Adding fruits and vegetables to the diet could help in getting an ideal amount of rest, revealed a new study.
According to Medical News Today, Researchers from Finland’s University of Helsinki, the National Institute for Health and Welfare, and Turku University of Applied Sciences observed how dietary choices can influence total sleeping duration.
For this study researchers examined the sleep and nutrition habits of 5,043 adults and took the information about their sleep duration and food intake through different questionnaires.
The study published in Frontiers in Nutrition found that people who eat 460 grams of fruits and vegetables per day are more likely to get better sleep as compared to those who eat fewer of these foods.
Researchers also found that the lower consumption of fruits and veggies is associated with sleeping for either insufficient or excessive amounts of time. Both affect human health negatively.
Even the World Health Organization had also recommended to have 5 servings of fruit and vegetables or 400 grams, every day.
As per the National Institution of Health, “During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health.”
A neurological sleep disorders physician at UTHealth Houston, Sudha Tallavajhula, told Medical News Today, “The conclusions from this study should be interpreted in the context of associations and not necessarily causation. Poor sleep behaviour is associated with poor food choices.”
Tallavajhula explained. “Poor sleep usually translates into less daytime energy levels; this may lead patients to pick ‘easy’ foods like canned and processed items rather than fresh ingredients that may need more work.”
