In this week’s Sleep Diaries, a 26-year-old receptionist wonders if she should be drinking lettuce water every night before bed.

A little about me:

Age: 26

Occupation: receptionist

Number of hours sleep you get each night: 7 hours (I track it using my FitBit)

Number of hours sleep you wish you got each night: 8-9 hours

Any officially diagnosed sleep-related problems: no, but I do have vivid nightmares

How much water you drink on average per day: 3 litres

How much exercise I do on average per week: 3-4 workouts a week

Day 1

I get home from work at 6pm, change into my workout clothes, and go for a run. When I get back, I have a shower and then make veggie pizza for dinner, and I watch Love Island as I eat (obviously).

Afterwards, I make myself some lettuce water. This means steeping a handful of lettuce leaves for 10 minutes in boiling water, then drinking it – everyone on TikTok is doing it, because it apparently helps you sleep really well. Does it work? It definitely doesn’t taste good, but it’s become part of my bedtime routine now, and I think it’s working.

I head up to bed afterwards at 10.30pm and fall asleep quickly, but I have a lot of nightmares so it’s not exactly a great sleep.

“Does lettuce water make you sleepy?” A sleep expert answers your questions