Alpha-lactalbumin (alpha) is one of the main protein fractions naturally occurring in milk. Alpha is the most prominent protein fraction in human milk and second most prominent fraction in bovine milk. It is naturally high in the essential amino acid tryptophan, and the Sulphur amino-acid, cysteine. 

Sufficient good quality sleep is known to be essential to health, wellbeing, and recovery from exercise; however, many people have issues getting sufficient sleep with an estimated 50 to 70 million US adults having a sleep disorder (Layman 2018). Serotonin is key in the sleep-wake cycle, so it’s not surprising that the benefits on sleep quality observed from both alpha-lactalbumin and tryptophan supplementation include: 

• Reduce morning sleepiness score (implying a Better night’s sleep) and improved day alertness and attention (Markus 2005) 
• Reduced sleep latency (time to get to sleep) in those who normally have a longer sleep latency (REF)

Consuming high-quality protein before bed is a useful strategy to enhance muscle resynthesis and growth (Trommellen). In fact, the benefits of alpha for overnight recovery have been demonstrated in female athletes, who experienced better sleep quality and improved performance in an intermittent recovery test the following morning when they consumed alpha vs placebo after an evening simulated competition (Miles et al, 2021).