Named diet mistake that leads to insomnia

Lack of protein and excess carbohydrates in the diet can worsen sleep quality regardless of blood sugar levels, according to scientists from George Mason University and the Maine Health Research Institute.

As reported by BAKU.WS with reference to Frontiers in Nutrition, the study involved 66,148 adult men and women. From 2007 to 2020, specialists analyzed the sleep quality of participants, comparing it with dietary patterns and blood glucose levels.

The results showed that people with diabetes and prediabetes more frequently experienced insomnia and fragmented, or interrupted, sleep. Additionally, with elevated blood sugar levels, sleep duration often deviated from the norm.

The most unfavorable diet for sleep was one with low protein content and high fat levels - this type of diet was consistently associated with deterioration in the quality of night rest. At the same time, a diet with reduced carbohydrate content and relatively high fat content reduced the risk of dangerous "shortening" of sleep both in people with impaired carbohydrate metabolism and in participants without diabetes.

An unexpected conclusion for the scientists was that stricter control of diet and glucose levels was also associated with worsened sleep.

The study authors emphasized that sleep quality depends not only on daily routine and sleep hygiene. Eating habits and glucose level control can play an underestimated role in forming healthy night rest, and universal dietary recommendations are not always equally beneficial for the body's recovery.