The Interplay Between Evening Latency and Sleep-Disturbing Diet on Sleep Quality Among Adults.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional survey study
PubMed 41399000 · doi:10.1111/jhn.70176
What was done
A virtual population-based cross-sectional study evaluated 2,050 adults (aged 18–65 years) to examine direct and indirect pathways connecting evening dietary choices to sleep quality. Sleep quality was assessed using a composite score covering sleep duration, nocturnal awakenings, sleep latency, insomnia, and self-reported sleep quality (higher scores indicated poorer sleep). Structural equation modeling was used to test the direct and indirect effects of an evening diet high in ultra-processed foods, caffeine, and/or alcohol (sleep-disturbing diet), evening latency (time from last eating event to sleep onset), screen time before bedtime, age, physical activity, marital status, and BMI on sleep quality.
What was found
Poorer sleep quality (higher composite score) was directly associated with an evening sleep-disturbing diet (direct effect [DE]: 0.189; 95% CI 0.14 to 0.24; p < 0.001), older age (DE: 0.007; 95% CI 0.00 to 0.01; p < 0.001), higher BMI (DE: 0.013; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.02; p < 0.001), and bedtime screen time (DE: 0.001; 95% CI 0.00 to 0.00; p < 0.001). An evening latency ≤ 2 h showed a direct effect score of -0.126 (95% CI -0.17 to -0.08; p < 0.001), an effect attenuated by the indirect mediating effect of an evening sleep-disturbing diet (indirect effect: 0.013; 95% CI 0.00 to 0.02; p < 0.001).
Why it matters
This study highlights how specific evening dietary choices (ultra-processed foods, caffeine, alcohol) interact with meal timing and bedtime screen use in relation to overall sleep quality.
Limits
The study is cross-sectional and relies on self-reported, virtual survey data, which prevents establishing causality and introduces potential recall and selection biases. Objective measures of sleep (such as polysomnography or actigraphy) and dietary intake were not used.
Cited by
- supports Eating a large meal fewer than three hours before bed activates the sympathetic nervous system and disrupts sleep quality.