Researchers at West Virginia University have uncovered evidence that the carbohydrate content of meals can influence when people wind down at night. The team will share their discoveries at the American Physiology Summit, underscoring a link between diet composition and bedtime timing.
Over the course of the study, the scientists monitored the sleep patterns and dietary habits of 23 professional football players. Athletes wore a smart ring to continuously track sleep across 31 nights during the peak competition period. In the final three days of the observation window, the female participants also logged their daily food intake in detail to complement the sleep data.
The findings showed that participants who consumed higher amounts of carbohydrates, along with vitamin B12 and vitamin C, tended to fall asleep earlier and wake earlier compared with peers who consumed fewer of these nutrients. Researchers note that these nutrients can support the production of sleep-regulating hormones, including serotonin and melatonin, potentially aligning sleep timing with circadian cues.
The analysis did not reveal a link between overall food intake and the total duration of sleep. It also highlighted that even when athletes consumed the recommended vitamin amounts, roughly half still showed deficiencies in vitamins A and K, suggesting that diet quality matters beyond meeting basic intake targets.
Researchers caution that the results should not be read as proof of cause and effect. The study illustrates associations between certain dietary components and markers of recovery and performance, inviting further investigation into how nutrition can support athletes during demanding training and competition periods.