Associations between Diet and Sleep Duration in Different Menopausal Stages

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Sleep Medicine
• Women's Health

Background:

• Habitual sleep duration is a critical health indicator.
• Menopausal status significantly influences physiological changes, potentially affecting sleep and dietary needs.
• Understanding diet-sleep associations can inform targeted health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between dietary factors and habitual sleep duration in pre/peri- and post-menopausal women.
• To identify specific nutrients and food groups associated with different sleep durations.
• To explore differences in diet-sleep associations based on menopausal status.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007-2008) with 1,783 participants.
• Categorized habitual sleep duration into very short (<5 h), short (5-6 h), normal (7-8 h), and long (≥9 h).
• Assessed dietary intake using validated methods and controlled for potential confounders.

Main Results:

• In pre/peri-menopausal women, fewer foods, lower intake of protein, carbohydrates, thiamin, food folate, choline, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and selenium were linked to very short sleep.
• A low-salt diet was associated with a lower risk of long sleep in pre/peri-menopausal women.
• In post-menopausal women, higher sugar intake and lower phosphorus and zinc intake were associated with a higher risk of short sleep.

Conclusions:

• Novel associations between diet and sleep duration were identified, particularly in pre/peri-menopausal women.
• Specific dietary patterns and nutrient intakes may influence sleep duration differently across menopausal stages.
• Further research is warranted to establish causality and develop evidence-based dietary recommendations for sleep health.