What to eat for a better sleep in haemodialysis patients: Potential role of B vitamins intake and appetite

OBJECTIVE: Sleeping disorders are common among Haemodialysis-HD patients. In addition to well-known factors, food consumption impact on sleep quality needs being discovered. Aim was to examine the nutrition-related factors that may influence sleep quality in HD patients. METHODS: One hundred and three patients in three HD centres participated. Data were collected with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index-PSQI and Questionnaire Form about socio-demographic characteristics and appetite. Biochemical findings were obtained; food consumption for three consecutive days was recorded. Independent Samples t/Mann Whitney U tests for mean comparison; Logistic Regression Analysis for determining variables affecting sleep quality, were used. RESULTS: Mean age was 59.19±14.57 years. 51.5% were women. 37.9% had good (PSQI<5) and 62.1% had poor (PSQI≥5) sleep quality. Appetite had significant impact on sleep quality; poor sleeping risk was 4.194 fold higher in patients with bad appetite than those with good appetite (p=0.038). Biochemical findings of poor and good sleepers were similar, except for potassium and creatinine. Vitamins B(1), B(6) and folate intake of good and poor sleepers were significantly different. Patients with good sleep quality consumed significantly higher amounts of above B vitamins (p=0.030, p=0.036, p=0.034, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Favourable effect of appetite and certain nutrients intake on sleep quality in HD patients was shown. Improving nutritional status of HD patients has potential to increase their sleep quality.