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Tom's Guide
a day ago
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Want to sleep better tonight? Eat more of this food type today, says new study
While we come across many effective sleep trends here at Tom's Guide, most of these need to be followed consistently over time to see any kind of impact. However, the latest research suggests there is one way to see results overnight. According to a new study led by researchers at University of Chicago Medicine and Columbia University, eating more fruits and vegetables during the day can lead to more sound sleep the same night. Here, we're looking into the study findings in detail to understand how your diet is linked to sleep and the quantity of fruits and veggies you should aim to consume in a day. As a bonus, we've also listed three of the top fruits and veggies, backed by science, that can maximise your efforts to eat for a better sleep. Scroll down to find out more… The study, recently published in the Journal of the National Sleep Foundation, included 34 healthy young adults (28 men and six women) who met the criteria of being aged 20 and 49, and generally sleeping between 7 to 9 hours on an average. During the study, participants recorded their consumption of food and drinks over multiple 24-hour periods using the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool, an app, while their sleep pattern data was collected via a wrist monitor they wore throughout the duration of the study. Researchers used the sleep fragmentation index (SFI) to measure sleep quality during the study, which indicates the number of times someone wakes up and shifts in sleep stages from deep to light sleep during the night. Lower SFI means less disrupted sleep, while higher SFI indicates a night with more sleep disruption. The results showed that, "greater fruit and vegetable intakes during the day were associated with lower SFI during the subsequent night," while greater carbohydrate intake was also associated with lower SFI. Interestingly, red meat and processed meat led to "a trend toward more fragmented sleep," according to the researchers. Using their results and prediction models, the researchers suggest that eating the CDC-recommended intake of fruit and vegetables could see a lower SFI, and therefore an improvement in sleep quality, compared to someone who ate none. "A 5-cup increase (from no intake) in fruits and vegetables, meeting dietary recommendations, would be associated with 16% better sleep quality," they said in the study. '16 percent is a highly significant difference,' co-author of the study Esra Tasali MD, director of UChicago Sleep Center, said. 'It's remarkable that such a meaningful change could be observed within less than 24 hours," she added. Our sleep cycle is influenced by melatonin (the sleepy hormone) which our body naturally produces. We already know that what we consume can impact sleep, for example, research has previously shown that magnesium and tryptophan can help boost the production of melatonin, which translates to better sleep overall. Tweaking our diet is one way in which we can include sleep-friendly nutrients, which can lead to a more restorative sleep. And this new research has shown that it may be as simple, and affordable, as adding more of your favorite fruits and veggies. "Dietary modifications could be a new, natural and cost-effective approach to achieve better sleep," says Dr Tasali, who added that the study results are an important step in the right direction. 'The temporal associations and objectively-measured outcomes in this study represent crucial steps toward filling a gap in important public health knowledge," she explains. The researchers in the study suggest that eating five cups of fruits and veggies in a day, as recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, could improve sleep quality. So what does that look like? The American Heart Association suggests consuming 2 cups of fruits and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day. Each of the below fruit and veggie portions, they say, is the equivalent of one cup: Fruits: 8 large strawberries, 22 grapes or 1 medium apple, pear, orange, peach, grapefruit or nectarine or 2 to 3 kiwis. Vegetables: 1 large bell pepper, 1 medium potato, 2 medium carrots or 12 baby ones, 2 cups raw or 1 cup cooked leafy veggies (lettuce, kale, spinach, greens), 1 large ear corn or a large sweet potato. According to the researchers, the bottom line is that a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables can be beneficial for sleep in the long run. 'Small changes can impact sleep. That is empowering — better rest is within your control," says co-senior author Marie-Pierre St-Onge, PhD, director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep & Circadian Research at Columbia. Perhaps the one fruit that should be in your radar for better sleep now is avocado. A recent study supported by the Avocado Nutrition Center, saw that daily consumption of an avocado improved sleep health, diet and blood lipids (including lower cholesterol). The study aimed to look at the effect of consuming one avocado a day on the American Heart Association's cardiovascular health score, Life's Essential 8 (LE8), the eight components of cardiovascular health. Researchers recruited 969 American adults for the study, all of whom had an elevated waist circumference (a cardiovascular risk factor for US adults) and asked them to add one large Hass avocado to their regular diets for 26 weeks. They also had a control group for the study period, who did not consume the additional avocado. The study calculated one of the LE8 sleep health "based on self‐reported average hours of sleep per night and scored according to 4 levels," and the participants saw an improvement of an average 3.20 points in their sleep health compared to the control group after the 26 weeks. Avocados have approximately 13 mg tryptophan, 45 mcg folate (also promotes melatonin production) and 15 mg magnesium per serving (1/3 medium avocado) — which may be why they are involved in better sleep health and sleep quality. Looking for a quick healthy nighttime snack before bed? The kiwi fruit could be a great option. Research has shown they can improve sleep in a variety of ways in adults. Eating two medium-sized kiwis, one hour before bedtime led to a significant improvement in sleep efficiency and sleep time, as well as decreased "waking time after sleep onset, and sleep onset latency" in a study conducted at Taipei Medical University. According to the researchers, kiwi fruit "is rich in antioxidants, vitamins C and E, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and carotenoids, and it contains approximately twice the concentration of serotonin as tomatoes," who note that serotonin plays a role in REM sleep. As well as being full of vitamins, potassium and antioxidants, Kiwis can also, per the Cleveland Clinic, help maintain good gut health, which is yet another reason to add them to your diet. "Eat your greens" is a phrase you've probably heard since childhood, and the good news is, whoever said it to you was looking out for your wellbeing, because dark, leafy greens can also improve your sleep. Dark leafy vegetables like spinach, swiss chard and kale are, say the Cleveland Clinicnatural sources of magnesium. Among other benefits, they are also known to be rich in calcium, which has been shown to aid in production of melatonin.
San Francisco Chronicle
12-06-2025
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
Vaccines could get more expensive and harder to access after RFK Jr. purged a CDC panel
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shook up a key federal vaccine advisory committee this week, ousting its sitting 17 members Monday and naming eight new individuals Wednesday, including ones known for anti-vaccine views and for spreading misinformation. The changes could potentially impact vaccine cost and availability in California and the uncertainty is making families anxious, experts say. 'I've been having several conversations every day with families who are trying to get their children vaccinated early because parents are worried that these vaccines will not be available for their children in the near future,' said Eric Ball, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics in California. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice provides vaccine recommendations to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The group's guidance doesn't just have medical implications; it also has financial consequences for people seeking vaccinations. 'Under the Affordable Care Act, if ACIP recommends a vaccine, insurance companies have to cover it,' said Dorit Reiss, a professor of law at UC College of the Law San Francisco, who specializes in vaccine-related law and policies. The federally funded Vaccines for Children program also covers recommended vaccines for uninsured and underinsured children, Reiss said. Potentially, the new ACIP members could alter recommendations, which would in turn affect coverage for vaccines. Nothing is certain, however: 'We don't know how this (newly) constituted committee will vote,' Reiss said. The advisory committee is scheduled to meet on June 25 to review scientific data and vote on vaccine recommendations. If problems do arise around vaccine access, there could be additional issues for California's immunization mandates for schools. 'How can you mandate a vaccine if people can't access it?' Reiss said. The sweeping changes to ACIP, established in 1964, are unprecedented, experts say. 'I can't even think of a time when an individual member has been removed from the committee,' said Yvonne Maldonado, a professor of global health and infectious diseases at Stanford and one of the 17 experts removed from the vaccine advisory committee this week. 'We are really in uncharted territory here, in terms of the membership changing so radically and so quickly,' Maldonado said. Maldonado explained that the existing process for evaluating vaccine safety and effectiveness is 'incredibly rigorous,' with numerous safety checkpoints. 'Vaccines are foundational to public health,' Maldonado said. 'They save millions of lives.' Reiss added that the United States has a system that allows people who experience problems due to a CDC-recommended vaccine to seek compensation from the government. This limits the liability of vaccine companies. If new advisory committee members remove current vaccine recommendations, Reiss said she is concerned 'that some manufacturers might leave the vaccine market.' In an editorial published Monday in the Wall Street Journal, Secretary Kennedy wrote that the 17 ACIP members were 'retired' because 'the committee has been plagued with persistent conflicts of interest.' Experts roundly disagreed with the claims and numerous medical organizations quickly spoke out. 'That's very telling,' said Catherine Flores, executive director of the California Immunization Coalition, a statewide nonprofit advocacy and education organization around immunizations. While past ACIP vaccine experts were thoroughly vetted, details about the process for the newly announced group aren't clear, Flores said. Flores is concerned some committee members may lack the previous ACIP members' level of expertise about vaccines. 'We are very concerned about what's next,' Flores said.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Columbus among U.S. cities that are ‘hot spots' for mosquitos, pest company says
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Mosquito season has arrived, with a pest control company naming Columbus as a hot spot for the insect this year. Orkin releases an annual list of the cities seeing the most residential mosquito treatments, revealing 'hot spots' for the bugs. For this year's ranking, treatments performed by Orkin from April 2024 through March 2025 were considered. Columbus announces $2B bond issue for November ballot On Orkin's 2025 list of the top 50 mosquito hot spots, Columbus came in at No. 23, jumping nine spots from last year. Los Angeles was the city that saw the most treatments, taking the No. 1 spot for the fourth year in a row. Chicago came in at No. 2, and was followed by New York, Atlanta and Detroit. Cleveland (No. 9) and Denver (No. 10) broke into the top 10 for the first time. California remained a popular area for mosquito activity overall, having five cities in the top 50, the report said. The list by Orkin is based solely on the number of treatments in each city and does not factor in population sizes, which likely impacted the rankings. The cities sitting at the top of the list are some of the most populated in the country. Beyond being a nuisance, mosquitoes pose a threat to people's health, Orkin stated. The insect causes over 600,000 malaria-related deaths globally each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They can also transmit other diseases such as the West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis and Zika virus. Poisonous plant rapidly spreading across Ohio: what to do if you see it 'Mosquito control isn't just about avoiding itchy bites,' Orkin entomologist Frank Meek said. 'It's about safeguarding your health and your community. Proactive measures are key to controlling these seasonal surges in mosquito activity.' Orkin recommends taking preventative action to reduce mosquito activity, including wearing CDC-recommended repellants, installing tight-fitting screens on windows and doors, trimming shrubs and grass, as well as eliminating standing water. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Denver cracks top 10 for first time in annual list of mosquito hotspots
DENVER (KDVR) — Denver cracked the top 10 for the first time in Orkin's latest 'Top 50 Mosquito Cities List.' The annual ranking is based on the number of new residential mosquito treatments performed by the pest control company from April 2024 through March 2025. Denver, which climbed six spots from 2024's list, was joined by Cleveland as another first-timer in the top 10, a move Orkin said signals a larger mosquito pressure in northern cities, amid climbing temperatures. Viral kangaroo escapes (again) in Durango 'Mosquito control isn't just about avoiding itchy bites,' said Frank Meek, Orkin entomologist, in a statement. 'It's about safeguarding your health and your community. Proactive measures are key to controlling these seasonal surges in mosquito activity.' Los Angeles took the top spot on the 2025 list for the fourth year in a row, with Chicago, New York, Atlanta and Detroit rounding out the top five. Mosquitoes are the world's 'deadliest animal,' according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which said the flying insect spreads diseases such as malaria, dengue, West Nile, yellow fever, Zika, chikungunya and lymphatic filariasis. The CDC said mosquitoes are ultimately responsible for more deaths each year than any other creature in the world, with malaria alone resulting in nearly 249 million cases and more than 600,000 deaths across 85 countries in 2022. Scooter riders will have new rules in Denver Statistically speaking, Coloradans probably shouldn't worry too much about malaria, however, cases of locally acquired mosquito-transmitted malaria were spotted in the U.S. for the first time in 20 years in 2023, with 10 cases reported across Florida, Texas, Maryland and Arkansas, the CDC said. According to Orkin, there are a few simple preventive measures people can take to help reduce mosquito activity, including: Blocking access to the skin by wearing long sleeves, pants and CDC-recommended repellants Installing tight-fitting screens on windows and doors Trimming shrubs, grass and other vegetation to reduce mosquito resting areas Eliminating standing water — a known breeding ground for mosquitoes Denver itself has a 'Mosquito Management Program' that the city says is designed to reduce mosquito breeding sites and larval mosquito survival. The program also strives to provide information and education to residents and businesses to help them keep mosquito populations 'at a safe level,' according to the city. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Mosquito control discusses prevention strategies
The Brief Pinellas County Mosquito Control is using chickens to test for mosquito-borne illnesses. Florida's Mosquito Control Awareness week starts on Sunday. Experts also recommend you keep CDC-recommended mosquito repellent in your hurricane preparedness kit. PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. - Eggs are a hot commodity, and they're not the only thing Pinellas County Mosquito Control's 56 chickens provide. "They're our first line of defense," Austin Deal, an entomologist assistant with Pinellas County, said. "Like a first alert system." The backstory The county tests the chickens' blood once a week to see if they test positive for mosquito-borne illnesses. "If it comes back [positive], we know we have that virus in the area and that lets us go out and control those populations before it spills over into human populations. Now, it does not hurt the chickens. They do not get sick from it. They are unable to spread it into our local birds. So, it's a win-win for us," he said. Florida's Mosquito Control Awareness week starts Sunday, kicking off the time of year when we start to see a rise in mosquito populations thanks to warmer temperatures and more rain. Experts, though, say mosquito season in Florida is, unfortunately, year-round. According to officials with Pinellas County Mosquito Control, 17 out of the 40 types of mosquito species in Pinellas are an issue when it comes to public health. All mosquitos need to breed is a bottlecap of water. "Anything from buckets, to toys, to sitting debris, if there's any water accumulating over the course of three to five days, a mosquito can find it and lay its eggs to continue a life cycle," Caroline Scott, Senior Environmental Specialist with Pinellas County Mosquito Control and Vegetation Management, said. "So, try to find ways to dump that out," she said. It's a good idea to dump out any and all standing water around your home at least once a week, officials said. OTHER NEWS: Grady Judd: Man with knife who wanted to be shot, killed by deputy in Lake Wales It's also a good idea to use a CDC-recommended insect repellent, which includes bug spray with DEET, and wear light-colored, long sleeves and pants to help protect yourself too, experts said. Pinellas County has 57 traps throughout the county that they check daily during the summer. They use the traps to identify mosquitoes, see how many there are and whether they're an issue. If there's an increase in mosquitoes, or a mosquito-borne disease that's prevalent in the area, they may do overnight treatments," Scott said. They also have a new helicopter that they use to pretreat large breeding grounds that's four times more efficient compared to the old helicopter. Scott said while they can't predict if mosquitoes will be worse this year because of last year's hurricanes, they do go into each season expecting mosquito breeding to occur. "It is unpredictable what kind of season we might have with rainfall with potential storms, so we just like our residents to be wear and to prepare in case we do see something like that again," Scott said. If you have an issue at your home and you're a resident of Pinellas County, county crews will come out and take a look for free. You can call 727-464-7503. The county also has a free tire disposal event on April 19 from nine a.m. to one p.m. where residents of Pinellas County are able to dispose of up to 12 tires which are a known breeding ground for mosquitoes, Scott said. What you can do Experts also recommend you keep CDC-recommended mosquito repellent in your hurricane preparedness kit. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter Follow FOX 13 on YouTube
