Research shows that the most beneficial diet for sleep seems to be a plant-based diet that includes lots of wholegrains, dairy and lean proteins including fish, says Erica Jansen, assistant professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Michigan in the US.

In her 2021 study looking at the relationship between sleep and diet, Jansen found that people who started eating more fruit and vegetables every day over a period of three months can dramatically improve their sleep.

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One reason for this is that fruit and vegetables (along with meat, dairy, nuts, seeds, wholegrains and legumes) are generally high in the essential amino acid tryptophan.

The reason tryptophan is important, Jansen says, is because it’s a precursor of serotonin, which then gets converted into melatonin.

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But it isn’t just as simple as eating tryptophan-rich foods, she adds. It needs to be eaten with a high-fibre carbohydrate, such as a wholegrain or legume. This allows it to be digested properly and make its way to the brain, from where it can improve sleep. 

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