Eating Better to Sleep Better

Want to sleep better at night? Then eat better during the day!

Diet has a major impact on everything else. So, could it have an impact on your

sleep?

Not surprisingly, the answer is yes. A new study has found that eating a diet high

in fiber is associated with increased restorative sleep, including a significant

increase in deep sleep and REM sleep and a significant decrease in light sleep.

The high fiber diet also significantly reduced heart rate, which is important since,

like the rest of you, your heart should catch up on its rest at night.

The study also found that a greater variety of plant-based foods and higher whole

plant food intake was associated with lower sleeping heart rate.

A higher score on the Dietary Phytochemical Index, which measures calories

from phytochemical-rich plant foods, was also associated with more restorative

sleep, including significantly increased REM sleep, significantly decreased light

sleep and significantly lower sleeping heart rate.

This study delivers the good news that you can improve your sleep, and the

health benefits of sleep, by improving your diet. So, to sleep better, eat more

fiber and more plant-based foods.

Nat. Health. 2026: doi.org/10.1038/s44360-026-00182-2.