National Sleep Awareness Week

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) is hosting the 27th National Sleep Awareness Week (March 9–15) to emphasize sleep's vital role in overall health and well-being.

Did you know that quality sleep is essential for physical health, mental well-being, and cognitive function? This is why proper sleep hygiene is key to our integrative approach to health here at Bastyr University.

According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), quality sleep is defined as falling asleep within 30 minutes, waking up no more than once per night, and most of the time spent in bed constituting sleep.¹ Recommended sleep durations vary by age: 9–11 hours for school-aged children, 8–10 hours for teenagers, and 7–9 hours for adults. However, many Americans fall short of these guidelines. A 2023 Gallup poll found that one in three adults report poor sleep, with 20% sleeping five hours or less per night, 53% getting six to seven hours, and only 26% achieving eight or more hours.² These statistics highlight a growing sleep deficit that can impact overall health and well-being.

The 2023 Sleep in America poll found strong links between sleep quality and depression, with 90% of well-rested adults reporting no depressive symptoms. In contrast, 65% of sleep-dissatisfied adults report depressive symptoms.³ In 2024, NSF reported that 80% of U.S. teenagers lack quality sleep, and 75% say poor sleep affects their emotional well-being.⁴ The American Academy of Sleep Medicine estimates that 12% of Americans suffer from chronic insomnia.⁵

According to the American Heart Association⁶:

Your diet and eating behaviors can promote or impair sleep quality. Irregular or skipped meals, eating too close to bedtime, and consuming unbalanced meals or snacks at night can disrupt sleep. Spicy foods, caffeine within six hours of bedtime, alcohol before bed, and unbalanced calorie intake throughout your day may also impair sleep. In contrast, regular mealtimes, including breakfast, optimal fiber, fluid, and protein intake, and having the last meal 2–3 hours before sleep support better sleep.^7,8

Certain foods contain sleep-promoting nutrients that support serotonin and melatonin production. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, meaning it must be obtained from food since the body cannot produce it. It serves as a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, relaxation, and sleep cycles. As the circadian rhythm shifts the body’s internal clock toward nighttime, serotonin is converted into melatonin, the hormone responsible for initiating and regulating sleep. Examples of foods that support sleep are tart cherries, bananas, avocados, mushrooms, dark leafy greens, oats, brown rice, legumes, eggs, dairy, poultry, and lamb. Mediterranean, anti-inflammatory, and plant-forward diets also promote sleep quality, mental health, and cognitive functioning, reducing chronic disease risk.^9,8

At Bastyr Clinics, we offer support with how nutrition and food timing affect sleep in addition to:

• Understanding the link between diet, sleep, & mental health
• Eating a balanced, nutrient-dense, sleep-promoting diet
• Optimizing fluid, protein, fiber, fruit, & vegetable intake
• Incorporating a plant-based diet
• Meal planning and scheduling
• Sleep-friendly dinners & snacks
• Tracking food intake, sleep patterns, & sleep symptoms
• Setting and achieving healthy eating goals

Call us today to schedule an appointment at one of our clinics:

• Bastyr Center for Natural Health - Seattle: (206) 834-4100
• Bastyr University Clinic - San Diego: (858) 246-9730

Author Information: Katryna Bell is a master’s student at Bastyr University in Kenmore, Washington. She will receive her MS in Nutrition and MA in Counseling and Psychology from Bastyr University in 2026. Katryna worked as an herbalist and chocolate maker before pursuing her passion to become an integrative counselor. Katryna aims to help people achieve health by aligning their choices with their values, strengths, and goals.

References

1. National Sleep Foundation. What Is Sleep Quality? https://www.thensf.org/what-is-sleep-quality/. Published April 12, 2024. Accessed February 19, 2025.
2. Witters D. Americans Sleeping Less, Feeling More Stressed. Gallup. https://news.gallup.com/poll/642704/americans-sleeping-less-stressed.aspx. Published March 15, 2023. Accessed February 19, 2025.
3. National Sleep Foundation. NSF Poll Highlights Strong Link Between Sleep and Depressive Symptoms in U.S. Population. https://www.thensf.org/nsf-poll-highlights-strong-link-between-sleep-and-depressive-symptoms-in-us-population/. Published May 22, 2023. Accessed February 19, 2025.
4. National Sleep Foundation. Teens’ Sleep Health and Mental Health Strongly Linked. https://www.thensf.org/teens-sleep-health-and-mental-health-strongly-linked/. Published August 14, 2024. Accessed February 19, 2025.
5. American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Survey Shows 12% of Americans Have Been Diagnosed with Chronic Insomnia. https://aasm.org/survey-shows-12-of-americans-have-been-diagnosed-with-chronic-insomnia/. Published October 10, 2024. Accessed February 19, 2025.
6. American Heart Association. How Sleep Affects Health Infographic. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/sleep/how-sleep-affects-health-infographic. Published July 8, 2024. Accessed February 19, 2025.
7. National Sleep Foundation. The Link Between Nutrition and Sleep. https://www.thensf.org/the-link-between-nutrition-and-sleep/. Published November 12, 2020. Accessed February 19, 2025.
8. Jansen E. What’s the Best Diet for Healthy Sleep? A Nutritional Epidemiologist Explains What Food Choices Will Help You Get More Restful Z’s. University of Michigan School of Public Health. https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2024posts/best-diet-for-healthy-sleep.html. Published January 17, 2024. Accessed February 19, 2025.
9. Sleep Foundation. What Is Tryptophan? https://www.sleepfoundation.org/nutrition/what-is-tryptophan. Published September 15, 2023. Accessed February 19, 2025.