The Sleep-Diet Connection: How Nutrition Affects Your Sleep Quality

If you’ve followed HSH for a while or are an avid HSH blog reader you’ll know that while the focus is on proper nutrition and intuitive eating, nutrition doesn’t live in a silo. Like most things in our life it’s part of a great ecosystem that makes up our overall health. At HSH we look at these five buckets; hydration, nutrition, sleep, stress management and movement. Sleep is one of the most basic biological functions needed for immunity, digestion, cardiovascular health, muscle synthesis, hormone production, recovery, and for everything we do (1), so it’s no surprise that it impacts our nutrition and vice versa. There’s a great deal of research on nutrition and sleep. Much of it isn’t conclusive whether sleep impacts nutrition or nutrition impacts sleep but there is clear evidence that there is a continuum and that they do play a part with each other.

For starters, the general recommendation that most of us have heard before is that most individuals should be aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Emerging research may indicate that this need may actually be much higher for females. While overall sleep timing is necessary, the quality of sleep also is important. To begin, let’s talk about the impacts of sleep disturbances and appetite. Sleep loss is found to impact the melatonin cycle and the metabolic functions that impact appetite. Specifically, the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin and the appetite-suppressing hormone, leptin (2). Some research shows as little as two consecutive nights of poor sleep can impact these hormone levels, meaning plasma ghrelin may be increased = increased feelings of hunger and and decreased levels of leptin being expressed in the body's tissue leading to a reduction in overall satiety or fullness (2). These increased feelings of hunger often lead to individuals choosing foods that are of higher caloric density and high in simple carbohydrates such as sweets, salty foods and snacks (2). There’s additional information stating that those with sleep disturbances consume less fruits and vegetables (3,4,5). I speak from experience when I say, when I’m in a time of sleep deprivation I feel significantly more hungry and that I’m needing to compensate with added energy from food to keep my brain and body moving. 

Macronutrients and Sleep 

There are a great deal of epidemiological studies on macronutrients, meal timing and sleep duration. As stated earlier, there are good recommendations from research but much is inconclusive, so we’ll look at this broadly and the overall themes from review of research. Macronutrients are nutrients that provide our bodies energy; carbohydrates, proteins and fats. A high intake of fat is related to sleep disturbances (3), both high and low carbohydrate consumption can impact sleep patterns, and those with diets high in protein have less wakefulness (3). To break that down, moderate fat and carbohydrate consumption and a diet rich in protein is what is most recommended for sleep quality. That equates to a well balanced, healthful diet of a range of foods prioritizing foods with fiber and protein. Each day will look different, as it should but prioritizing, most of the time, a balanced plate, honoring your hunger cues, and eating regularly throughout the day to maintain energy balance and blood sugar is your fool proof plan to better sleep and energy.

Micronutrients and Sleep

Micronutrients or vitamins and minerals are also suggested to affect sleep patterns, this is done through the impact on melatonin and hormone production. The ones you likely hear about the most are magnesium and B12. Additional micronutrients that may impact sleep marginally are vitamin D, vitamin C, iron and B6 (3). Magnesium impacts sleep by enhancing melatonin secretion, aiding in sleep quality. Iron plays a role in many of the body's enzymatic processes, adequate iron is needed for dopamine receptors to function properly. B vitamins and vitamin C play a role in cognitive function and sleep deprivation. There is small amounts of data showing that vitamin D may improve sleep quality and reduce latency, the time it takes to fall asleep (3). As the general recommendation goes, vitamins are best absorbed and digested from foods and a diverse diet will meet the needs of most people. Always focus on food first, and prioritizing macronutrients before moving straight to supplements to remedy issues.

Additional Contributing Factors to Sleep 

Two other contributing factors that are noteworthy are physical activity and caffeine. In terms of physical activity, results of endless studies show a positive correlation with physical activities effect of sleep duration and onset of sleep (3). When the exercise rate increased, the amount of sleep increased. Caffeine is a factor heavily contributing to sleep deprivation, the recommendation for caffeine for adults is 400 milligrams or less per day for adults per the FDA. With the rise of energy drink consumption, coffee, and soft drinks more caffeine is being consumed daily. If you’re someone who has trouble sleeping, looking closely at the amount of caffeine you’re consuming and when may be helpful. Coffee has a half life of 2-10 hours depending on the person, therefore, you want to ensure you’re not consuming it later in the day. 

There is some anecdotal evidence that certain foods can impact sleep quality, specifically, milk, fatty fish, kiwi and cherries. Of the listed foods kiwi and cherries, specifically, tart cherry juice are the most well supported. The phytonutrient profile and presence of melatonin in these fruits are scientifically supported for sleep quality. 

Overall, sleep and diet are definitely intertwined in many ways. Eating well balanced meals and snacks often, consuming caffeine in moderate amounts and moving your body is the overall way to ensure you sleep best. 

References:

1. The effect of nutrition and physical activity on sleep quality among adults: a scoping review: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10503965/

2. Sleep Patterns, Eating Behavior and the Risk of Noncommunicable Diseases 

3. The effect of nutrition and physical activity on sleep quality among adults: a scoping review: https://sleep.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41606-023-00090-4

4. Effects of Diet on Sleep Quality: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5015038/

5. The impact of sleep deprivation on food desire in the human brain: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3763921/

6. Impacts of https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3763921/

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Written by Delayna

Hey, I'm Delayna!

I’m an RD-to-be, college cheer coach, yoga instructor, and food and fitness lover. As an intern at HSH, I hope you find this blog and the resources available with HSH supportive on your journey to your most nourished and happiest self!  Learn more about the HSH offerings here.