Japanese study links what you eat with how well you sleep

I think that getting enough sleep can sometimes be a challenge when you're living in Japan. Long workdays, late dinners, socializing after work, and even just getting used to a different daily routine in the early days can all make it harder to get a decent night's rest. Some new research has also suggested that what you're eating during the day could also be connected to your sleep quality.

A large-scale study by Asuken, Waseda University Professor Emeritus Shigenobu Shibata, and 310LIFE analyzed hundreds of thousands of meal and sleep records, combining data from the Asuken meal management app with Fitbit sleep data.

The research found that people getting higher-quality sleep tended to consume more of six nutrients: potassium, vitamin A, magnesium, protein, dietary fiber, and calcium. Those experiencing more deep sleep also tended to have higher protein, fiber, and potassium intake, exercise more, and consume less alcohol.

Perhaps the most interesting finding for busy expats is related to our breakfasts. People who maintained good sleep quality despite sleeping for less than six hours tended to eat a more substantial breakfast rather than consuming a greater proportion of their daily energy at dinner. That's something I could definitely stand to be better at. 

There's an important caveat, though! These were observational findings, so they show an association between eating habits and sleep rather than proving that one directly causes the other.