Effects of time-restricted eating on actigraphy-derived sleep parameters: post hoc analysis of a randomized, isocaloric feeding study.

Study Objectives: Time-restricted eating (TRE) is a novel dietary intervention targeting weight loss and cardiometabolic risk factors. The impact of TRE on sleep patterns remains under-explored.

Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of a parallel-arm, controlled feeding trial in 41 adults with obesity and prediabetes/diabetes, randomized to TRE (08:00 am-06:00 pm) or usual eating pattern (UEP; 08:00 am-12:00 am) for 12 weeks. We objectively determined sleep-wake patterns from 7-day wrist actigraphy data obtained at baseline and week 12. From this data, we derived total sleep time (TST) and sleep midpoint over a 24-hour period, sleep onset/offset, and sleep continuity measures. We used paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed rank tests to compare data between baseline and week 12 within intervention arms and Mann-Whitney U tests or Wilcoxon signed rank tests to compare changes between intervention arms.

Results: 38 participants (20 UEP; 18 TRE; 93% of those randomized in the parent trial) with adequate actigraphy data (mean age 59.6 ± 7.3 years, 92% female, 92% Black, mean BMI 36.3 ± 4.7 kg/m2) were analyzed. Compared to UEP, TRE increased TST by 55 minutes (p = .03). TRE shifted sleep midpoint to 44 minutes earlier, from 03:24 am to 02:40 am (p = .01), while UEP maintained the same sleep midpoint at 03:15 am. Sleep onset shifted from a median of 12:22 am to 11:52 pm in TRE (p = .03) while it remained stable in UEP (p = .97). There were no differences in sleep offset and sleep continuity within and between intervention arms.

Conclusions: TRE increased sleep time and caused earlier sleep onset compared to UEP, revealing how the timing of eating may affect sleep timing and duration.

Clinical Trial: The Time Restricted Intake of Meals Study (TRIM). URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03527368?tab=history&a=4.

Registration: NCT03527368.