A study by researchers shows that women who sleep poorly tend to eat more and have a lower-quality diet. The researchers tracked 500 womens' sleep, finding those who take a long time to fall asleep eat more calories every day and found that those who wake up a lot throughout the night tend to eat fattier foods.
The findings provide fresh insight into why bad sleepers have repeatedly shown to be more at risk of heart disease. The researchers believe a lack of shut-eye either triggers hunger, or suppresses signals that tell the brain the stomach is full.
The researchers – from Columbia University in New York – sought to get a more comprehensive picture in women by examining the link between diet and sleep quality.
They looked at women specifically because they face more sleep difficulties, according to study senior author Dr Brooke Aggarwal, assistant professor of medical sciences at Columbia University.
If women have bad sleep quality and eat more as a result, they are more likely to be obese - a risk factor for a myriad of heart problems and other diseases.
The sleep and eating habits of an ethnically-diverse group of 495 women, aged between 20 between 76, were collected.
Women reported their sleep quality - which is how 'sound' a sleep they have - the time it took to fall asleep, and any symptoms of insomnia. Their sleep was scored using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Insomnia Severity Index.
Participants reported how much or little they ate of around 70 food items throughout the year.
Researchers used a database to calculate total calorie intake and fiber, fish, dairy, whole grain and sugar consumption.
Similar to previous studies of sleep and diet, the study found that those with worse overall sleep quality consumed more sugary foods. This may explain the link between poor sleep and obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Dr Aggarwal said: 'Our interpretation is that women with poor-quality sleep could be overeating during subsequent meals and making more unhealthy food choices.'
The authors also note insomnia can influence activity in the hippocampus region of the brain, which is involved in regulating food intake.
