Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Insomnia is a significant public health problem affecting a large population. Although previous research has explored the relationship between specific nutrients and insomnia, comprehensive analyses of daily eating patterns of macro- and micronutrients remain limited. Since nocturnal hypertension is related to sodium/potassium intake and sleep disturbances, the present cross-sectional study hypothesized that daily eating patterns of potassium and sodium would be associated with Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) scores. METHODS: Dietary data (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack intake) and additional online questionnaire responses were obtained from users (N = 4568; age: 43.5 ± 11.2 years) of Asken, a Japanese food-logging mobile health application. AIS scores were divided into three groups according to symptom classification. RESULTS: Multiple regression analyses revealed that individuals with higher AIS scores had lower daily potassium intake; potassium at dinner was especially crucial. CONCLUSIONS: These results underscore the potential importance of potassium intake in relation to sleep and highlight a novel association between sleep disturbances and the timing of sodium and potassium consumption.