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Observing Honey as a Natural Remedy for Efficiency in Sleep

Quality
Tajneen Islam
[email protected]
Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science
Freshman Research Proposal 2021-2022

Introduction:

With the rise of insomnia and other sleep disorders around the world, especially in the

US, many pharmaceutical companies have created medications in order to relieve or even cure

these disorders (Mossialos et al., 2004). While it may have its benefits, many of the long-term

effects can disrupt the functions of the body. Behind the marketing for these pharmaceuticals lies

very dangerous and hazardous health effects. Since the advertisements for pharmaceuticals can

be misleading, both professionals and patients can easily be fooled (Freitas et. al, 2014). With

more research being done with these resources and their marketing, one point has been shown to

be clear: companies yield or ultimately stop further development of the pharmaceuticals in order

to save money for marketing. On the other hand, physicians and pharmacists are overconfident

about these medications, which can possibly cause more harm than good to the patient over time.

With these medications, bodies and their immune systems can also build up a resistance to it as

more dosages are taken and the medicine loses its efficiency (Ventola, 2015).

However, there are alternatives: natural remedies have been used for thousands of

centuries and are still prevalent today. There has even been an increase in the use of natural

remedies once again (Ekor, 2013). The first natural remedies date back to the Sumerians, around

5,000 years ago (Pan et. al, 2014). In Ancient China, ginseng, rhubarb, and Ma-Huang (Ephedra)

were also used (Yuan et. al, 2016). Hippocrates, the father of medicine, used many drug plants.
COMPARING NATURAL REMEDIES FOR EFFICIENCY OF BETTER SLEEP QUALITY 2

From there, many more Greek doctors discovered more medicinal plants and their purpose for

the body. Dioscorides discovered around 500 medicinal plants and their production as well as

use. This took place during the 1st century AD. Later on, in the Middle Ages, Christian monks

and Arabs cultivated these spices and eventually started to use them for natural remedies. (Taylor

& Francis, 2001). Many of these natural remedies help improve sleep quality, but in this

experiment, honey will be used.

Honey is a popular sweetener used in many dishes and drinks. However, honey can also

be used as a natural remedy. Honey can be used as a cough reliever and a possible remedy for

better sleep quality. In a study done in 2012, the results showed that 2.5 mL doses of honey was a

much more effective remedy for cough and sleep throughout 24 hours, compared to DM and

DPH doses. DM and DPH doses are common pharmaceuticals used in children’s medicine

(Shadkham et. al, 2012). In another study, one group of children were given 10g of honey, while

another group were given no honey. Over the next 2 consecutive days, the group that ingested

honey reported to have a much more improved sleep compared to the group without honey

(Cohen et. al, 2012). Hence, this study will benefit many people who suffer with insomnia and

other sleep disorders, in hopes of a healthy and effective remedy for better sleep.

The objective of this project is to use honey as a natural remedy and analyze the health

effects in order to observe the effectiveness in sleep quality. The purpose of this study is to

conduct research on a popular natural remedy for efficiency of sleep quality; if successful, honey

can be continued to be taken as an affordable remedy for sleep quality and other illnesses. It can

also be used as an alternative to common pharmaceuticals, which can be expensive and become

non-efficient overtime.
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Hypothesis:

After researching many experiments of the usage of honey, it is predicted that honey will

be highly effective at improving sleep quality. With its many health benefits as shown in the

studies mentioned above, honey will make major improvements in sleep quality.

Methodology:

1. Participants and Variables

- 18 participants ingested 2 tablespoons of honey after dinner for 5 days beginning

2/11/22 (13 female, 5 male)

- Controlled variables include amount of honey ingested, amount of people

- Other variables that play into the experiment are distractions and plans for next

day, as well as amount of sleep received

2. Examination

- Each day, the participants filled out a survey to log in sleep quality, blood

pressure, and pulse

- They also gave their opinion on the sleep they had that night (included in survey),

along with any distractions before sleeping and plans for the next day

3. Data

- With the data collected, results were then recorded on spreadsheets for graphing

and referencing
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- Age, gender, zip code were also be recorded in the survey

Results:

Throughout the 5 days, blood pressure (mm Hg) and pulse rate (BPM) were recorded in a

survey, along with overall opinions on sleep and any distractions. The participants were also

instructed to record any distractions they had before sleep and plans for the next day. The results

gathered from the survey showed that there were mixed variations in pulse rate, but there was a

slight downwards trend in blood pressure (Table 2), which was the main focus of the experiment.

However, with the pulse rate, there was an overall decline as well. From day 1 to day 5, the

average pulse rate went from 84 to 68 BPM (Table 1). From day 1 to day 5, the average blood

pressure rate went from 127 to 100 mm Hg. Common distractions included engagement with

blue light (phones, laptops, other electronic devices) and studying.

During day 1, the overall quality of sleep was reported to be the same as past experience.

No changes were yet reported. During day 2, the overall quality of sleep was reported to have

some improvement. Many said that they felt as if their sleep became more peaceful, but no

drastic changes yet. From day 3 to 4, changes were starting to occur within the quality of sleep.

Sleep quality, from the survey, appears to be more peaceful and calm. Many participants said

they were even able to fall asleep faster and get more hours of sleep. On day 5, it was clear that

changes had occurred, even if they were minor. Much peaceful sleep was recorded, and sleep

quality overall improved much better. Distractions varied, but the most common distractions

were phones (which can be inferred as blue light), studying, and homework. The most common

plans for the next day were school and/or work, but plans for the next day varied as well.
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Table 1: The following table lists the average BPM (pulse rate) of the participants per day.

Date Avg. BPM (Pulse Rate)

2/11 84
2/12 64
2/13 68
2/14 72
2/15 68

Table 2: The following table lists the average mm Hg (blood pressure) of the participants per day.

Date Blood Pressure (mm Hg)

2/11 127
2/12 120
2/13 110
2/14 100
2/15 100

Discussion:

From use of the honey, changes in blood pressure (Table 2) yielded the most change, which can
be correlated to a much more eased and peaceful sleep due to lowered blood pressure. Pulse rate
had some variations throughout the results, but overall had a downwards trend. Likewise, blood
pressure also had a downwards trend. The mean for the average pulse rate was 71 BPM, while
the median was 68 BPM. There was an outlier of 84 BPM which can be understood since it was
the average BPM for day 1. The mean for the average blood pressure (mm Hg) was 111 mm Hg,
while the median was 110 mm Hg. The highest recorded mmHg was 127, which was recorded on
day 1 as well. Many distractions contributed to these results, such as interactions with blue light
and studying. If these distractions were not factored, results may have been much more different.
Results could have possibly been lower as well. The results for pulse rate could have possibly
been more accurate too, as there was slight variation. If the use of honey was prolonged as well,
more accurate results could have been recorded.
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Figure 1: Bar chart displaying the average BPM (pulse rate) per day. Results went from 84 BPM on day 1, to 100

mmHg on day 5, causing a downward trend. However, there was slight variation.
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Figure 2: Bar chart displaying the average blood pressure (mm Hg) per day. Results went from 127 mmHg on day 1

to 100 mmHg on day 5, with a steady downward trend.

Conclusion:

From the data gathered, it supported the hypothesis. Major changes were shown

throughout the measure of BPM and blood pressure throughout the 5 consecutive days with a

declining trend. This also supports various surveys as discussed in the introduction; in one

survey, honey was shown to have a drastic improvement in sleep quality than participants with

no honey. Likewise, this survey/experiment showed many improvements with sleep quality and

physical characteristics of the human body. Participants reported to have a much more peaceful

and easier sleep overall as compared to past experiences with sleep. However, there is possible

human error. Some participants forgot to complete the survey for some days, which affected the

results. In conclusion, honey is shown to cause a more peaceful sleep quality and help lower
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blood pressure and pulse rate during sleep. This will help the community because as stated in the

introduction, this study can provide further examination into honey being an effective sleep

remedy. It can be a much cheaper, more effective and healthier alternative to common drugstore

medications, and ultimately aiding many who suffer from sleeping problems and disorders.

Resources:

Civaner, M. (2012, June 7). Sale strategies of pharmaceutical companies in a

"pharmerging" country: The problems will not improve if the gaps remain. Health Policy.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168851012001509

Cohen, H. A., Rozen, J., Kristal, H., Laks, Y., Berkovitch, M., Uziel, Y., Kozer, E.,

Pomeranz, A., & Efrat, H. (2012, September 1). Effect of honey on nocturnal cough and

sleep quality: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. American Academy

of Pediatrics. Retrieved February 23, 2022, from

https://www.publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/130/3/465/30142/Effect-of-Hon

ey-on-Nocturnal-Cough-and-Sleep?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Ekor, Martins. “The Growing Use of Herbal Medicines: Issues Relating to Adverse

Reactions and Challenges in Monitoring Safety.” Frontiers in Pharmacology, Frontiers

Media S.A., 10 Jan. 2014, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3887317/.

Finn Sandberg, D. C. (2001, October 4). Natural remedies: Their origins and uses: Finn

Sandberg, Desmond Cor. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved January 23, 2022, from

https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.1201/9781420024692/natural-remedies-finn

-sandberg-desmond-corrigan
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Freitas, Julian De, et al. “Recognizing Misleading Pharmaceutical Marketing Online.”

Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, Journal of the American

Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online, 1 June 2014, http://jaapl.org/content/42/2/219.

Pan, Si-Yuan, et al. “Historical Perspective of Traditional Indigenous Medical Practices:

The Current Renaissance and Conservation of Herbal Resources.” Evidence-Based

Complementary and Alternative Medicine : ECAM, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 27

Apr. 2014, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4020364/.

Shakham, M. N., Mozayen, M. R., & Khosravi, H. M. (2010, July 20). A comparison of the

effect of honey. Liebert Pub. Retrieved February 23, 2022, from

https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/acm.2009.0311

Ventola, C. L. (2015, April). The antibiotic resistance crisis: Part 1: Causes and threats. P

& T : a peer-reviewed journal for formulary management.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4378521/

Yuan, Haidan, et al. “The Traditional Medicine and Modern Medicine from Natural

Products.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), MDPI, 29 Apr. 2016,

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6273146/.

Survey Used to Record Results:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1q4UpzZKe1_4mlt15jJ6Sv1-Rlq9PvE4fA_bLYWHYvXo/edit?

usp=drive_web
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