The Study
Dietary nutrients associated with short and long sleep duration. Data from a nationally representative sample
This study looked at what people ate and how long they slept, all at the same time. It found that people who sleep a lot or very little tend to eat different foods than people who sleep a normal amount—but it can't tell us if eating those foods makes you sleep differently, or if sleeping differently makes you eat those foods.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
People who sleep very little (<5 hours) or a lot (9+ hours) tend to eat fewer types of food and miss out on certain vitamins and minerals compared to people who sleep 7–8 hours.
Where does this study sit?
Systematic Reviews & Meta-analyses
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control
Max 58Cross-Sectional
Max 44Case Reports & Series
Max 30Expert Opinion
Max 544 / 100
Quality score
Detailed descriptions of individual patients or small groups. Valuable for identifying new conditions or side effects, but cannot establish generalizable conclusions.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1These differences are small but may matter over time — eating fewer nutrients and less variety could affect long-term health, even if people aren't eating more calories.
- 2Very short sleepers ate 51% less carbohydrate and 5% less lycopene; long sleepers ate 55% less choline and 17% more alcohol than normal sleepers; everyone slept less or more ate fewer kinds of food.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Appetite
Year
2013
Authors
M. Grandner, N. Jackson, J. Gerstner, K. Knutson
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.