Scientists Just Found 2 Diet Changes That’ll Help You Sleep for Longer — and It’s All Thanks to Pokémon!

Mar. 15, 2025

2 simple diet changes could improve the quality of your sleep.Photo:Getty; Nintendo

Getty; Nintendo

Scientists in Japan may have uncovered the secret to getting a good night’s sleep. And it starts in the kitchen!

Astudypublished in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, which analyzed people’s sleep habits in relation to their nutrition, found that people who ate more protein and fiber in the day ended up sleeping longer at night.

Scientists analyzed data gathered from more than 4,800 users of Pokémon Sleep and Asken smartphone apps for the study between Jan. 19 and 31, 2024, taking a look at their sleep for seven days alongside what they ate during that time. Pokémon Sleep is a sleep-tracking video game that grants rewards based on sleep quality, while Asken is a nutrition app.

The researchers — from from the International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (IIIS) at the University of Tsukuba, Japan — noted that people who ate protein-rich foods like eggs, chicken, fish and shrimp, ended up sleeping an average of 10 to 11 minutes longer than those who ate less protein.

woman sleeping.Getty

Getty

Those who also ate more fiber, like vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes, also tended to fall asleep quicker and spent less time awake if their sleep was disrupted, according to the study.

“Dietary fiber intake was positively associated with improved sleep quality, and a greater sodium-to-potassium ratio was linked to worse sleep outcomes,” researchers said. “Furthermore…increasing the protein intake in place of other nutrients could improve the [total sleep time]…” they added.

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salmon, avocado, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds.Getty

However, on the flip side, the study also found that people who ate more fatty foods — like fried or processed meats — and who had more sodium in their diet compared to potassium, tended to sleep around six to 11 minutes less on average and had a hard time going back to sleep after being disturbed.

While the study provided some insight into how people’s food habits affect their sleep, the scientists who conducted the research noted that the research was based on what was reported on the apps, so there could be inaccuracies. They also noted that they weren’t able to take into account other behavioral factors that could affect a person’s sleep including alcohol and smoking habits and medical history.

“Although this study is cross-sectional, the results highlight the complex potential role of dietary factors in sleep regulation and suggest the possibility of dietary interventions to enhance sleep health,” the researchers said.

source: people.com