A new randomised controlled trial among Indian adults with poor sleep quality has found that eating almonds daily may help improve perceived sleep quality, offering fresh insight into the potential role of almonds as part of a broader, food-first approach to supporting sleep health.
The research, published in Frontiers in Nutrition (Desai et. Al, 2026) sconducted among 175 Indian adults aged 21–55 years who reported poor sleep quality. Participants were either given 60g of almonds (approximately 50 almonds) or a calorie-matched control snack such as khakra, chivda and crackers.
Key findings¹
Eating almonds daily was associated with:
- Better overall self-reported sleep quality
- Higher self-reported sleep efficiency, with participants spending more of their time in bed sleeping
- Shorter self-reported time taken to fall asleep
- Some encouraging signals towards reduced wakefulness during the night, although these findings were not consistently significant across the study population
Why might almonds help?
Almonds contain several nutrients that are biologically relevant to normal nervous system function and overall health, including magnesium and tryptophan. Magnesium is involved in normal nervous system and muscle function, while tryptophan is used by the body to produce serotonin and melatonin. Almonds also naturally contain small amounts of melatonin, as well as healthy unsaturated fats and antioxidants.
What were some of the findings?
Participants who consumed almonds daily reported improvements across several aspects of their sleep compared with those consuming the control snack. These included better overall sleep quality, improved sleep efficiency and a shorter time to fall asleep.
The findings add to the broader evidence exploring the relationship between nutrition and sleep, while suggesting that almonds may play a role in supporting perceived sleep quality as part of a broader healthy lifestyle.
Commenting on the findings, Sheela Krishnaswamy, Nutrition and Wellness Consultant, said, “Sleep is an important part of overall wellbeing, and nutrition can play a role as part of a healthy lifestyle. The findings from this study are encouraging in showing that adults with poor sleep quality who consumed almonds daily reported improvements in how they experienced their sleep, including sleep quality, sleep efficiency and the time taken to fall asleep..”
“Also, emerging evidence suggests that plant foods rich in unsaturated fats and sleep-supportive compounds may support sleep quality, and almonds contain unsaturated fats along with other nutrients that contribute to their overall nutrient profile. Almonds provide magnesium, potassium, and vitamin E, micronutrients known to support sleep via muscle relaxation and neuroendocrine regulation. While more research is needed to understand the effects on objective sleep measures, almonds can be a simple, nutrient-rich addition to everyday healthy eating habits.”
Summary
The findings add to the broader evidence exploring the relationship between nutrition and sleep, while also highlighting the importance of distinguishing between perceived sleep quality and objectively measured sleep physiology.
The strongest takeaway from the research is that among adults reporting poor sleep quality, daily almond consumption may help improve perceived sleep quality, as part of a broader healthy lifestyle. Further research is needed to confirm the effects of almond consumption on objective sleep physiology and to better understand the mechanisms behind these findings.
Study Details:
The study assessed sleep in two ways: through validated self-reported sleep questionnaires and through overnight polysomnography (PSG), an objective method widely considered a gold standard for measuring sleep.