Apparently, it’s not only what you eat that matters, but when
A study by scientists at Brazil’s Universidade Federal de São Paulo found that nighttime snacking close to bedtime can disrupt sleep patterns—especially in women, Dr. Michael J. Breus reports in the Huffington Post.
In particular, scientists learned:
■ Men who consumed higher amounts of fat during the evening spent less time in REM sleep and had lower sleep efficiency scores. Sleep efficiency is a number that measures the amount of time asleep versus the amount of time spent in bed.
■ Women’s sleep was disrupted by overall calorie consumption, as well as nighttime fat consumption. Higher calorie intake was associated with women taking longer to fall asleep and lower sleep efficiency. Higher fat intake during the evening was linked to lower sleep efficiency, taking longer to fall asleep and taking longer to reach REM sleep, as well as a greater chance of waking up after falling asleep.