Overview

• The Sleep Health journal study monitored 34 healthy young adults averaging 28 years old, using diet logs and wrist-worn trackers to measure nightly sleep fragmentation
• Increasing intake of whole grains alongside fruits and vegetables was linked to deeper, more uninterrupted sleep, while higher consumption of red and processed meats corresponded with greater sleep fragmentation
• Fiber-rich produce is believed to foster beneficial gut bacteria that enhance production of sleep-regulating hormones such as melatonin and serotonin within hours
• Scientists describe the diet adjustment as an accessible, low-cost strategy that could reduce reliance on sleep medications and therapies
• Insomnia affects more than five million people in the UK and nearly 70 million in the US, yet many fall short of the five-a-day fruit and vegetable target due in part to rising produce prices