Sleep better tonight just by changing one thing today.
A new study from Columbia University and the University of Chicago tracked healthy adults for over 200 days to see what factors affected sleep quality. What they found was simple but powerful.
Fruits and Vegetables — The Surprising Sleep Connection
Researchers found that eating more fruit and vegetables during the day led to better sleep that very night. They estimate that consuming the recommended five servings of fruit and vegetables per day — something as simple as an apple, a cup of grapes, or a couple of carrots — could lead to a 16% improvement in sleep quality compared to eating no fruits or vegetables that day.
Sixteen percent might not sound like much, but across a 7-hour night of sleep, that translates to roughly an hour and 15 minutes of improved sleep quality.
Why This Happens
Researchers believe that natural carbohydrates in produce help the brain absorb tryptophan more effectively, which in turn boosts melatonin — the hormone that helps you fall and stay asleep.
So the next time you want better rest, don’t count sheep — count servings of fruits and vegetables.
For more tips on natural health, download the free eBook Health Secrets at peacediet.org.
About Dr. Terry Shintani, MD, JD, MPH
Dr. Terry Shintani is a Harvard-trained physician and nutritionist, named a Living Treasure of Hawai’i and recipient of the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Award for Excellence. He is the creator of the Peace Diet and the landmark Waianae Diet — published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and cited over 137 times — and the author of 16 books on natural health and nutrition, drawing on more than 35 years of clinical practice in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Learn more about Dr. Shintani’s work and recognition: NLM Native Voices
Sources:
- Columbia University / University of Chicago — Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Same-Day Sleep Quality
- NIH/PubMed — Tryptophan, Melatonin, and Dietary Carbohydrates
- NIH/NCCIH — Sleep Hygiene and Diet