Adherence
A behavior change intervention targeting diet and physical activity produces significant collateral improvements in perceived stress and sleep duration, comparable to interventions explicitly designed to target stress and sleep.
If you are struggling with stress or poor sleep, start by focusing on getting more physical activity and eating more fruits and vegetables. You do not necessarily need a separate, intensive stress management program. A structured approach to diet and exercise can naturally reduce your stress levels and increase your sleep duration, potentially moving you into the recommended 7-9 hour range.
Findings suggest that diet and activity behavior change interventions can effectively improve outcomes within and between the behavior domains they directly target.
Why this rating
Randomized clinical trial with a large sample size (n=212) and objective tracking via smartphone app, though outcomes are self-reported.
Source
Behavior change intervention targeting physical activity and diet improves stress and sleep
Samuel L. Battalio et al. · PLoS ONE · 2026
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