A new study out of the University of Chicago found that eating more vegetables and fruits during the day was associated with sleeping more soundly later that same night.

The researchers said each day's diet was correlated with meaningful differences in the subsequent night's sleep. Participants who ate more fruits and vegetables during the day tended to have deeper, more uninterrupted sleep that same night, as did those who consumed more healthy carbohydrates, such as whole grains.

Based on their findings and statistical modeling, the researchers estimated that people who eat the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-recommended five cups of fruits and veggies per day could experience a 16% improvement in sleep quality compared to people who consume no fruits or vegetables.

No word on therapeutic effects of sleeping in a garden bed.

Body of Knowledge

Our primary senses typically decline with age in a specific order, beginning with hearing and vision, followed by taste and smell. Hearing loss often becomes noticeable in the mid-40s, while vision changes are more prominent in the mid-50s. Taste changes in the mid-60s, smell in the mid-70s.

Your sense of touch may also begin to decline in the mid-50s, especially on the fingertips, but the loss of sensitivity is very gradual and differs by body region and receptor, i.e., touch, temperature, pain.

Counts

1 in 1,073: Odds of dying by drowning

1 in 2,461: Odds of choking to death on food

1 in 39,192: Odds of dying in a cataclysmic storm

1 in 41,076: Odds of being stung to death by insects

1 in 44,499: Odds of being killed in a dog attack

Source: National Safety Council (2023)

Doc Talk

Poliosis: Localized patches of white hair due to a reduction or absence of melanin in hair follicles. Usually associated with scalp hair but can also affect eyebrows, eyelashes and beards. Poliosis can be caused by genetic factors, but it's also the result of some medical conditions or a side effect of medication.

Phobia of the Week

Hypengyophobia: Fear of responsibility. It hypens to the best of us.

Best Medicine

Complex complex complex: A phobia of over-engineered buildings

Observation

"It must be around forty, when you're 'over the hill.' I don't even know what that means and why it's a bad thing. When I go hiking and I get over the hill, that means I'm past the hard part and there's a snack in my future. That's a good thing as far as I'm concerned." — American comedian Ellen DeGeneres (b. 1958)

Medical History

This week in 1879, Richard S. Rhodes patented the Audiphone, a sort of hearing improvement device that exploited the fact that sound waves can be transmitted through the teeth or cranial bones.

The audiphone was made of a flexible sheet of polished black vulcanite (hardened rubber) with a handle and shaped like a fan. A second model consisted of two fans designed so the user could also hear their own voice. Costs were $10 or $15.

It was designed to be held loosely in the hand with the upper edge placed under the upper teeth with slight pressure; the lower teeth should not come into contact with the instrument. The Audiphone was effective only in conductive hearing loss. Users could improve their hearing up to 30 decibels, equivalent to a soft conversation heard a few feet away in a quiet room.

Self-Exam

Q: If you become infested with worms, what kind of drug will you need?

A) Antifungal

B) Anthelmintic

C) Antibiotic

D) Antimalaria

A: B) Anthelmintic; "helminth" is a general term meaning "worm."

Curtain Calls

In 2008, a 41-year-old Brazilian priest and occasional skydiver named Adelir Antonio de Carli attempted a cluster-balloon flight to raise money for a spiritual rest stop for truckers.

Sitting in a chair attached to 1,000 balloons, Carli reached an altitude of 19,000 feet and traveled more than 55 miles before visual and radio contact were lost off the coast of Brazil. A dayslong search ensued but was eventually called off. Two months later, the lower half of Carli's body was found floating on the ocean surface by an offshore oil rig support boat.

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Ella at Unsplash