Eat Well, Sleep Well

What the Research Says About Diet and Sleep Quality

It always surprises me how many people I speak to struggle with getting good quality sleep. How are we all functioning without a proper night’s rest? This isn’t just anecdotal; studies published in Nutrients highlight that sleep disorders are steadily on the rise (Godos et al., 2024).

While many of us know the common advice for better sleep, such as reducing blue light exposure, maintaining regular sleep patterns, and getting sunlight first thing in the morning, I often wonder how familiar people are with the important connection between the food we eat and sleep quality. The more research that emerges, the clearer it becomes that our diet and gut microbiome play a major role in almost every aspect of our physiology, and sleep is no exception.

Research on the well-known Mediterranean diet, which emphasises a largely plant-based, diverse, whole-food pattern including moderate amounts of fish, dairy, and poultry, and limited red meat and processed foods, has found a strong association between higher adherence to this diet and fewer sleep issues (Godos et al., 2024). I’m not advocating for the Mediterranean diet specifically, but given that its approach is linked with many other positive health outcomes, it might be worth considering its core principles.

So, the next time you find yourself lying awake at night, perhaps use that time to plan a grocery list inspired by Mediterranean-style eating.

References:

Godos, J., Ferri, R., Lanza, G., Caraci, F., Rojas Vistorte, A. O., Torres, V. Y., Grosso, G., & Castellano, S. (2024). Mediterranean Diet and Sleep Features: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence. Nutrients, 16(2), 282. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16020282