By IANS,
Washington : The amount of fat eaten during the day seems to negatively affect the sleep patterns of healthy adults, according to a new study.
The study, authored by Cibele Crispim of the Federal University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, focussed on 52 healthy volunteers between 20 and 45.
Their food intake was analysed over a three-day period, while their sleep pattern was evaluated by polysomnographic recording.
“We showed that an increased fat intake was associated with a lower percentage of REM (good quality) sleep, a higher arousal index and apnea-hypopnea index, and a lower sleep efficiency,” said Crispim.
“These results showed that total fat intake and dinner fat intake seem to influence the sleep pattern negatively. However, researches in the nutrition and sleep area should be carried out to better understand these associations.”
The findings of the study were presented Tuesday at SLEEP 2008, the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.