Nutrition & Sleep
Brief description
Dietary components can affect sleep quality(1)
Disruption of the circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycles are risk factors for
cardiovascular disease & obesity(2).
Caffeine - Avoid caffeinated drinks before bed.
Chemically related to adenosine which is a sleep-inducing agent. Caffeine competes by blocking (antagonising) adenosine receptors, resulting in decreased total sleep duration, sleep quality and increase in sleep induction time(3).
Melatonin - Increase consumption of vegetables.
A neurohormone synthesized from tryptophan, an essential dietary amino acid. Secreted mainly at night, melatonin is a well-recognized sleep-inducer.
Consumption of tomatoes, olives, barley, rice, and walnuts, convey higher amounts of melatonin.
Milk increases the concentration of melatonin(2).
Carbohydrates - Avoid high GI foods.
High Glycaemic index (GI) foods are associated with stroke, cancer, and certain chronic diseases.
High GI foods are a risk factor for insomnia, higher fibre in food and non-fruit juice, reduced the risk of insomnia. This is because they stimulate the release of insulin, which in turn, may induce the release of adrenaline, cortisol, glucagon & growth hormone (all hormones which are linked to insomnia)(4).
High GI foods may alter the ratio of tryptophan relative to other amnio acids(5).
Tryptophan is also a precursor to serotonin which also induces sleep. Ingestion of carbohydrates may increase brain serotonin levels.
Fatty acids
Generally fewer studies on this topic. Higher saturated fat intake may contribute to shortened slow wave sleep and more arousals during the night(6).
Omega-3 may improve sleep quality in childhood, but inconclusive on adult populations currently(7).
Vitamins - Multi-vitamin supplementation may benefit sleep quality.
Vitamin D – Deficiency may be a risk factor for sleep disorders, poor sleep quality and short sleep duration(8).
Poor quality evidence for other vitamins currently.
Reference
St-Onge MP, Mikic A, Pietrolungo CE. Effects of Diet on Sleep Quality. Adv Nutr. 2016;7(5):938-49.
Peuhkuri K, Sihvola N, Korpela R. Dietary factors and fluctuating levels of melatonin. Food Nutr Res. 2012;56.
Shilo L, Sabbah H, Hadari R, Kovatz S, Weinberg U, Dolev S, et al. The effects of coffee consumption on sleep and melatonin secretion. Sleep Med. 2002;3(3):271-3.
Gangwisch JE, Hale L, St-Onge MP, Choi L, LeBlanc ES, Malaspina D, et al. High glycemic index and glycemic load diets as risk factors for insomnia: analyses from the Women's Health Initiative. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020;111(2):429-39.
Wurtman RJ, Wurtman JJ, Regan MM, McDermott JM, Tsay RH, Breu JJ. Effects of normal meals rich in carbohydrates or proteins on plasma tryptophan and tyrosine ratios. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;77(1):128- 32.
St-Onge MP, Roberts A, Shechter A, Choudhury AR. Fiber and Saturated Fat Are Associated with Sleep Arousals and Slow Wave Sleep. J Clin Sleep Med. 2016;12(1):19-24.
Dai Y, Liu J. Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid and sleep: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and longitudinal studies. Nutr Rev. 2021;79(8):847-68.
Gao Q, Kou T, Zhuang B, Ren Y, Dong X, Wang Q. The Association between Vitamin D Deficiency and Sleep Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2018;10(10).
