A new study from the University of Chicago Medicine and Columbia University finds that eating more fruits and vegetables throughout the day is associated with deeper, more uninterrupted sleep that same night.
The study, published in Sleep Health, tracked young adults using a food diary app and a wrist monitor to record sleep patterns. Researchers measured 'sleep fragmentation'-how often participants woke or shifted from deep to light sleep.
On days participants ate more produce and healthy carbohydrates like whole grains, they experienced significantly better sleep. The effect: an estimated 16% improvement in sleep quality compared to those eating no fruits or vegetables.
Dr. Esra Tasali, director of the UChicago Sleep Center and study co-author, called the 16% increase a 'highly significant difference,' adding it's remarkable such a meaningful change could occur in under 24 hours.
Currently, only 9% of US adults get enough vegetables and 12% get enough fruit, per the CDC. Adult women need at least 1.5 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables daily; adult men need 2 cups of fruit and 3.5 cups of vegetables.
To boost intake, the CDC suggests adding vegetables to lunch and fruit to breakfast. For reference, the American Heart Association notes one cup of produce equals eight large strawberries, one large bell pepper, or one medium apple.