Daytime Fruits and Veggies May Mean Deeper Sleep, Science Says

7.24.2025 0 comments

Author: Trisha Houghton, CNS, ASIST

A new study published in the Sleep Health Journal on June 11th, 2025, suggests that eating more fruits and vegetables during the day may be associated with better sleep quality.

The researchers found that young adults who consumed more complex carbohydrates experienced less sleep fragmentation, which is a marker of disrupted sleep.

Read the study abstract here: https://www.sleephealthjournal.org/article/S2352-7218(25)00089-0/abstract

What the Study Found

The study’s findings offer valuable insights into how our dietary choices during the day have a direct impact on same-night sleep quality – adding to the growing evidence that there is a link between nutrition and sleep.

Findings include:

• The results were measurable: people who ate five cups of fruits and vegetables (in line with U.S. dietary guidelines), experienced 16% better sleep quality at night.
• A higher intake of red and processed meat was linked to a higher prevalence of disrupted sleep.
• Additionally, participants with diets rich in fiber and magnesiumalso experienced less sleep disruption.

As shown in the study, it’s not just about eating fruits and vegetables to help improve our sleep – avoiding other groups of products, such as large amounts of meat, can be just as important.

Who Took Part in the Study

The study looked at 34 subjects, with the average person being 28 years old. While participants were diverse in racial and ethnic backgrounds (50% identifying as a minority), 80% of the subjects were male.

All participants reported habitual sleep duration between 7-9 hours per night, and their sleep was measured by using wrist actigraphy – a small device used to estimate total sleep time, sleep latency, and sleep efficiency.

Their dietary patterns were measured with an Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool, also known as the ASA24. This tool is commonly used in dietary studies, allowing subjects to record food diaries for research purposes.

How to Interpret the Research

While the study focused on a relatively small group of participants that were around 28 years old and predominantly male, it still highlights an important fact about our daily eating habits.

The findings show that same-day dietary choices (consuming fruits, vegetables, complex carbs, fiber and magnesium) can lead to immediate sleep benefits – even in healthy adults.

This research shows an accessible, non-pharmacological strategy to improve one’s sleep without relying on supplements and medications. It’s also interesting how a higher intake of red and processed meat came off as a contributor to poorer sleep – potentially meaning that highly-inflammatory foods impact our ability to relax and stay asleep.

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Why These Findings Matter for Everyone

With sleep as one of the pillars of our overall health, this study shows yet another natural approach to improve sleep without the use of pharmaceuticals. These findings are especially important since poor sleep can be a root cause of many health risks – including compromised immunity, impaired cognitive function, and hormonal imbalances.

While this particular study doesn’t prove causation, it heavily focuses on the real-time measurements that can strengthen the case for the relationship between dietary influences and sleep health.

With more studies on this topic and other groups of food, we may soon be able to craft a diet specifically designed to help with relaxation, deep sleep, and even deal with sleep disruptions.

How Future Studies on Fruits & Vegetables May Help Us Improve Sleep

Future research on this topic may look at different subject groups, such as the elderly or people struggling with insomnia. Larger, long-term studies could help us understand exactly how specific fruits, vegetables, or even particular nutrients drive the sleep-supporting effects found in this study.

For now, we can simply be sure that complex carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables have a positive effect on sleep – meaning that we should all aim for at least a few servings per day.

While eating more fruits and vegetables is a great starting point for better sleep, sometimes even the healthiest diet needs a little extra support. That’s where magnesium comes in. As shown in this and many other studies, magnesium is a critical nutrient for reducing sleep disruptions and promoting deep relaxation. If your sleep still needs improvement, supplementation might be the key to unlocking more restorative rest.

We hope these tips will help you get a deep relaxing sleep. However, if you need further help, you should try magnesium supplementation. Restore Sleep magnesium formula contains the 7 most powerful forms of magnesium that support optimal brain function, help achieve deep restorative sleep and promote total body relaxation. 

Click here to learn more about Restore Sleep and how it can change your life for the better through providing your body with the best magnesium complex to improve your brain function, sleep quality and relaxation response.

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