For its 15th edition, Sleep Day focuses on the link between sleep quality and diet, two essential public health issues in our time.
To assess this link, the researchers relied on the cohort of the Nutrinet-Santé study, a large-scale study which aims to understand the eating habits of the French via online questionnaires intended for volunteers. To date, nearly 160,000 Internet users have taken part in the Nutrinet-Santé study. Among them, 49,086 answered the specific questionnaire on sleep.
The survey results clearly show a causal link between poor sleep and poor diet.
– People who sleep less than 6 hours, especially men, are more likely to be obese
When we sleep little, we have more time to nibble in front of the television or even in bed. In addition, we tend to want to compensate for the lack of sleep with energy foods, so fatty and sweet.
– Obese women have more insomnia compared to women with normal corpulence.
Obese people generally have more difficulty finding a comfortable position to sleep and often suffer from pain. Moreover, they also suffer more fromsleep apnea. 81% of people treated for this pathology are overweight. The researchers noticed that obese women were more particularly prone to insomnia without being able to explain the difference with men.
– Obese people have a higher risk of hypersomnolence
Hypersomnia refers to being tired throughout the day. Obese women are 70% more likely to suffer from hypersomnolence and obese men are twice as likely to be affected by this pathology as those with a BMI of less than 35.
The study clearly shows a link between sleep and obesity. Obesity can, in part, be explained by poor food hygiene. The questionnaires completed by the Nutrinautes show, for example, that the little sleepers consume less fruits and vegetables and fish than those that heavy sleepers. In addition, the consumption of fatty, sugary foods and alcohol is often associated with a shorter sleep duration. In the end, we are witnessing a vicious circle: those who do not sleep enough eat too much and therefore get fat and suffer more from sleep disorders. Morality: to sleep well, it is important to have a balanced diet.
On Friday March 27, around fifty sleep centers are mobilizing in 40 cities in France to inform citizens about the links between food and health.
To find out about initiatives near you: www.journeedusommeil.org
Read also:
– Drugs, alcohol, screen… The enemies of a good sleep
– Sleep: foods to avoid to sleep well
– Infographic: what lack of sleep does to your body
