Vegetables and fruits are essential components of a healthy diet and sleep patterns.

A recent study conducted in Finland examined the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and sleep duration in adult Finns.

Data from 5,043 persons over the age of 18 who participated in the National FinHealth 2017 Study were taken into consideration in the study.

In addition to providing information about their food intake, these respondents also answered questions on their sleeping patterns, which were divided into three categories: short, normal, and long.

Short sleepers and long sleepers ingested 37 and 73 grams less fruits and vegetables daily, respectively, than regular sleepers.

A “consistent pattern where deviation from normal sleep duration was associated with decreased [fruit and vegetable] consumption” was found in the study’s conclusion.

According to the researchers, these results point to the necessity of “considering sleep patterns in dietary intervention.”

The study concluded that “Further research, including longitudinal studies, is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying these associations.” 

In an interview with Fox News Digital, study co-author Timo Partonen, M.D., a research professor at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in Helsinki, Finland, responded to his results.

He mentioned that sleeping for more than nine hours a night or for less than seven hours a night was linked to a lower intake of fruits and vegetables.

“The key takeaway is that shortage of sleep coincides with an unhealthy diet,”  Partonen stated. “This means that weight-watching programs need to pay attention to sleep habits as well … as it may ruin or promote the outcome.”

Although each person’s chronotype—which categorizes them as a “night owl” or “early bird”—was taken into consideration in the study, the impact of this attribute on the relationship between the amount of sleep and the consumption of fruits and vegetables was “minimal,” according to the researcher.

According to Partonen, this study was “cross-sectional by design,” meaning that no “causal relationships” could be examined.

He suggested that in order to improve sleep quality, people should consume a greater amount of fruits and vegetables on a regular basis.

“Sleep, nutrition and physical activity form a unity,” he stated.

“A positive change in one of these is reflected in a positive change in the other two.”

The results of this study did not surprise New Jersey-based nutritionist Erin Palinski-Wade, who told Fox News Digital that it is “not surprising that increasing your dietary intake of fruits and vegetables may improve both quality and quantity of sleep.”

 “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.” the speaker continued.

The nutritionist claims that consuming these fruits may raise melatonin levels in the body, improving the timing and quality of sleep.

She added that eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables can also assist enhance antioxidant consumption, which can help lower inflammation and oxidative stress in the body.

As these influences decrease, sleep may get better. Palinski-Wade continued.

According to the nutritionist, dark, leafy greens like kale and spinach are excellent providers of magnesium, a vitamin that may also promote sleep.

It makes logical that consuming a diet high in magnesium could enhance sleep, given diets low in the mineral have been linked to an increased risk of insomnia, the expert continued.

According to Palinski-Wade, fruits and vegetables like spinach and tomatoes also contain an amino acid called tryptophan, which is a “precursor to serotonin,” a neurotransmitter that helps produce melatonin and regulate sleep.

She remarked, “You can promote relaxation and improvements in falling and staying asleep by increasing your dietary intake of tryptophan.”