and body and go for a deep sleep. But always remember, consult a doctor before adapting any change in your diet regime.
Eat healthy, stay fit!