Abstract

Introduction: Sleep quality and quantity often decline as people age, which may negatively impact health. We examined how nutrition is associated with self-reported sleep quality and quantity in oldest-old community-dwelling men.

Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis of the Helsinki Businessmen Study (HBS), a random sample of 130 surviving participants underwent a clinical examination in 2017–2018. Food and nutrient intakes were retrieved from 3-day food diaries in 126 men, and sleep quality and quantity were determined with a questionnaire. Nutritional status was assessed using Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF), General Health and Vitality were measured with RAND-36/SF-36 health-related quality of life instrument, and albumin and creatinine levels were analyzed from fasting serum samples.

Results: Mean age of the survivors was 87 years (range 83–99). Self-reported sleep quality and quantity were highly correlated (p < 0.001, η² = 0.693). Nutritional status (MNA-SF) (p = 0.006, η² = 0.076), vegetable intake (p = 0.030. η² = 0.041) and vitality (p = 0.008, η² = 0.101) were associated with better sleep quality and fish (p = 0.028, η² = 0.051) intake was associated with longer sleep duration. This association remained after adjusting for age, sleep quality, carbohydrate energy %, and albumin levels.

Conclusion: Healthy nutrition may be an important contributor to sleep hygiene in oldest-old men.