You may have never heard of a sleep potato or a sleep pea, but they do exist — at least according to a new study published in the journal Sleep Health.

Researchers tracked the sleep patterns of 34 people to see if what they ate during the day affected their nightly snooze. They found that those who ate the most fruits, vegetables, and whole grains slept the deepest and were most refreshed in the morning.

In contrast, people who ate red and processed meats had the poorest sleep patterns.

The bottom line is that if you skip fresh fruits and veggies and whole grains such as like wheat, farro, or teff, getting even five servings a day of those healthy foods (I recommend seven to nine) can immediately improve your sleep quality by 16%.

This matters because poor sleep quality is strongly associated with increased vulnerability to stress, cognitive and memory problems, and trouble taking care of daily responsibilities.

In the long term, it can lead to high blood pressure, increased LDL cholesterol, heart disease, weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, and even colorectal cancer.

If you think you're a restless sleeper, it's time to upgrade your nutrition (see my "What to Eat When Cookbook" for great vegetable, fruit, and whole grain recipes) and try 10 minutes of meditation before bedtime in a dark, quiet, cool room with no digital devices.