Gaby
A new study from Columbia and the University of Chicago has revealed that consuming a certain amount of fruit during the day can enhance sleep quality that very night.
Poor sleep and insomnia are detrimental to health, negatively impacting the heart, memory, learning ability, and mood. Researchers have long observed that when people are awake for extended periods, they often lead unhealthy lifestyles, particularly by consuming foods high in fats and sugars.
According to the authors of the new study, much less has been known about how diet can influence sleep patterns.
What Did the Researchers Discover?
The team of scientists has identified a temporary link between food choices made during the day and changes in sleep quality that same night. They demonstrated that adding five cups of fruits and vegetables to one’s daily diet contributes to a more restful night’s sleep.
By a cup of fruits and vegetables, the researchers mean 80-100 grams of these fresh products. Therefore, five cups would equal 400-500 grams. “Remarkably, such a significant change occurred in less than 24 hours. Thus, adjusting one’s diet could become a new, natural, and cost-effective approach to improving sleep,” noted sleep expert Esra Tasali, a co-author of the study.
During the research, healthy young volunteers reported their daily food intake using a specialized mobile app. A wrist tracker helped the scientists objectively assess the participants’ sleep patterns, as reported by the Independent. The researchers specifically examined sleep fragmentation—a measure that reflects how often a person wakes up or transitions from deep sleep to light sleep throughout the night.
The researchers noted that daily diet was associated with “significant differences” in nighttime sleep. Those who consumed more fruits and vegetables during the day experienced deeper and more continuous sleep at night. The team also pointed out that participants who ate healthy carbohydrates, such as whole grains, during the day also slept better.
Overall, the researchers calculated that individuals who consume the recommended five cups of fruits and vegetables daily improve their sleep quality by 16 percent compared to those who do not eat these products.
According to Ms. Tasali, “A 16 percent difference is quite significant.”
The team plans to conduct further research among different population groups to learn more about the underlying mechanisms of the positive effects of fruits and vegetables on sleep quality.
Based on the latest findings, the scientists recommend regularly enriching one’s diet with fruits and vegetables to combat insomnia.
The study’s conclusions were published in the journal Sleep Health.
