Page 71 - JCBP-3-1

Journal of Clinical and
Basic Psychosomatics Protein and sleep problem

adequate protein intake as part of a balanced diet may of sleep may miss individuals with sleep issues who have
contribute to better sleep outcomes. However, further not sought medical help, thereby underestimating the true
research is needed to elucidate the specific pathways prevalence of sleep issues. Fifth, the analysis conducted in
through which protein influences sleep and to determine our study did not differentiate between plant-based and
optimal protein intake recommendations for promoting animal-based protein sources, which could indeed affect
sleep health. the results. The relationship between different protein
sources and sleep quality may vary due to differences in
5. Implications amino acid composition, fat content, and other factors.
These findings have implications for public health 7. Conclusion
interventions aimed at promoting healthy dietary patterns
for improved sleep health. Encouraging adequate protein The analysis provided valuable insights into the association
intake, particularly among populations with lower between protein consumption and sleep problems,
consumption levels, may be beneficial in reducing the highlighting the potential benefits of adequate protein
prevalence of sleep problems. Health-care providers intake for promoting better sleep outcomes. These findings
should consider assessing dietary habits, including protein enhanced our comprehension of the connection between
consumption, as part of routine clinical evaluations, diet and sleep health, emphasizing the significance of
especially among individuals reporting sleep disturbances. integrating dietary considerations into sleep management
Counseling on dietary modifications to optimize protein strategies and public health initiatives.
intake could be integrated into sleep management
strategies. Future research should focus on elucidating the Acknowledgments
underlying mechanisms linking protein consumption to None.
sleep outcomes, including prospective studies to establish
causality and intervention trials to evaluate the effectiveness Funding
of dietary interventions targeting protein intake in This work was supported by the National Key R and D
improving sleep quality. In addition, further investigation Program of China (Grant No. 2021YFC2501500), the
into gender-specific differences in the association between National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant
protein consumption and sleep problems is warranted, No. 82271525, Grant No. 82071488), the Nanfang Hospital
considering potential physiological and behavioral factors Clinical Research Project of Southern Medical University
that may contribute to these disparities. (Grant No. 2021CR009), and the Postdoctoral Research

6. Limitations Foundation of China (author C. Zhang: Grant number
2023M731560).
While the analysis provides valuable insights into the
association between protein consumption and sleep Conflict of interest
problems, several limitations may be considered. First, The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
the cross-sectional study design employed in this research
restricts the ability to establish causality between variables. Author contributions
It is challenging to determine the direction of the observed
association, and reverse causation cannot be ruled out. Conceptualization: Chenxi Zhang, Bin Zhang
Longitudinal studies are necessary to validate the temporal Data curation: Chenxi Zhang, Yan Xu, Bingnan Hou
relationship between protein consumption and sleep Formal analysis: All authors
problems. Second, the data on protein consumption, sleep Writing – original draft: Bin Zhang, Chenxi Zhang, Yan Xu,
problems, and other variables are self-reported, which Weimin Li, Qianyun Wu, Qiguang Li
introduces the potential for recall bias and measurement Writing – review & editing: Bin Zhang, Chenxi Zhang, Yan
error. Individuals may not accurately recall their dietary Xu, Weimin Li, Qianyun Wu, Qiguang Li
intake or sleep patterns, leading to misclassification Ethics approval and consent to participate
and potentially biased results. Third, despite adjusting
for various demographic and lifestyle factors, residual The NHANES was approved by the National Center for
confounding may still exist. Other unmeasured or Health Statistics’ Ethics Review Board, and all participants
inadequately controlled variables, such as physical activity provided written informed consent.
level, stress, or underlying medical conditions, could Consent for publication
influence both protein consumption and sleep problems,
confounding the observed association. Fourth, the measure Participants have given their consent to publish their data.

Volume 3 Issue 1 (2025) 65 doi: 10.36922/jcbp.4148