What is the link between ultra-processed foods and insomnia?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 30-year-old woman. I have been struggling with insomnia lately and I am wondering if my diet could be a factor. I have heard that ultra-processed foods might affect sleep quality. Could you explain what exactly qualifies as ultra-processed food? I am curious about the potential link between these foods and sleep issues. How does food processing in general impact the nutritional value and its effects on our body? Are there specific dietary changes you would recommend to improve sleep? I am also interested in learning about the overall health impacts of consuming ultra-processed foods beyond just sleep. Do you have any tips for identifying these foods when shopping? Lastly, are there any particular foods or nutrients that are especially beneficial for promoting good sleep?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com

I understand your concern.

Consumption of ultra-processed food is linked to chronic insomnia (difficulty sleeping) experienced by nearly two-thirds of adults, according to a new study that may lead to dietary recommendations for better mental health. Ultra-processed foods include prepackaged soups, sauces, frozen pizza, ready-to-eat meals, and pleasure foods such as hot dogs, sausages, french fries, sodas, store-bought cookies, cakes, candies, doughnuts, ice cream, and many more. Such foods are typically high in calories, added sugar, and salt and low in fiber, all of which can contribute to -

Cardiometabolic health problems.
Weight gain.
Obesity.
Type-2 diabetes.
High blood pressure.
An increased risk of stroke.

The study analyzed data on 30,000 people participating in the regard, or reasons for Geographic and racial differences in stroke study, made up of 50 percent whites and 50 percent blacks in a nationally diverse group of people who have been followed for up to 20 years. The risk of stroke was eight percent higher for people who added the most ultra-processed foods to their diet, as compared with those who ate minimally processed foods. That risk rose to 15 percent for black participants, likely due to the impact of ultra-processed foods on high blood pressure in that population. However, if a person ate more unprocessed or minimally processed foods, the risk of stroke dropped by 9 percent, the study found. Cardiologists associated with the study propose the following points.

A sign need to be be put in the ultra-processed food section, or on the packaging like they do on cigarettes, saying, ‘Warning, this food may be detrimental to your health".
What we think of as ‘convenient food’ really needs to change from a package of chips to an apple or carrot that is also shelf-stable and can travel in your purse or backpack. And we need to make that kind of stuff more readily available, especially to our kids and in food deserts where often all the available food is ultra-processed.

Kindly follow up if you have more concerns.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.