A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that consuming one avocado a day can lead to improvements in sleep quality. The study, conducted by scientists from Pennsylvania State University, involved 969 adult participants suffering from abdominal obesity—a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease—who were monitored over 26 weeks.
Participants were divided into two groups: one group consumed one large Hass avocado daily, while the control group maintained their usual diet with minimal avocado intake. All participants were instructed to maintain their usual diet and lifestyle habits, except for the avocado consumption.
After six months, researchers used eight indicators from the American Heart Association—diet, physical activity, smoking, sleep, weight, blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar—to comprehensively evaluate participants' cardiovascular health. Despite improvements in diet quality, sleep health, and blood lipids, the overall cardiovascular health scores did not significantly change in the avocado-eating group compared to the control group.
Researchers were surprised to find that the group consuming one avocado daily experienced improved sleep quality, which was not a study variable. Participants who consumed one avocado daily experienced an average increase of about 30 minutes in sleep duration and showed an improvement of 3.20 points in sleep health scores compared to the control group. The improvement in sleep health scores is comparable to improvements in diet quality (3.53 points) and blood lipids (3.46 points), which were expected based on previous studies about avocados.
“Sleeping well is emerging as an important lifestyle factor for heart health,” said Dr. Christina Peterson, an associate professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at Pennsylvania State University and a co-author of the study. She added, “Follow-up research is needed to determine what role foods like avocados may play in improving sleep.”
The scientists believe the reason for the improvements is the nutritional composition of avocados. The researchers explained, “Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, dietary fiber, potassium, and folate. This combination of nutrients may have a positive effect on sleep.” Additionally, avocados contain tryptophan, known to aid in melatonin synthesis, helping induce sleep, and magnesium, which contributes to muscle relaxation and nerve stability.
Sleep affects blood pressure, glucose regulation, inflammation, and stress hormones—all key elements of heart health. Poor sleep is associated with a higher risk of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and depression. “Sleep is far more important than we think because it affects every aspect of life—from immune protection and cognitive strength to weight regulation and heart function,” the researchers noted.
Despite the positive findings regarding sleep, the main goal of the study—improving overall cardiovascular health scores—yielded neutral results. The study concluded: “The intake of one avocado daily for 26 weeks did not significantly affect the overall cardiovascular health score in U.S. adults with abdominal obesity. However, diet quality, sleep health, and blood lipids improved with daily avocado intake.”
The researchers used a version of the American Heart Association's results called Life's Essential 8 (LE8), which includes eight health factors: diet, activity, sleep, weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, and nicotine exposure. The scientists expected improvements in traditional markers such as cholesterol and diet quality.
Previous studies have shown that avocados are effective in reducing abdominal fat in women, lowering bad cholesterol (LDL), and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. It is known that avocados are healthy because they help heart health and control body weight.
The fact that a simple dietary change can improve sleep outcomes without medication or major lifestyle changes could be important for millions of people who have sleep problems. However, researchers warn that avocado is not a magic cure for sleep. Sleep quality is shaped by many factors, including stress, time spent in front of screens, room temperature, and bedtime habits. The study did not test whether the timing of avocado consumption is important, and more studies are necessary to explore this aspect.
Experts recommend consuming avocados in moderation, as excessive intake of more than one avocado per day may lead to calorie excess and weight gain. The findings suggest that incorporating avocados into one's diet may offer unexpected benefits for sleep quality, adding to the growing evidence of the fruit's positive health effects.
The preparation of this article relied on a news-analysis system.