Science in Sport Nocté 45g sachet £1.50 or 15 for £20

Sleep, no one will be surprised to hear, is a vital part of the process of recovery from exercise. It is the time the body rests, recuperates and repairs itself, and lack of sleep has a raft of negative effects on athletic performance. These may include a reduction in cardiovascular performance and endurance, impaired coordination and even an increase in perceived exertion, or how hard a given level of effort feels.

Getting the most out of a good night’s sleep needs – well – a good night’s sleep, for a start. It also needs proper nutrition, which is where Nocté, a night time-specific drink from Science in Sport, comes in. Part of the SiS Protein Kinetics system, it is formulated to provide slow-release proteins, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B6 for absorption during the night.

Science aside, Nocté certainly has a noticeable effect on the body. Taken as a cold drink about 20 minutes before retiring to bed, it invariably sent the reviewer into a deep, untroubled slumber from which it was hard to wake in the morning. Hard to say whether there was any improvement in physical condition after a week or so of nightly consumption, but this would be a subjective judgment in any case without some sort of proper test protocol.

Assuming SiS have done their research, Nocté has to be worth considering either as part of preparation for a big event or as part of the nutritional intake during a training camp. Sachets bought singly are a bit expensive, so buy by the box of 20. The vanilla flavour tastes quite nice last thing at night. Beats the usual malted hot drink. Also available in chocolate flavour.