Specific Dietary (Poly)phenols Are Associated with Sleep Quality in a Cohort of Italian Adults

Abstract

Background: Diet has been the major focus of attention as a leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases, including mental health disorders. A large body of literature supports the hypothesis that there is a bidirectional association between sleep and diet quality, possibly via the modulation of neuro-inflammation, adult neurogenesis and synaptic and neuronal plasticity. In the present study, the association between dietary total, subclasses of and individual (poly)phenols and sleep quality was explored in a cohort of Italian adults. Methods: The demographic and dietary characteristics of 1936 adults living in southern Italy were analyzed. Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) were used to assess dietary intake. Data on the (poly)phenol content in foods were retrieved from the Phenol-Explorer database. The Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index was used to measure sleep quality. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to test the associations. Results: A significant inverse association between a higher dietary intake of lignans and inadequate sleep quality was found. Additionally, individuals with the highest quartile of hydroxycinnamic acid intake were less likely to have inadequate sleep quality. When individual compounds were taken into consideration, an association with sleep quality was observed for naringenin and apigenin among flavonoids, and for matairesinol among lignans. A secondary analysis was conducted, stratifying the population into normal weight and overweight/obese individuals. The findings in normal weight individuals showed a stronger association between certain classes of, subclasses of and individual compounds and sleep quality. Notably, nearly all individual compounds belonging to the lignan class were inversely associated with inadequate sleep quality. In the overweight/obese individuals, there were no associations between any dietary (poly)phenol class and sleep quality. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that a higher dietary intake of certain (poly)phenols may be associated with better sleep quality among adult individuals.

Lacking Communication Would Increase General Symptom Index Scores of Medical Team Members During COVID-19 Pandemic in China: A Retrospective Cohort Study

“…Regarding educational background, 76.6% and 69.7% of female and male participants, respectively, had bachelor’s degrees. The gender difference in educational background was statistically significant (X 2 = 9.77, df = 3, P = .02, <.05). Additionally, 41.6% and 21.2% of female and male participants, respectively, were unmarried, and this gender difference was also statistically significant (X 2 = 4.18, df = 1, P = .04, <.05).…”

“…The gender difference in educational background was statistically significant (X 2 = 9.77, df = 3, P = .02, <.05). Additionally, 41.6% and 21.2% of female and male participants, respectively, were unmarried, and this gender difference was also statistically significant (X 2 = 4.18, df = 1, P = .04, <.05). Furthermore, 11 (14.29%) female and 2 (6.06%) male participants self reported experiencing a lack of communication with the team (LCWT).…”

Association Between Dietary Flavonoids Intake and Cognitive Function in an Italian Cohort

“…Dietary flavonoids have been linked to several mental health outcomes, including depression [ 23 , 24 ] and sleep disorders [ 25 ], while other studies showed an association with a variety of cognitive health outcomes. Regarding flavonoid intake, data from Nurses’ Health Study remarked our results showing that total flavonoid intake was associated with slower rates of cognitive decline in 16,010 participants, aged ≥70 years [ 26 ].…”

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of a Polyphenol Botanical Blend on Sleep and Daytime Functioning

“…RA has potent antioxidant effects in the brain, thus providing neuroprotective benefits, and may affect sleep by modulating GABA and acetylcholine [ 16 , 17 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ], while EGCG can attenuate corticosterone release to downregulate the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis to provide anxiolytic and hypnotic effects [ 15 , 23 ]. Dietary intake of polyphenols, including RA and EGCG, is associated with improved sleep quality in healthy adults [ 24 ], as well as reduced anxiogenic behavior and increased sleep time [ 25 ]. Thus, polyphenol compounds may be effective at improving sleep without the negative side effects of other pharmacological treatments.…”