Easy nutrition tweak could transform your sleep — starting this evening

People who eat more fruits and vegetables may experience better sleep quality, according to a new study — and the benefits could occur overnight.

Researchers from Columbia University and the University of Chicago followed 34 healthy young adults over 201 days. They discovered that those who ate around five cups of produce daily — the amount recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — slept up to 16% more soundly, according to findings published in Sleep Health.

Participants logged their meals in an app and wore wrist monitors that tracked their sleep patterns, including how often they woke up or transitioned between lighter and deeper stages of sleep during the night.

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“Sixteen percent is a highly significant difference,” co-senior author Dr. Esra Tasali, director of the UChicago Sleep Center, said in a statement. 

“It’s remarkable that such a meaningful change could be observed within less than 24 hours.”

A new study found that adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet could help you sleep up to 16% more soundly. (iStock)

Dietary changes may offer an accessible way to improve sleep quality, she added.

One reason may be that the carbohydrates and nutrients in produce help the brain absorb tryptophan, an amino acid that boosts levels of melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate sleep, the scientists said. 

While studies have shown that poor sleep can cause people to gravitate toward foods that are higher in fat and sugar, less is known about how diet directly affects sleep patterns.

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Autumn Bates, a California-based clinical nutritionist and author of the book “How to Eat: A Simple, Balanced Approach for Optimal Wellness,” offered another explanation as to why produce might fuel sleep. 

“Small changes can impact sleep.”

“Fruits and vegetables are low glycemic, which means they help stabilize blood sugar levels,” Bates, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

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“Unstable blood sugar levels cause cortisol to spike while we sleep, which in turn wakes us up. By eating blood sugar stabilizing fruits and veggies, it can support undisturbed sleep.”

She said sleep is unique in that people can see almost immediate improvements from small changes during the day.

Nutrient-rich foods like fruits and greens may stabilize blood sugar and promote deeper sleep. (iStock)

“People are always asking me if there are things they can eat that will help them sleep better,” Marie-Pierre St-Onge, professor of nutritional medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and co-leader of the study, said in a statement. 

“Small changes can impact sleep. That is empowering — better rest is in your control.”

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The researchers said meeting the CDC’s five-cup recommendation doesn’t require drastic changes and can be done throughout the day. 

One medium-sized apple, pear, orange, grapefruit, peach or nectarine counts as a cup, while about 22 grapes also equal a cup of fruit. 

When it comes to vegetables, 12 baby carrots or two medium carrots make up one cup.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends five cups of fruits and vegetables daily. (iStock)

For leafy greens like spinach, about two cups raw equals one cup once cooked, since the spinach leaves shrink considerably during cooking. 

A large ear of corn totals about one cup once the kernels are removed, and one medium potato also counts as a full cup of vegetables.

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The researchers say future studies will explore direct causation, dig into the biological reasons behind it and broaden the findings across diverse populations. Still, they say current evidence strongly supports making fruits, vegetables and whole grains a daily habit for better long-term sleep health.

Study participants (not pictured) logged their meals and wore wrist monitors that tracked their sleep patterns. (iStock)

Carolyn Ievers-Landis, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and professor of pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Ohio, noted that the study wasn’t a controlled experiment that could prove eating more fruits and vegetables directly improves sleep — just that those who ate more produce tended to sleep better.

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“There is a high likelihood that these individuals are healthier overall — that they get more physical activity, they might drink less alcohol and they might spend more time in natural sunlight,” Ievers-Landis, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital. 

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“Still, it’s always a good idea to eat a healthy diet and engage in healthier behaviors to optimize sleep.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.