This relation is not linear from food to physical activity. Unhealthy food can disrupt someone's sleep patterns and physical activity. Conversely, healthy food choices can improve the quality of sleep and physical activity.

So how does nutrition affect sleep? A new study looked at the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and sleep duration.

The research, conducted by a team from the University of Helsinki in Finland, in collaboration with the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, and Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finland, was published in Frontiers in Nutrition i> on May 16, 2024. Anupa Thapa from the University of Helsinki was the first author of the report.

Thapa and his team stated that sleep gives our body a chance to rest and recover from wakeful activities. The heart, blood vessels, muscles, cells, immune system, cognitive abilities, and memory all depend on regular and sufficient sleep in order to function optimally.

A 2019 study showed that sleep is important for repairing DNA damage that occurs while awake.

Deep sleep occurs in 35 night cycles, each lasting an average of 90120 minutes. During each cycle, we begin with the non-rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stage. Next, we will go through two periods of progressively deeper non-REM sleep before exiting that stage.

A homeless person slept under a concrete drainage structure that had not yet been installed in the drainage construction project on KH Wahid Hasyim Street, Medan, North Sumatra on Wednesday (11/8/2023). Despite the ongoing government construction efforts, the number of poor residents in North Sumatra is still quite high, reaching 1.24 million people or 8.15 percent as of March 2023.

Our non-REM sleep becomes progressively lighter until we reach the REM stage, after which a new cycle begins or we wake up. Adults should aim to sleep for 7 to 9 hours per night.

However, recent research shows that insomnia and shorter sleep duration have become more common in adults. This can be caused by factors such as stress, consumption of fast food, and a sedentary lifestyle.

Lack of sleep is now becoming a public health issue, related to cardiovascular diseases, decreased cognitive ability, and increased mortality rates due to various causes.

In this new study, researchers aimed to explore how sleep duration can affect fruit and vegetable consumption, and vice versa. They also investigated the role of an individual's chronotype (activity time preference, such as morning or evening) in food choices and sleep duration.

The World Health Organization recommends that people consume at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables every day. While the latest advice from the Nordic Council of Ministers recommends higher intakes, encouraging between 500 grams and 800 grams of vegetables and fruit. In simple terms, half of our daily consumption should come from vegetables.

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However, research shows that many adult individuals in various countries do not meet the minimum intake. According to Thapa and his team's research, only 14 percent of Finnish men and 22 percent of Finnish women consume a minimum of 500 g of berries, fruits, and vegetables as recommended daily.

The research team reviewed details from the 2017 National FinHealth Study. A total of 5,043 adults, aged 18 and over, submitted detailed responses to a 134item questionnaire about the composition and frequency of their daily food intake in the past 12 years.

From these responses, three categories of sleep duration emerged: short (less than 7 hours per day; 21 percent), normal (7-9 hours per day; 76.1 percent), and long (9+ hours per day; 2.9 percent).

Individuals who sleep for a short duration have an average sleep duration of six hours; for those who sleep normally, the average duration is 7.7 hours, and for those who sleep for a long duration, the average duration is 10.1 hours.

The majority of participants (61.7 percent) categorize themselves as intermediate chronotypes, while 22.4 percent stated that they are morning types, and 15.9 percent identified themselves as night types.

Researchers included chronotype as a co-variate in the study, and noted that many studies did not include chronotype as a potential confounding factor. However, some studies have shown that it can affect eating behavior.

Researchers state, "Studies have shown that night chronotype is often associated with unhealthy eating behavior, including a tendency towards eating habits that are linked to obesity."

Also read: Remember, the body needs enough rest

Among the important findings of this research, individuals who sleep normally show higher intake of fruits and vegetables compared to those who sleep short or long in all subgroups of fruits and vegetables. However, the intake of various types of fruits and vegetables yields different results.

The study explains, "In the subgroup of vegetables, significant differences are seen in the consumption of leafy green vegetables, tubers, and fruit vegetables (such as tomatoes, cucumbers), between those who sleep normally and those who have short sleep."

Similarly, in groups of people who have normal and long sleeping habits, significant differences can be seen in green leafy vegetables and fruit vegetables. However, fresh and canned vegetables such as cabbage, mushrooms, red onions, peas, and beans do not show significant differences.

"In the fruit subgroups, a significant difference in average consumption was observed for berries and other fresh and canned fruits between individuals with normal and short sleep. Conversely, for individuals with normal and long sleep, the only significant difference is seen in the consumption of apples," stated Thapa.

A seller shows an acai bowl consisting, among other things, of various fruits and nuts, Friday (3/5/2024). Acai bowl is one of the food menus that is popular with those who live healthy lives.

Researchers also observed that the category of sleep duration can indicate, at a small level, the expected level of fruit and vegetable intake.

This is in line with the results of research by Eleanor M Winpenny from the University of Cambridge and the team at International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity in 2023 which found a decrease in fruit and vegetable intake among teenagers during the day. day after night with short sleep duration.

According to Winpenny and his team, they show the causal role of sleep on teenagers' eating patterns. Shorter sleep duration at night causes a slight decrease in the quality of their eating patterns the next day.

Avoid high-fat cheese, chicken wings, or fried fish. These take longer to digest and keep us awake.

This finding supports experimental evidence that suggests the inclusion of sleep duration as one of the intervention components designed to improve the quality of dietary patterns and body weight status in adolescents.

A new study by Thapa and his team also found that chronotype plays a minimal role in the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and sleep duration. The Winpenny study in 2023 found no relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and chronotype.

Researchers observe that overall, a decrease in the intake of certain fruits and vegetables is associated with the length and duration of sleep. In addition to the quantity, it is important to pay attention to the choice of fruits and vegetables.

A study in The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine in 2026 also found that consuming high fiber and low saturated fat foods results in better sleep and body recovery. However, in addition to choosing the right foods, it is also important to avoid others.

Researchers provide a number of food options to help start the journey towards better sleep. For carbohydrate choices, choose complex ones, such as brown rice or root vegetables.

Avoid simple carbohydrates, including bread, pasta and sweet foods such as cookies, cakes, pastries and other sweet foods as these tend to lower serotonin levels and do not improve sleep quality. .

For protein, choose those that are lean. Lean protein options include low-fat cheese, chicken, turkey, and fish. These foods are rich in the amino acid tryptophan, which tends to increase serotonin levels.

A variety of non-rice foods processed from the TPI Lewoleba Senja Market, Lembata Island, NTT.

Tryptophan can also be found in egg whites, soybeans, and pumpkin seeds. On the other hand, avoid high-fat cheese, chicken wings, or fried fish. These take longer to digest and can keep us awake.

Heart-healthy fats are also important. Unsaturated fats will not only improve heart health, but also increase serotonin levels. Examples include peanut butter and nuts such as walnuts, cashews, and pistachios.

Avoid foods that contain saturated and trans fats, such as French fries, potato chips, or other high-fat snacks. This reduces your serotonin levels.

Mothers in Tumbang Lawang Village, Katingan District, Central Kalimantan, on Wednesday (10/4/2019), cook using bamboo and forest spices. They do not use any instant factory-made flavoring and prefer to use natural spices. For them, the forest is a source of life, and local food is the key to food security.

Like tryptophan, foods that are rich in magnesium are also associated with better sleep quality. When choosing vegetables for dinner, try adding leafy green vegetables such as spinach, which are rich in magnesium. Nuts, seeds, avocados, and black beans are also magnesium-rich foods.

As for beverages, avoid certain types that can prevent sleep. A good and soothing drink to be consumed before sleep is warm milk or simply warm water.

Meanwhile, for caffeinated beverages, try to consume them before 2 pm. Caffeine can affect people differently, and even the smallest amount of stimulant can keep someone awake.

Also read: School Lunch with Local Food

Originally posted here:
The Close Relationship between Food, Exercise, Sleep and Our Health - kompas.id