Could an Olympics-style contest where contestants eat peanut butter and lettuce sandwiches be the answer to better sleep?
Well, not exactly, but exercise and these two foods have been the focus of some Internet chatter when it comes to searching for ways to get better sleep.
Steep for Sleep
We aren’t sure who first decided to steep romaine lettuce leaves in hot water to make lettuce tea, but it’s a TikTok trend that many are claiming helps them fall asleep faster.
Unfortunately, according to an article on Yahoo, the concentration of lettuce extract in lettuce tea makes it unlikely to help anyone get to sleep faster. The author cites a study in which mice were given a highly concentrated lettuce extract—which did help them sleep longer—however, the results are inconclusive because the extract was so concentrated compared to lettuce tea.
If anyone is brave enough to try lettuce tea, let us know if it helps you fall asleep faster!
Creamy or Crunchy?
On the same topic of foods that affect sleep, troubled sleepers may want to give peanut butter a try. According to a study of nuts and legumes in the FASEB Journal, “peanuts had the most pronounced effect on subjects’ delta wave response, which is linked to healing and deep sleep.”
The reason? The amino acid tryptophan (yep, the same stuff people claim makes them tired when they eat turkey.) Peanuts are full of tryptophan, and they’re also high in protein and carbs, which can make tryptophan more available to the brain.
The only question left is, creamy or crunchy?
Sleep Olympics
For years scientists have explained the advantages physical activity can have on the human body—including getting a better night’s sleep.
But now, a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine has found that poor sleep—which is linked to increased risk of illness or mortality—is made even worse when people don’t get enough physical activity.
What if retailers could help consumers get better sleep (and become more physically active) simply by talking to customers about this? Maybe even make Sleep Olympics game out of it where people can submit the number of steps they take each day and how well they slept that night to enter a gift card giveaway. (Plus, that’s a great way to sell a sleep tracker!)
Sleep knowledge is powerful, and the more you know, the better you can help customers find exactly what they’re looking for.