Men, Prostate Health, and the Power of Good Sleep

I  want to appreciate your new column, HEALTHSENSE, in The Nation newspaper of Thursday, September 4, 2025, titled, “Why sleep is your body’s best medicine.” I find it quite interesting and very relevant to the public need-to-know. It touches on a topic I had taken time to study in about the past 40 years, covering African traditional medicine, Oriental (Eastern) medical practices and orthodox medical science (including but not limited to research findings as reported in the journals of United States institutions devoted to brain research.

It’s obvious that you have more to say on the topic than the summary you presented. And I could expect your future discourses to touch on some dietary and nutritional approaches to support the body to achieve good sleep (Rapid Eye Movement — REM– category of sleep), particularly in situations where certain circumstances of daily living, like anxiety, sorrow, worry, depression, stress, etc., could affect the body’s ability to achieve good sleep either for a short period in terms of days and weeks, or for longer period taking up to months.

American brain researchers have developed some scanning techniques to map out some subtle activities that light up in specific and general areas of the brain under such conditions, but also admit that interpreting what they observe may not always be easy or correct. The study continues.  You may also in future consider doing an assessment of the general effects of the broad range of prescription sleep-inducing pharmaceutical pills available in the market. Some users complain that some of such pills work for some times and seem to be less effective, making them to change to another brand. Some eventually find more lasting effects with dietary and traditional remedies largely constituting of appropriate herbs, vegetables, fruits, roots and tubers, prepared by knowledgeable hands. Just a sample:  fresh onions and fresh tomatoes, served in cooked meal, are traditionally known to give good sleep. You may consider giving your own perspective to such issues.

Yours sincerely.

Azubike Nass  Enugu.

Understanding sleep is the first step to improving prostate health and overall wellness. Sleep is not a single state but occurs in multiple stages, from light rest to deep, restorative slumber. Different traditions—from Tantric medical science, which classifies sleep into up to five stages including a mystical “trance medium” stage, to orthodox medical science, which highlights deep REM sleep—acknowledge the importance of depth over duration. African traditional practices also recognise similar stages. The key takeaway: four hours of deep, restorative sleep can benefit the body more than eight hours of light, interrupted rest. The time spent in bed does not guarantee restorative sleep; the quality and depth matter most.

Nutrition plays a significant role in enhancing deep sleep and supporting prostate health. Certain natural remedies, long appreciated in traditional medicine, can promote restorative sleep and detoxify the body. For instance, a combination of fresh onions and tomatoes, eaten in sufficient quantities in the evening, can foster several hours of deep sleep. Similarly, a blend of onions and cabbage, ground with a little water into a pulp, stored in the freezer, and warmed before consumption, can have even stronger effects. These natural approaches often outperform conventional sleep aids in restoring deep, healing sleep.

Carrots and tomatoes are particularly beneficial. Their reddish pigments complement each other nutritionally and withstand normal cooking heat. Tomatoes can be washed, cut, and boiled gently to break down cell walls without losing their nutrients. Carrots can be cleaned, sliced, or grated and blended into pulp. Both can be stored in the freezer and consumed warm in the evening and early morning over several consecutive days. In my personal experience, consistent use over four to five days noticeably improves both deep sleep and prostate performance.

During the night, waking briefly—whether to urinate, adjust a fan, or respond to noise—is natural. How quickly and deeply one returns to sleep is a useful gauge of sleep quality. Monitoring these patterns allows men to better understand their sleep depth and overall restorative rest.

Prostate health benefits greatly from preventive nutritional therapy. Carrot and tomato-based regimens serve not only as remedies but also as prophylactic detox strategies. Over time, the accumulation of waste products in the body contributes to prostate enlargement and other male reproductive and urinary system challenges. Occasional detoxification supports kidney filtration, bladder function, and the urethra, helping to maintain organ health even before symptoms appear.

Tantric medical science emphasises detoxification and restorative sleep as first-line strategies for many chronic conditions. Persistent high blood pressure, for example, can often be managed through dietary detox and improved sleep, rather than relying solely on prescription medications. Modern orthodox medicine increasingly acknowledges the importance of gut health and systemic detoxification, recognising that accumulated waste in the intestines can compromise nutrient absorption and gradually impair multiple organs. Renowned institutions, including the Mayo Clinic, highlight that the body’s health is closely linked to intestinal integrity.

Personally, I have not been formally diagnosed with prostate issues, yet I monitor my body’s signals—sluggish urine flow or incomplete bladder emptying, especially at night—to guide preventive action. When I follow the nutritional therapy for four to five days, improvements are evident, reinforcing the value of combining diet, detox, and restorative sleep for prostate and overall male health.

In essence, for men seeking to maintain prostate health, attention to the quality of sleep, alongside targeted nutritional and detox strategies, is more impactful than relying solely on medications. Understanding and respecting the body’s natural rhythms, supporting restorative sleep, and incorporating nutrient-rich, detoxifying foods like carrots, tomatoes, onions, and cabbage can create a sustainable foundation for long-term wellness.

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•Azubike Nass, a retired colonel from the Nigerian Army, writes from Enugu, Enugu State