Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
Good sleep is hard to come by these days.
And let’s face it — computer screens, cell phones, and 24-hour television aren’t making it any easier.
But if you find yourself tossing and turning every night, there’s another modern indulgence that might be wrecking your sleep.
And scientists say that cutting it out of your life may be the secret to getting the 8 hours of perfect sleep you deserve every night.
New research from the University of California, San Francisco reveals that America’s latest sleep threat is sweetened drinks, especially soda.
I know, big surprise, right?
Given that sugary drinks are linked tons of health issues like heart disease and diabetes, it’s more surprising that more Americans aren’t swearing off these beverages for good.
In this recent study, scientists analyzed the records of nearly 19,000 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Survey, a national study that focuses on the eating habits and health statuses of Americans.
Participants reported the amount of sleep they got on workdays and their total consumption of caffeinated and noncaffeinated sugary beverages (i.e., soda and energy drinks), juice, artificially sweetened drinks, coffee, tea and water.
It turns out that folks who typically slept five or fewer hours nightly also drank 21 percent more caffeinated sugary drinks than those who slept seven–eight hours nightly.
Additionally, people who slept six hour per night regularly consumed 11 percent more sugary caffeinated drinks.
Those who drank juice, water, and even tea slept just fine.
Previous research shows that sleep deprivation increases your appetite for sugary and fatty foods, including soda.
But it’s still unclear whether drinking soda or other sugary and caffeinated drinks messes up your sleep or if your messed-up sleep is driving your cravings for these drinks.
It’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation.
In the meantime, if you want to improve your sleep, cutting out soda is a great place to start.
Live well,
Natalie Moore
Managing editor, Living Well Daily
Ed. Note: Please send your feedback: nmoore@lfb.org – and click here to like us on Facebook.
Sources
[1] Study Links Shorter Sleep and Sugar-Sweetened Drink Consumption
