While all vegetables are good for us, there’s one crunchy veg in particular that helps us sleep better, and has inflammatory properties which can increase melatonin levels
Scoffing cucumbers could help you sleep, according to boffins. Scientists have said taking an extract of the long green vegetable has shown to improve shut-eye quality. Dr Robert Nash and researchers from Aberystwyth University in Wales found an iminosugar called Q Actin can also help improve cognitive function and general health.
They wrote: “Sleep disturbances are a known risk factor for cognitive decline, mood disorders and reduced physical health in older adults. Therefore, even small improvements could have meaningful clinical implications, particularly if sustained long term.”
Cucumbers have long been known to possess anti-inflammatory properties, but scientists have only recently discovered the molecule behind these benefits.
A group of adults were given a 20mg daily dose of Q-actin for 12 weeks, with the results showing improved sleep quality and melatonin metabolites.
Dr Nash said: “The result is very interesting because it shows the anti-inflammatory iminosugar acid idoBR1 standardised in Q-actin can increase melatonin levels.
“Poor sleep raises inflammatory markers in the brain but inflammation can also impact sleep patterns, so reducing inflammatory might have a positive effect on sleep quality and overall health.”
Studies suggest Q Actin may also improve joint mobility and function and relieve pain associated with moderate osteoarthritis.
Sleeping in on the weekends could also have health benefits. People who spend up to two hours longer in bed on Saturdays and Sundays may halve their risk of depression, according to brainiacs at Chengdu University in China.
It is believed extra snoozing especially benefits men and people aged between 40 and 60 who don’t get enough weekday sleep while trying to balance work and family life. The lack of sleep can cause depression, weight gain, and a reduced life span.
The team wrote in the study: “There is a potential association between weekend catch-up sleep and a reduced risk of depression, particularly in alleviating the negative effects of workday sleep deprivation.’’
Another study found that waking up with an alarm clock could turn you into a sleep-zombie. The abrupt, grating ring or bleep from bedside alarms or smartphones “rips” us from our slumber, leaving us exhausted all day.
We should instead rely on the break of dawn bringing light into our bedroom, said sleep specialist Dr Emily Thompson, or stick to a rigid routine of going to bed and naturally waking at the same time. She said: “An alarm clock rips you out of sleep suddenly, often when your body isn’t ready.
“If you’re in deep sleep when the alarm sounds, you wake up feeling groggy, disoriented and exhausted. This is known as sleep inertia and it can last for hours.”
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