Sleep, like nutrition and physical activity, is a critical determinant of health and well-being. With the increasing prevalence of obesity and its consequences, sleep researchers have begun to explore the factors that predispose individuals to weight gain. A new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania shows for the first time that certain nutrients may play an underlying role in short and long sleep duration and that people who report eating a good variety of foods had the healthiest sleep patterns.It is known that that those who sleep 7-8 hours are more likely to have a better well being and health. This study tried to see if there are differences in the diet of those who report shorter sleep, longer sleep, or standard sleep patterns.The authors found that total caloric intake varied across groups:
-Short sleepers (5-6 hours) consumed the most calories
-Food variety was highest in normal sleepers (7-8 hours), and lowest in very short sleepers.
-Very short sleep (< 5hours per night) was associated with less intake of tap water, lycopene (found in red- and orange-colored foods), and total carbohydrates.
-Long sleep ( >9 hours) was associated with less intake of theobromine (found in chocolate and tea), choline (found in eggs and fatty meats), total carbohydrates, and more alcohol.
In conclusion, people who sleep 7 to 8 hours each night differ in terms of their diet, compared to people who sleep less or more. Moreover, short and long sleep are associated with lower food variety. The next thing to explore is if people altered their diets, would they be able to change their overall sleep pattern?
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