Adults with poor sleep who ate about 50 raw almonds each day for 20 weeks reported better overall sleep and greater sleep efficiency, although most laboratory sleep measurements showed no significant difference.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Eating approximately 50 raw almonds each day may improve how adults perceive the quality and efficiency of their sleep, according to a randomized controlled trial published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
The study followed 175 adults ages 21 to 55 who had poor sleep quality when the research began. Participants were assigned either to consume 60 grams of raw whole almonds daily or to receive a savory snack containing a similar number of calories.
Those in the almond group divided the daily serving into two portions, eating one as a midmorning snack and the other in the evening. Researchers maintained the intervention for 20 weeks and assessed sleep through questionnaires, overnight monitoring and blood tests.
By the end of the trial, participants eating almonds reported significantly better overall sleep-quality scores and higher sleep efficiency, which reflects the percentage of time in bed that is actually spent asleep.
The almond group also appeared to fall asleep more quickly. The difference in sleep latency, however, became statistically significant only after researchers adjusted the results for participants’ baseline measurements and sex.
Most results from overnight polysomnography, an objective test that records brain waves and other physiological activity during sleep, did not differ significantly between the almond and control groups.
Researchers observed a general trend toward less waking during the night among participants consuming almonds. Among those who experienced the largest improvements in self-reported sleep scores, nighttime waking declined significantly.
Blood measurements also showed higher melatonin levels in the almond group after researchers made statistical adjustments. The difference did not reach statistical significance in the unadjusted comparison between the two groups.
The results suggest that almonds may affect how rested people feel and how efficiently they believe they sleep, even when most objective sleep measurements remain largely unchanged.
Researchers said subjective sleep quality is still considered a meaningful clinical outcome because a person’s perception of sleep can affect daytime function, mood and overall well-being.
The trial was conducted among adults living in an urban Indian population, which could limit how broadly the findings apply to people in other countries, age groups or cultural settings.
All participants began the study with poor sleep quality. Researchers collected information through standardized sleep questionnaires and conducted overnight polysomnography at both the beginning and end of the intervention.
Blood samples were also analyzed for melatonin and other biological markers that could help explain whether nutrients in almonds influence pathways involved in sleep regulation.
Almonds contain several compounds associated with sleep, including tryptophan, magnesium, melatonin and vitamin E.
Tryptophan is an amino acid the body uses to produce serotonin and melatonin, two substances involved in mood and the sleep-wake cycle. Almonds provide approximately 209 milligrams of tryptophan per 100 grams, according to the study.
The researchers also reported that almonds contain about 39 nanograms of melatonin per gram of dry weight.
A 28-gram serving provides approximately 77 milligrams of magnesium and 7.3 milligrams of vitamin E. Magnesium contributes to muscle and nerve function and is involved in biological processes that support relaxation and sleep.
The study authors said the apparent benefit probably does not result from one nutrient acting alone. Instead, the combination of tryptophan, magnesium, melatonin, vitamin E and other compounds may influence several sleep-related pathways at the same time.
Almonds also contain protein, B vitamins, calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus and manganese. They are approximately 18% protein, according to the “New Whole Foods Encyclopedia.”
Natural melatonin production can decline with age, particularly after age 40, according to “A Cardiologist’s Prescription for Optimum Health.” That decline has contributed to interest in foods that naturally contain melatonin or nutrients used in its production.
Earlier nutrition reports have identified almonds as a possible evening snack for people seeking longer or deeper sleep because they provide tryptophan, magnesium and melatonin.
NaturalNews.com has described food and beverages as an “architect of your nights,” arguing that dietary choices may either assist or interfere with the body’s ability to settle down and sleep deeply.
The trial does not establish almonds as a treatment for insomnia or another diagnosed sleep disorder. It also does not show that eating almonds will produce the same results for every person with poor sleep.
The 60-gram daily serving used in the study is larger than a standard 28-gram serving and contains a substantial number of calories. Participants ate the almonds in place of a calorie-matched snack rather than simply adding them to an unrestricted diet.
Researchers said almond consumption should be combined with established sleep practices, including maintaining consistent bedtimes and wake times, avoiding caffeine later in the day and keeping the bedroom cool, dark and quiet.
The study’s limitations included reliance on self-reported sleep measures, differences between the subjective and objective findings and the use of a specific urban Indian population.
The results nevertheless indicate that a sustained dietary change may improve perceived sleep quality. Researchers said additional trials are needed to determine whether the effect can be reproduced in other populations and whether different almond portions or timing schedules produce similar outcomes.
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