A handful of walnuts a day: Nature's sleep aid?

NCT ID NCT06430086

Recruiting now Symptom relief Sponsor: Columbia University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jul 31, 2026 · Last updated Jul 31, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether adding walnuts to meals can improve sleep quality in middle-aged and older adults who report poor sleep. Walnuts contain melatonin and polyphenols, which may promote sleep. Participants will eat walnuts for 4 days and a high-sugar snack for 4 days, in random order, while sleep is measured with wrist monitors, questionnaires, and brain activity recordings. The trial aims to see if walnuts boost melatonin levels and lead to better sleep compared to the control food.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: walnuts
What this could lead to: If walnuts improve sleep, they could offer a natural, food-based way to enhance sleep quality in people with sleep complaints.
What could go wrong: This is a small, short-term study (24 people, 4 days per food) and results may not apply broadly. The effect on sleep may be modest or absent.

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

POOR SLEEP QUALITY

Contacts and locations

Locations

Columbia University Irving Medical Center
RECRUITING

New York, New York, 10032, United States

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