The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of restricting food and water intake to the light period on sleep and brain temperature (Tbr). Sprague-Dawley male rats were anesthetized and provided with electrodes and thermistors for electroencephalographic (EEG) and Tbr recordings. Baseline recordings were performed after a 3-week recovery period. After baseline recordings, access to food and water was restricted (FWR) to the light period for 29 days. During FWR, the diurnal distribution of rapid-eye-movement sleep (REMS) and Tbr were reversed, while the distribution of non-REMS (NREMS) between the dark and light periods was attenuated. Daily food and water intake, body weight, and the diurnal distribution of EEG slow-wave activity within NREMS remained unchanged. In a separate study, sham-operated and pinealectomized rats were studied in a similar manner. The sleep responses of pinealectomized and sham-operated rats to FWR were similar. Further, FWR did not affect melatonin levels in the sham-operated rats, thereby suggesting that the pineal gland does not mediate the effects of FWR on sleep.