While some advise against TikTok as it can be time-consuming, it can be a goldmine for extremely useful hacks. A viral TikTok video has shown that a weird concoction can be used to better help sleep.
This concoction is lettuce water or lettuce tea, in other words. Many wondered if it actually works and while the idea of drinking lettuce water can be not so appealing, TikTok users swear by it.
TikTokers claim that it’s magic
Embed from Getty ImagesTikTokers now claim that conventional methods such as sleeping pills, meditation music, or hypnotherapy are no longer needed to help you doze off. In a video that has been watched 1.5 million times, a leafy green lettuce tea drinker who tried the viral sleep hack gave it his seal of approval and claimed: “It really worked.”
TikToker Elliot testified to its success
Embed from Getty ImagesThe TikToker, who goes by the name @callmebelly, shared that he usually sleeps at 3 a.m., and he went on to try the hack in the video to see if it really works.
He filmed himself making the drink and drinking it. He shared another video 20 minutes later saying, “It’s been 20 minutes and my eyes feel so heavy.” The next day, he filmed another video testifying to the drink’s success with a thumbs up.
Some experts have their doubts
Embed from Getty ImagesSas Parsad, nutritionist and founder of The Gut Co. told Healthline it’s imperative that people “approach trends like these critically and consider evidence-based approaches to ensure effectiveness and safety.”
He added that the relationship between dietary choices and sleep quality is still under research. He also added that while lettuce does have lactucarium, which has sedative properties, the amount in the lettuce is too little to induce a significant effect.
More about lactucarium
Embed from Getty ImagesLactucarium is a milky substance found in wild lettuce. It has analgesic and mild sedative properties and can promote relaxation and, consequently, help with sleep. However, its concentration in a cup of lettuce water is too low to have any real effect.
Scientific evidence that supports the sedative effects of lactucarium
Embed from Getty ImagesA study published in May 2017 in the journal Food Science Biotechnology tested lactucarium’s effect on rats, not humans.
This study is not promising, however, as it was conducted on a different type of lettuce than the ones tried by the TikTokers and the study didn’t compare sleep latency and duration between mice who were administered the extract and mice who weren’t.
Lettuce water has other benefits, however
Embed from Getty ImagesLettuce water could have non-sleep-related benefits, though these benefits are better reaped with the lettuce as a salad, not as a brew. Korina Burkhard, sleep expert and board advisor at Dozy Sleep, pointed out, “Lettuce has low-calorie content and is high in water and fiber.
So, drinking lettuce water can help aid digestion and maintain a healthy gut.” In addition, she added that “it can also provide vitamins A, C, and K, folate, potassium, and other minerals.”
It has calcium and magnesium, too
Embed from Getty ImagesLettuce also contains calcium and magnesium, which can help improve bone health. It is also high in antioxidants, which could counter oxidative stress and inflammation.
The problem is that only a few of these vitamins and minerals will still be present in lettuce water.
More effective sleep remedies
Embed from Getty ImagesBurkhard advises people to avoid depressants such as alcohol and stimulants such as nicotine and caffeine before bedtime. “Stimulants will activate your brain and keep you awake longer, while depressants will lead to disrupted sleep,” she explains.
Chamomile tea can be your friend, too
Embed from Getty ImagesBurkhard stated that Chamomile tea has been scientifically proven to help with sleep. “It contains high levels of apigenin, an antioxidant that binds to receptors in your brain. So, it helps reduce anxiety and initiate sleep,” she noted to Healthline.
Magnesium and lavender are also helpful
Embed from Getty ImagesDietary magnesium can be of help, too, when it comes down to sleep problems. Evidence shows that it could improve insomnia symptoms and help you sleep quicker.
Also, lavender is very useful for sleeping problems. Studies show that just a sniff of the flower before bed can improve the quality of sleep.
