If you feel groggy and tired in the morning and struggle to get
out of bed, your diet could be affecting your nighttime sleep.
University of Pennsylvania researchers set out to determine if
there are differences in the diets of people who report fewer
hours of sleep or more hours of sleep compared to a standard
sleeping pattern. The researchers found that our diets, and
specifically the nutrients consumed, impact the duration of
sleep. Previous studies have shown that people who get the ideal
seven to eight hours of sleep per night experience the best
health. When it came to individual nutrients, very short sleep
was associated with a lower consumption of tap water, lycopene
(found in tomatoes), and total carbohydrates. Short-duration
sleep was associated with less vitamin C, tap water and selenium
(found in nuts and meat), and more lutein (found in dark green,
leafy vegetables). Longer sleepers consumed less theobromine
(found in chocolate and tea), dodecanoic acid (a saturated fat)
and choline, but more alc