Will hops lead to deeper sleep?

Q. You wrote about a man with problems with violent REM sleep and you recommended melatonin. Why didn’t you mention hops along with this? Hops increase the amount of deep sleep over REM sleep. I am more rested even if I don’t sleep longer hours when I take hops at bedtime.

A. No one knows why some people are more vulnerable to acting out their bad dreams than others. Dream enactment of the sort the writer described may be linked to a neurological problem (Clinical Autonomic Research online, Oct. 18, 2016).

Recent research investigating the effect of hops on sleep is limited, but one study found that a combination of valerian and hops resulted in deeper sleep (European Journal of Medical Research, May 2008). That seems consistent with your experience.

Another study compared standardized extracts of valerian, hops and passionflower to zolpidem (Ambien) for short-term insomnia (Indian Journal of Pharmacology, January-February 2013). There was no difference between the two treatments, suggesting that the herbs may be as helpful as the sleep medicine.

You can learn more about nondrug approaches to insomnia, including hops, passionflower and valerian, from our revised Guide to Getting a Good Night’s Sleep. It is available for purchase electronically at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

Q. I have written before about how I take cocoa to get the benefits without extra calories. I take about a tablespoon every morning, in coffee, in oatmeal, any way I can with a bit of sweetener and skim milk.

I have noticed that my memory is better than it was years ago. I attribute that to the cocoa and thank you for writing about it.

I am asking today about dementia. It ran in my mother’s family.

I am 78. I live alone and manage my property, mowing pastures for my 36-year-old horse and caring for my dogs and cats, in addition to paying bills and keeping the house in good repair. I drive alone to a family reunion every year. This year I have noticed a decline in my cousin (my mother’s sister’s daughter).

Can cocoa or dark chocolate slow dementia? Since my memory improved, I wonder if that had anything to do with my good brain function. I have been taking cocoa for about six years, and I’ve definitely noticed an improvement.

A. You might not be the first to notice an improvement, but scientists are trying to discover if the connection is real. One study of more than 500 people over 65 years old lasted two years and found that those who reported regular chocolate consumption at the start of the study were about 40 percent less likely to have a decline in their cognitive-function scores at the end of it (Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, May 2016). The Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study of 968 individuals also found that people who ate chocolate more frequently performed better on a battery of cognitive-function tests (Appetite, May 2016). This same study showed that the chocolate lovers were less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes (Appetite online, Oct. 8, 2016). We can’t conclude that chocolate is protective, but the finding suggests that it is reasonably safe to eat chocolate, or in your case to consume cocoa..

2016 King Features Syndicate Inc.