Scientists discover ‘remarkable’ diet said to ease insomnia in one day

Eating five portions of fruit and vegetables each day has been the message peddled by health gurus for decades.

That guidance, designed to stave off heart disease and cancer, has stood for more than two decades and is highlighted regularly in public health campaigns.

Now researchers say reaching the daily quota could also slash the risk of insomnia within just a day.

According to US scientists, who tracked dozens of adults, those who hit the target improved their sleep quality by almost a fifth, compared to those who failed to eat a single fruit or vegetable. 

People who opted for healthier carbohydrates, like whole grains, also displayed better sleep. 

Experts, who labelled the diet tweak ‘remarkable’, said it showed not to underestimate the importance of nutrition for better sleep. 

Dr Esra Tasali, an expert in sleep medicine at the University of Chicago and study co-author, said: ‘It’s remarkable that such a meaningful change could be observed within less than 24 hours.

‘Dietary modifications could be a new, natural and cost-effective approach to achieve better sleep.’ 

More than five million people in the UK are thought to suffer from chronic insomnia, which is defined as struggling to fall or stay asleep at least three nights a week for more than three months. 

In the study, scientists tracked the eating habits of 34 healthy young adults, aged 28 on average.

They reported their daily food consumption using an app and wore a wrist monitor that allowed the researchers to objectively measure their sleep patterns. 

Scientists specifically looked at ‘sleep fragmentation,’ a measure that reflects how often a person awakens or shifts from deep to light sleep throughout the night.

Writing in the journal Sleep Health, they said daily diet was linked to ‘meaningful differences’ in the subsequent night’s sleep.

They found those who ate at least five cups of fruit and vegetables per day experienced a 16 per cent boost in sleep quality compared to those who ate no fruit and veg.

This, they suggested, was because the daily quota could influence the gut microbiome.  

Fibre-rich fruits and vegetables promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, which in turn can affect sleep-regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin and melatonin.

People who ate more red and processed meat were also more likely to suffer fragmented sleep, the scientists said. 

‘Sixteen per cent is a highly significant difference,’ Dr Tasali added. 

Dr Marie-Pierre St-Onge, a nutrition scientist at Columbia University and study co-author, also said: ‘Small changes can impact sleep. That is empowering — better rest is within your control.’

The NHS has long recommended Britons eat five daily portions of fruit and vegetables to keep us healthy.

But only about one-third of women and a quarter of men achieve it, official data shows.

And it’s become even less possible for many as in recent years the price of fresh produce has gone up by an average of 39 per cent — with carrots increasing by as much as 150 per cent.

Some research has suggested the target doesn’t go far enough and that we need to double it for the optimal benefits. 

Meanwhile, leading diet guru Professor Tim Spector, who founded the Zoe nutrition app, recommends a different approach with 30 different types of plant every week.

Last year, a study found that around one in six Brits suffer insomnia, yet 65 per cent never seek help for their sleep problem.

The poll of 2,000 people, by The Sleep Charity, found nine in ten experience some sort of sleep problem, while one in two engage in high-risk or dangerous behaviours when unable to sleep.

Poor sleep has been linked to a number of health problems, including cancer, stroke and infertility. 

Experts have long advised that waking up during the night does not necessarily mean you have insomnia, which figures suggest affects up to 14million Brits. 

Still, sleep deprivation takes its own toll, from irritability and reduced focus in the short term, to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes. 

According to the American Sleep Association, nearly 70million Americans also have a sleep disorder.