Cognitive benefits of sleep: a narrative review to explore the relevance of glucose regulation.

Abstract

Sleep is essential for maintaining optimal health. Both sleep duration and quality have been linked to various physiological functions and physical and mental health outcomes. Nutrition has been shown to impact sleep parameters, from the nutrient composition of foods, such as tryptophan levels, to the physiological response to foods, such as the glucose response. However, the relationship between glycemic control and sleep, and its impact on next-day benefits, particularly on cognitive performance, remains complex and is not fully understood. This narrative review aims to explore the relationship between glycemia and sleep, and how it may affect cognitive performance the following day. The review includes data from observational and interventional studies, discussing mechanisms of action that may explain the modulating effect of glycemia on sleep and cognition. The evidence suggests that lower postprandial glucose and low variation of nocturnal glucose are associated with better sleep quality and shorter sleep onset latency. Good sleep quality, in turn, is positively associated with cognitive processes such as sustained attention and memory consolidation measured the next day after sleep. Future research opportunities lie in investigating the effects of modulating the glycemic and insulinemic responses through evening meals on sleep quality and next-day cognitive performance. Well-designed clinical trials involving healthy individuals are necessary to establish the effects of these interventions. Controlling glycemic and insulinemic profiles through the evening meal may have significant implications for improving sleep quality and cognitive performance, with potential impact on individual mental health, productivity, and overall well-being.