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A preliminary study of fluid intake before bedtime and insomnia symptoms

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine whether there is a significant relationship between certain insomnia symptoms and drinking water shortly before bedtime as seen anecdotally in a clinical setting. A survey was done of 1223 patients receiving standard physical exams at a large hospital in Taiwan. Every patient was asked whether they were willing to answer a series of questions; if they agreed, they were given the questionnaire. Information in questionnaire form was gathered concerning demographic information and about pre-bedtime lifestyle habits of the respondents, including whether they drank specified beverages. Analysis of the data revealed three discrete classes based on the degree of their insomnia symptoms: Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3. From the multivariate logistic regression mode, Group 2 and Group 3 show a higher proportion of beverage-drinking behavior of study participants before going to bed than Group 1. Group 3 and Group 2 have ORs of 1.59 (P < 0.05) and 1.78 (P < 0.01), respectively. Further, females have higher rates of Group 2 at 1.49 times those of Group 1 (P < 0.05). In terms of age, younger participants have higher degrees of being in Group 3, compared to Group 1; the age groups of 45–64 and above 65 show ORs of 0.45 (P < 0.001) and 0.11 (P < 0.001). Most participants in Group 2 are in the 45–64 and above 65 age cohorts (OR 1.69, P < 0.05). Finally, most participants without regular exercise are in Group 3 (OR 1.53, P < 0.05). Scant research has been done in the area of insomnia and ingestion of fluids shortly before bed. The findings in this study offer some of the first evidence revealing a significant relationship between sleep disorder symptoms and beverage drinking before bedtime; consequently, it can be the impetus for further research in this field as an aid to personal and public health.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported in part by Cheng Ching General Hospital–Chung Kang Branch, Taichung City, Taiwan with Grant Number of CH10300172.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, Chung-Kang Branch, Cheng Ching General Hospital, Taichung, 40799, Taiwan

    Chung-Huang Tsai

  2. Department of Industrial Engineering and Enterprise Information, Tunghai University, Taichung, 40799, Taiwan

    Shao-Jen Weng & Shih-Chia Liu

  3. Department of International Business, Tunghai University, Taichung, 40704, Taiwan

    Donald F. Gotcher

  4. Department of Business Administration, National Changhua University of Education, Changhua, 500, Taiwan

    Hsin-Hung Wu

  5. Department of M-Commerce and Multimedia Applications, Asia University, Taichung, 413, Taiwan

    Hsin-Hung Wu

  6. Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA

    Chun-An Chou

  7. Department of Business Administration, Ajou University, Suwon, 443-749, South Korea

    Seung-Hwan Kim

  8. Sports Recreation and Health Management Continuing Studies-Bachelor’s Degree Completion Program, Tunghai University, Taichung, 40799, Taiwan

    Chung-Huang Tsai

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  1. Chung-Huang Tsai
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Correspondence to Shao-Jen Weng.

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Tsai, CH., Weng, SJ., Liu, SC. et al. A preliminary study of fluid intake before bedtime and insomnia symptoms. Sleep Biol. Rhythms 17, 251–258 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41105-019-00206-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41105-019-00206-3

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