A new study has shown how fruits and vegetables affect how many hours we sleep at night.
THE to sleep and diet are key determinants of overall health and well-being, interacting with each other. A new study from Finland examined the relationship between sleep duration and daily fruit and vegetable consumption.
A study by the University of Helsinki has been published Frontiers in nutrition FinHealth analyzed data from the 2017 national survey 5043 adults participated 18 years and older.
Participants reported their usual sleep duration and dietary intake of fruits and vegetables. The study also looked at other factors that may affect sleep duration, such as demographic, psychological and socioeconomic factors.
What the study showed
The average amount of sleep recommended for adults is 7-9 consecutive hours per night. At the same time, the World Health Organization recommends that people consume at least 400 grams of fruits and vegetables per day.
Research has shown strong association between fewer or more hours of sleep than recommended and lower consumption of fruits and vegetables. Participants were divided into three categories based on sleep duration, short duration, normal and long duration.
Those who sleep for a few hours They consumed 37 grams less fruits and vegetablesand those who sleep more They ate 73 grams lesscompared to those who slept normal hours during the night.
Even when other factors were taken into account, diet had a significant effect on participants’ sleep duration. Those who are “night types” and sleep less at night tend to have an unhealthy diet. thereby proving that sleep and nutrition affect each other.
Like certain fruits and vegetables Cherries, kiwis, tomatoes and cucumbers contain high levels of melatonina hormone important for regulating circadian rhythms and sleep patterns.
This study demonstrated the importance of nutrition to overall health and highlights the importance of adults following healthier patterns for a better quality of life.