SNOOZE SCIENCE FROM THE LAB
ROCK OUT FOR BETTER ZEDS
A study of 18 healthy young adults at the University of Geneva found that falling asleep to continuous gentle rocking not only results in a shorter time drifting off, but also – with the motion sustained throughout the night – deeper sleep. Furthermore, participants’ memories of facts learned the night before were better, compared with those who slept with no rocking. Rocking beds don’t come cheap, so, until they plummet in price, perhaps it’s worth digging that hammock out of the garage?
CHOOSE CHERRIES TO BEAT INSOMNIA
A review in Advances In Nutrition concluded that cherries, which naturally contain melatonin, could be a legit insomnia cure. In one study, participants drank either 230ml of tart cherry juice or a cherry-flavoured placebo every morning and evening for two weeks. Those who got the real deal slept for longer, were less likely to wake in the night and had greater sleep efficiency (read: they spent a higher proportion of their time in bed actually asleep).
ADD BULK FOR BEDTIME
Protein: not just good for muscle repair and fuelling glute gains. A study by Purdue University, Indiana, found that people who consumed 1.5g protein per kilo of body weight while on a calorie-restricted diet reported an improvement in overall sleep quality after three months on the eating plan, compared with those who only ate 0.8g per kilo (the UK reference intake). Bring on the chicken (or tofu).
MAKE ‘WEEKEND COFFEE’ A THING
Espresso post-dinner hinders sleepy time? Old news. However, new research shows that cumulative coffee consumption (that’s more than 60 cups a year, so just over one a week) could lead to shrinkage of a gland in the brain that produces the sleep hormone melatonin. Motivation enough to finally switch to a Sunday-only brew? Try scaling back to one daily cup if that’s frankly unrealistic. No judgement.
SLEEP MORE, TOUGHEN UP
One night of sleep deprivation leads to a 15-30% increase in perceived sensitivity to pain, according to research published in the Journal Of Neuroscience. The impact is twofold, with brain imaging showing activity spiking in pain-perception regions and plunging in those thought to help manage or reduce pain. Dentist appointment tomorrow? Book yourself in for a solid night’s shut-eye.