Examination Of The Relationship Between Sleep Quality And Nutritional Intake In College Aged Runners.

Research on sleep quality in active populations has primarily addressed performance and recovery, with limited focus on its link to nutritional intake, especially energy availability and micronutrients, among college-age runners. PURPOSE: To determine the relationship between sleep duration and quality and micronutrient (Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, and Zinc) status in competitive college aged runners. METHODS: Competitive college-aged runners (n = 17; age: 19.4 ± 1 years) participated in a free-living study (females: n = 10, weight: 58 ± 7.9 kg, height: 162.2 ± 5.8 cm; males: n = 7, weight: 68.1 ± 5.5, height: 180.4 ± 6.6 cm). Participants completed a demographic survey and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Height, weight, body composition, resting metabolic rate were measured. Exercise energy expenditure (EEE) and total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) were tracked over 7 days with Polar Ignite watches. Dietary intake (DI) was self-reported through food logs. Low energy availability (LEA) was defined as <30 kcal/kg FFM per day. Descriptive statistics summarized demographics, micronutrient intake, and energy availability variables, while crosstabulations and chi-square tests assessed the relationship between LEA, micronutrients, and sleep quality. RESULTS: Overall, 58.8% (n = 10/17) of all runners presented with LEA and 52.9% (n = 9/17) indicated poor sleep on the PSQI. Of those with LEA, 40% (n = 4/10) indicated poor sleep. Nutrient deficiencies were identified among participants with poor sleep patterns. Among participants with poor sleep, micronutrient deficiencies were common. Specifically, 33.3% (n = 3/9) were below normal for vitamins B1 and B6, 66.7% (n = 6/9) for vitamin B12, and 55.6% (n = 5/9) for iron. Magnesium and zinc deficiencies were particularly high, with 88.9% (n = 8/9) and 77.8% (n = 7/9) of participants, respectively, below normal. CONCLUSIONS: Over half of the college-age distance runners in this sample exhibited LEA, poor sleep and low micronutrient status. These results suggest potential links between these nutrient deficiencies and poor sleep quality. Future research should explore additional influences on sleep quality in this population.