New York: Women who sleep poorly tend to overeat and consume a lower-quality diet, say researchers, adding that poor sleep quality can increase the risk of heart disease and obesity. Previous studies have shown that people who get less sleep are more likely to develop obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease--and that the relationship may be partially explained by diet. The current study was designed to get a more comprehensive picture in women by examining associations between overall diet quality and multiple aspects of sleep quality. "Women are particularly prone to sleep disturbances across the life span, because they often shoulder the responsibilities of caring for children and family and, later, because of menopausal hormones," said Indian-origin researcher and study senior author Brooke Aggarwal from Columbia University Vagelos.
Women who took longer to fall asleep had higher caloric intake and ate more food by weight, the researchers said.And women with more severe insomnia symptoms consumed more food by weight and fewer unsaturated fats than women with milder insomnia. "Our interpretation is that women with poor-quality sleep could be overeating during subsequent meals and making more unhealthy food choices," said Aggarwal. "Poor sleep quality may lead to excessive food and calorie intake by stimulating hunger signals or suppressing signals of fullness," said study lead author Faris Zuraikat.
"However, it's also possible that poor diet has a negative impact on women's sleep quality, eating more could also cause gastrointestinal discomfort, for instance, making it harder to fall asleep or remain asleep," Zuraikat concluded.
