From various sleep aids like white noise to weighted blankets, people have long sought ways to improve their sleep. A recent study by researchers at the University of Chicago Medicine and Columbia University suggests that eating more fruits and vegetables during the day may lead to better sleep quality at night.
“Dietary modifications could be a new, natural and cost-effective approach to achieve better sleep,” said co-senior author Prof. Esra Tasali, director of the UChicago Sleep Center. “The temporal associations and objectively measured outcomes in this study represent crucial steps toward filling a gap in important public health knowledge.”
Previous studies indicated that poor sleep might lead individuals towards diets high in fat and sugar. However, there has been less understanding of how diet influences sleep patterns. This new research is the first to establish a temporal link between daily dietary choices and objectively measured sleep quality on the same night.
Participants in the study were healthy young adults who reported their daily food intake using an app while wearing wrist monitors that tracked their sleep patterns. The focus was on "sleep fragmentation," which measures how often someone wakes or shifts from deep to light sleep during the night.
Findings showed that participants who consumed more fruits, vegetables, and healthy carbohydrates like whole grains experienced deeper, less interrupted sleep. Researchers estimate that adhering to the CDC's recommendation of five cups of fruits and vegetables per day could enhance sleep quality by 16% compared to those who consume none.
“Sixteen percent is a highly significant difference,” Tasali noted. “It’s remarkable that such a meaningful change could be observed within less than 24 hours.”
Future research aims to establish causation, expand findings across diverse populations, and explore underlying mechanisms involving digestion, neurology, and metabolism. Nonetheless, experts advise incorporating complex carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables into regular diets for improved long-term sleep health.
“People are always asking me if there are things they can eat that will help them sleep better,” said co-senior author Prof. Marie-Pierre St-Onge from Columbia University. “Small changes can impact sleep. That is empowering—better rest is within your control.”
The article was originally published at UChicago Medicine.
The study titled “Higher daytime intake of fruits and vegetables predicts less disrupted nighttime sleep in younger adults” appeared in Sleep Health: The Journal of the National Sleep Foundation in June 2025. Co-authors include Hedda L. Boege (Columbia), Katherine D. Wilson (University of California San Diego), Jennifer M. Kilkus (UChicago), Waveley Qiu (Columbia), Bin Cheng (Columbia), Kristen E. Wroblewski (UChicago), Becky Tucker (UChicago), Esra Tasali (UChicago) and Marie-Pierre St-Onge (Columbia). The work received support from grants by the National Institutes of Health and the Diabetes Research and Training Center at the University of Chicago.