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Today's Paper | November 23, 2024

Updated 22 Dec, 2016 09:34am

Milk — a natural cure for Insomnia?

Insomnia is one of the slowest acting ailments and can gradually consume away the mental health and well being of any individual stricken by it.

While some may find medicinal treatments and physical exercise suitable enough to overcome insomnia, others are not so lucky. So what is the best remedy to restore your midnight peace when everything else has failed?

The answer is as simple — a glass of warm milk.

Milk is filled with tryptophan, an amino acid which is capable of inducing sleep.

It is a well known fact that turkey meat has sedative effects, due to the presence of tryptophan.

While It is not possible for milk to have anesthetic properties, but studies do confirm that milk acts as a sleeping aid for people, and this has more to do with psychology.

According to scientists, drinking a warm glass of milk before bedtime can be as soothing as a favorite old blanket.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Journal by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology also found that tryptophan’s sleep inducing effects can possibly be boosted by eating foods high in carbohydrates.

On the other hand, a study published by the American Society for Clinical Nutrition explains that α-lactalbumin, a protein found in milk containing high tryptophan content, also leads to improved sleep through an increased tryptophan ratio as compared to other amino acids in the blood.

A similar study previously published by the same source further indicates that α-lactalbumin helps in reducing stress.

A warm glass of milk, packing sufficient levels of both α-lactalbumin and tryptophan, is considerably effective when using it as a sleeping aid.

For those looking to break free from the grips of insomnia, this is a recommended remedy.

The remedy for insomnia requires no investment – except for milk, which can be bought for as low as Rs30 if you get Olper’s Milk Ecolean pack – nor any prescriptions from the doctor.

It also has absolutely no side effects either. So what’s the harm in giving it a try?


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