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Is Soursop the Caribbean Secret for Perfect Sleep?

Is Soursop the Caribbean Secret for Perfect Sleep?

• Dr. Christopher Winter Medical Director, Charlottesville Neurology & Sleep Medicine, sleep medicine, neurology specialist

Whether it is an academically studied drug or a strange natural remedy, I'm always on the lookout for something that can help a patient (or reader) and in the process expand my knowledge about sleep. One such remedy is soursop. Ask individuals living in the Caribbean what their secret is for a good night's sleep, you'll often get the answer, "soursop."

Soursop -- what's soursop?

It turns out that soursop (Annona muricata) is a fruit mainly grown in tropical climates. It has many other names, including guanábana, graviola, anona, and sirsak. As a member of the Annona genus of flowering plants, its most recognizable relative for Americans is the pawpaw. Soursop is a strange-looking fruit; imagine a Granny Smith apple crossed with a pineapple... on steroids. This should give you a mental image of the spiky fruit, which can weigh up to 15 pounds. Cutting open the green rind reveals a white pulp with a consistency similar to that of cooked fish, and rows of dark, inedible seeds.

Lay writings about soursop as a sleep aid are easy to find. In the West Indies, soursop leaves are commonly used as a sedative. In the Netherlands Antilles, the leaves are brewed to make a beverage that enhances sleep. The leaves can also be put into one's pillowcase to enhance sleep. http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/2674521

#guanabana #soursop #graviola