Getting Enough Sleep Associated With Healthier Eating Habits

It is recommended that adults get at least seven hours of sleep per night. Getting the proper amount of sleep has been associated with heart health, blood sugar health, and memory. Now a new study has found that getting the proper amount of sleep may also be associated with healthier eating.

Participants in the study included 19,650 adults who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They completed 24-hour dietary recall questionnaires and provided information about the average amount of sleep they got nightly.

The researchers found that participants who did not get the recommended amount of sleep ate more carbohydrates, added sugar, fat, and caffeine from snack foods and beverages. A majority of the snacking took place during the evening hours, and consisted of chips, pretzels, cookies, pastries, soda, and energy drinks.

Participants who got the recommended amount of sleep were less likely to eat a morning snack and more likely to eat an afternoon snack.

The study was conducted by researchers from The Ohio State University. It was published on September 1, 2021 in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.