Enhancing your consumption of fruits and vegetables might positively impact your sleep quality, according to a research study.
A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Chicago Medicine has found that consuming the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables can significantly improve sleep quality. The study involved 34 healthy young adults who initially slept for 7 to 9 hours per night.
The participants' diets were measured using the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool, and their sleep habits were tracked throughout the study. To monitor sleep quality, the participants wore wrist monitors that measured sleep fragmentation, which refers to the specifics of sleeping patterns, such as awakenings and disruptions during sleep.
The study's findings reveal that consuming five cups of fruits and vegetables daily, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), can lead to an approximately 16% improvement in sleep quality. This improvement is visible as soon as the very next night and is linked to reduced sleep fragmentation.
The reasons fruits and vegetables help improve sleep include their nutrient composition. They contain complex carbohydrates and tryptophan, which promote the production of serotonin and melatonin, key hormones for falling and staying asleep. Additionally, fruits and vegetables provide fiber, antioxidants, and magnesium that support gut health, reduce inflammation, and promote restorative sleep.
Certain foods rich in melatonin and tryptophan, such as bananas, tart cherries, oats, spinach, and pumpkin seeds, are especially beneficial for sleep. To optimize sleep benefits, it is suggested to meet the target of five cups of fruits and vegetables daily while also maintaining good sleep hygiene, such as having a cool, dark room, limiting evening caffeine, and keeping a consistent sleep schedule.
Dr. Tasali, the co-senior author and director of the UChicago Sleep Center, stated that dietary modifications could be a new, natural, and cost-effective approach to achieve better sleep. Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Ph.D., also noted that small dietary changes could impact sleep positively, making better rest more within individual control.
Conversely, the study also found that consumption of higher quantities of red and processed meats was associated with more nighttime wake-ups. Participants who ate more fruits and vegetables had fewer sleep disruptions and were more likely to get deep sleep.
The study's findings represent crucial steps toward filling a gap in important public health knowledge. By making simple changes to their diets, individuals can potentially improve their sleep quality by 16%. This could have significant implications for public health, as poor sleep quality is linked to a range of health problems, including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
[1] Tasali, E., St-Onge, M. P., Leproult, R., & Van Cauter, E. (2022). Diet and sleep quality in healthy young adults. Sleep, 45(3), zab071. [2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Fruits and vegetables. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/fruits/index.html [3] Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2021). Foods rich in tryptophan. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/tryptophan/ [4] National Sleep Foundation. (2021). Sleep hygiene. Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/sleep-hygiene-practices [5] National Sleep Foundation. (2021). Sleep fragmentation. Retrieved from https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/sleep-fragmentation
- Incorporating a health-and-wellness routine that includes the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables can contribute to better sleep quality, as this dietary change can lead to a decrease in sleep fragmentation due to increased production of the sleep hormones serotonin and melatonin, as well as reduced inflammation and improved gut health.
- Adopting a balanced diet that focuses on nutrition and includes fitness-and-exercise alongside adequate sleep hygiene can help a person achieve their goals for sleep quality, as this approach, which might include consuming foods rich in sleep-promoting nutrients like melatonin and tryptophan, could potentially improve sleep by up to 16%.
