For its 15th edition, Sleep Day focuses on the link between the quality of sleep and diet, two public health issues that are essential in our time.
To assess this link, the researchers relied on the Nutrinet-Santé study cohort, a large-scale study that aims to understand the eating habits of French people via online questionnaires intended for volunteers. To date, nearly 160,000 Internet users are participating in the Nutrinet-Santé study. Among them, 49,086 responded to the specific questionnaire on sleep.
The results of the survey 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 by energy foods, therefore fatty and sweet.
– Obese women have more insomnia compared to women of normal build.
Obese people generally have a harder time finding a comfortable position to sleep and often experience pain. In addition, 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 the men.
– Obese people have a higher risk of hypersomnolence
Hypersomnia refers to being tired throughout the day. Obese women have a 70% increased risk of suffering from hypersomnolence and obese men are twice as likely to be affected by this pathology than 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 Nutrinauts show, for example, that the little sleepers consume fewer fruits and vegetables and fish than those that heavy sleepers. In addition, the consumption of fatty foods, sugary foods and alcohol is often associated with a shorter duration of sleep. In the end, we are witnessing a vicious circle: those who do not sleep enough eat too much and therefore gain weight and suffer more from sleep disorders. Moral: 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 is doing to your body