It has been found by a group of scientists in Brazil that the amount of calories we take in before bed can affect the number of times we awake in the night. The findings include late-night snacking and it is advised that fewer calories before bed can help with sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is characterised by heavy snoring and cessation of breathing which can disturb sleep, often resulting in fatigue.

No more midnight feasts
The study by Ioná Zalcman from the Federal University of Sao Paulo in Brazil will be presented this week at the SLEEP 2008 convention, hosted by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.

Zalcman followed the progress of 52 participants between the ages of 20 and 45. The team analysed the volunteers' food intake over a period of three days and then monitored them overnight to see how their calorie intake affected sleep-disturbance.

It was found that people intaking fewer calories were less interrupted during sleep and were less likely to have symptoms of sleep apnea. Zalcman said: "This study concluded that total energy intake and late-night snack energy intake may increase sleep fragmentation in healthy subjects."

Weight loss for men ensures better quality sleep
The sleep apnea condition is most common among obese men whose airways become restricted at night, and many find that losing weight can help the condition.

Karol Traviss from the University of British Columbia in Canada conducted a survey of men who had newly developed sleep apnea problems. Traviss concluded that several lifestyle factors, including binge eating, contributed to the symptoms. 85% of the men questioned in her study claimed that their sleeping problems began when they put on large amounts of weight.