Sleep symptoms associated with intake of specific dietary nutrients

J Sleep Res. 2014 Feb;23(1):22-34. doi: 10.1111/jsr.12084. Epub 2013 Sep 2.

Abstract

Sleep symptoms are associated with weight gain and cardiometabolic disease. The potential role of diet has been largely unexplored. Data from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used (n = 4552) to determine which nutrients were associated with sleep symptoms in a nationally representative sample. Survey items assessed difficulty falling asleep, sleep maintenance difficulties, non-restorative sleep and daytime sleepiness. Analyses were adjusted for energy intake, other dietary factors, exercise, body mass index (BMI) and sociodemographics. Population-weighted, logistic regression, with backwards-stepwise selection, examined which nutrients were associated with sleep symptoms. Odds ratios (ORs) reflect the difference in odds of sleep symptoms associated with a doubling in nutrient. Nutrients that were associated independently with difficulty falling asleep included (in order): alpha-carotene (OR = 0.96), selenium (OR = 0.80), dodecanoic acid (OR = 0.91), calcium (OR = 0.83) and hexadecanoic acid (OR = 1.10). Nutrients that were associated independently with sleep maintenance difficulties included: salt (OR = 1.19), butanoic acid (0.81), carbohydrate (OR = 0.71), dodecanoic acid (OR = 0.90), vitamin D (OR = 0.84), lycopene (OR = 0.98), hexanoic acid (OR = 1.25) and moisture (OR = 1.27). Nutrients that were associated independently with non-restorative sleep included butanoic acid (OR = 1.09), calcium (OR = 0.81), vitamin C (OR = 0.92), water (OR = 0.98), moisture (OR = 1.41) and cholesterol (OR = 1.10). Nutrients that were associated independently with sleepiness included: moisture (OR = 1.20), theobromine (OR = 1.04), potassium (OR = 0.70) and water (OR = 0.97). These results suggest novel associations between sleep symptoms and diet/metabolism, potentially explaining associations between sleep and cardiometabolic diseases.

Keywords: diet; epidemiology; insomnia; nutrition; sleep.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Body Mass Index
  • Butyric Acid / pharmacology
  • Calcium / pharmacology
  • Carotenoids / adverse effects
  • Carotenoids / pharmacology
  • Cholesterol / adverse effects
  • Diet Surveys*
  • Diet*
  • Dietary Carbohydrates / pharmacology
  • Exercise
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lauric Acids / pharmacology
  • Lycopene
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Nutrition Surveys
  • Odds Ratio
  • Palmitic Acid / pharmacology
  • Selenium / pharmacology
  • Sleep / drug effects*
  • Sleep / physiology*
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / chemically induced*
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / metabolism
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Sodium Chloride, Dietary / pharmacology
  • Vitamin D / pharmacology

Substances

  • Dietary Carbohydrates
  • Lauric Acids
  • Sodium Chloride, Dietary
  • Butyric Acid
  • lauric acid
  • Vitamin D
  • Palmitic Acid
  • Carotenoids
  • alpha-carotene
  • Cholesterol
  • Selenium
  • Lycopene
  • Calcium