Recently, I was suckered into purchasing an 18 pound watermelon by the drastically low,   in  season prices for what is arguably one of the most refreshing and in my opinion delicious summer fruits. While I began to regret my decision halfway through my walk home from the market hauling the giant thing along with my other purchases, it wasn’t until I sliced it up that I began to realize just how much melon I had on my hands. And there was no barbecue or summer party in sight to unload some of the stuff. Imagine my relief when I read on The Scoop that watermelon juice can reduce muscle soreness (an added boon after how I typically feel after butt and gut class at the gym).

I had heard previously that tart cherry juice can treat muscle aches from working out almost as well as NSAID pain relievers. Now the liquid you get from blending the pink fruit can have the same result. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that participants who consumed watermelon juice an hour before working out were less sore. They say it is because its high L-citruline content, an amino acid that may boost blood flow and, in turn oxygen levels ferried to your muscles so they can repair the little tears caused by exercise more quickly. All I know is that I will be tossing some of this melon in my blender before my next morning run, and hopefully cutting down on my major melon stockpile fast.

Most of us (or at least those of us with parents into organic gardening) already  know that used coffee grounds are great fertilizer for plants, especially roses. Now scientists have found an admittedly less wholesome way to recycle the by product of one of the world’s favorite beverages. What’s that you ask? They are turning it into alcohol. Coffee grounds, when left to dry and then treated with a process similar to that used for distilling whiskey from wheat create an alcoholic beverage that has a 40% ethanol content. That’s a level on par with other hard liquor, and tasters, while rating it bitter and noticing a coffee aroma said that it was fit to drink. But if you’re feeling tired, the researchers warn that you should still rely on your morning joe. The caffeine side effect of the coffee alcohol is burned off during processing.

If you are trying to figure out your plans for Labor Day weekend, now here’s another reason to book that camping getaway. 22% of people in the United States have trouble sleeping every night. While this may be attributed to stress, noise, and a host of other factors, some research suggests that exposure to a huge amount of artificial light throughout the day is confusing our bodies. All of the electricity in our modern worlds is messing with the hormones and melatonin levels that help sleep come easily. But don’t worry, there is a simple fix. A study has found that sleeping under the stars can help to reset your circadian rhythm, and get your biological clock back in sync with your sleep schedule. Falling asleep with dark after basking in the light of only a campfire (no phones or flashlights allowed), then rising when the sun starts to come through the walls of your tent can help your body synchronize with the time you need to rise for work.

If you can’t run away to the countryside, or if you just hate being in the woods? You can try to maximize your time in the sunshine by going for a walk in the morning and on your lunch our. Then when it gets closer to time to sleep, avoid using electronics and light exposure for a few hours before you’re ready to turn in.