The most important need of the body for a healthy life is SLEEP. Conducted research reveals how important a quality sleep is, the duration and depth of sleep. It is known that insomnia, that is, insomnia, affects the quality of life negatively and causes physical and physiological problems such as fatigue, reluctance, and inability to concentrate. Sleep quality is affected by different factors at different stages of life. It is reported that 13-20 percent of pregnant women have sleep problems in the first trimester due to hormonal, emotional, mental and physical factors during pregnancy, while this rate rises to a very high value of 66-90 percent in the last three months. Sleep problems can negatively affect the health of not only the mother-to-be but also the baby, leading to consequences such as miscarriage. However, without a doubt, It is important that the drugs or methods to be used in order to solve this problem in pregnant women do not have any negative effects on both the pregnant and the baby. It is reported that drugs such as zolpidem, which are prescribed for pregnant women during this period, can pass through the placenta and affect the baby, causing low birth weight and premature birth. In this regard, researches are continuing on the possible benefits of plants used in traditional treatments in solving this problem.
When I was a child, the core (stalk) of the lettuce was said to be beneficial for health, and we ate the stalk with pleasure. As a matter of fact, in one of my previous articles, I mentioned a clinical study in which its sedative effect was examined. This time, researchers investigated whether lettuce seed oil, which is used as a folk remedy in some societies due to its sedative, pain and anti-inflammatory effects, can be effective in solving the problem of insomnia in pregnant women. Experimental studies have shown that seed oil has sedative, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Lettuce seed oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids [oleic acid (61 percent), alpha-linolenic acid (9 percent), myristic acid (3 percent), cis palmitoleic acid, behenic acid, lignoceric acid,
In a clinical study, 100 pregnant women aged 20-45 years with sleep problems were given powdered lettuce seeds (1 gram) or a placebo (empty drug) capsule for two weeks. It was determined that the oil rate of lettuce seed is 33 percent. During this period, sleep quality in pregnant women was measured with appropriate scientific evaluation methods (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: PSQI). In the statistical evaluation, it is reported that lettuce seed can be a reliable and effective solution for sleep problems in pregnant women, and it does not have any negative effects. I would like to draw your attention to one thing here. In the research, directly powdered lettuce seeds were used, not seed oil.
