To sleep better at night, try eating more of these foods, researchers say

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a balanced diet and also balanced sleep.
A new Finnish study looked at how fruit and vegetable consumption in Finnish adults affected sleep duration.
The research considered data from the 2017 National FinHealth Study, in which 5,043 adults over 18 years of age participated.
DO YOU FEEL HUNGER THAN USUAL? YOUR SLEEP SCHEDULE COULD BE TO BLAME, EXPERT SAYS
These respondents reported their dietary intake and sleep habits, which were compared across three sleep categories: short, normal, and long.
Compared to short sleepers, short sleepers consumed 37 grams less of fruits and vegetables per day, while long sleepers consumed 73 grams less per day.
A new study has found that eating more fruits and vegetables helps maintain the proper amount of sleep. (iStock)
The study concluded that there is a “consistent pattern in which deviation from normal sleep duration is associated with a decrease [fruit and vegetable] consumption.”
These findings suggest the need to “consider sleep patterns in dietary intervention,” the researchers added.
AMERICANS NEED MORE SLEEP AND LESS STRESS, EXPERTS SAY, AS GALLUP POLL REVEALS WORRYING FINDINGS
“Further research, including longitudinal studies, is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying these associations,” the study noted.
Study co-author Timo Partonen, MD, a research professor at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in Helsinki, Finland, reacted to its findings in a conversation with Fox News Digital.

The study found that sleeping less than seven hours a night or more than nine hours a night was associated with lower fruit and vegetable consumption. (iStock)
Sleeping less than seven hours per night or more than nine hours per night was associated with lower fruit and vegetable consumption, he noted.
“The key takeaway is that lack of sleep coincides with an unhealthy diet,” Partonen said. “This means that weight control programs must also pay attention to sleep habits… as they can ruin or promote the result.”
“The key takeaway is that lack of sleep coincides with an unhealthy diet.”
While the study took into account each person’s chronotype (classifying people as “early birds” or “night owls”), the impact of this trait on the link between sleep duration and fruit and vegetable consumption was “minimal.” “said the researcher.
Partonen identified this study as “cross-sectional by design,” meaning the researchers were unable to analyze any “causal relationships.”
TYPE 2 DIABETES HAS A MUCH HIGHER RISK FOR NIGHT OWNERS THAN FOR EARLY RISERS, NEW “SURPRISING” STUDY FINDS
Based on these findings, people should eat more fruits and vegetables daily to sleep better, he recommended.
“Sleep, nutrition and physical activity form a unit,” he said. “A positive change in one of them is reflected in a positive change in the other two.”

The study findings highlight the need to consider sleep patterns during dietary intervention, the researchers said. (iStock)
New Jersey-based dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade also reacted to these findings, telling Fox News Digital that “it is not surprising that increasing dietary intake of fruits and vegetables can improve both the quality and quantity of sleep.”
She added: “Fruits and vegetables contain a variety of nutrients that can support healthy sleep. Some fruits, such as tart cherries and bananas, contain melatonin, a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle.”
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Eating these fruits can increase melatonin levels in the body, which will promote better quality and onset of sleep, according to the dietitian.
Adopting a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can also help increase antioxidant intake, he said, which can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.
Sleep may improve as these factors are reduced, Palinski-Wade added.

Various fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that promote better sleep, a nutritionist said. (iStock)
Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale are good sources of magnesium, a nutrient that can also help promote sleep, the dietitian said.
“Diets lacking magnesium have been found to increase the risk of insomnia, so it makes sense that a diet rich in magnesium may improve sleep,” he added.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fruits and vegetables like spinach and tomatoes also contain an amino acid called tryptophan, which is a “precursor to serotonin,” a neurotransmitter involved in the production of melatonin and which helps regulate sleep, according to Palinski-Wade.
“By increasing dietary intake of tryptophan, you can promote relaxation and improve the ability to fall and stay asleep,” he said.
For more health articles, visit foxnews.com/health.
Source link