Should You Eat Late Before Bed?

Should You Eat Late Before Bed? Regarding the healthfulness of consuming at night, there are a variety of divergent viewpoints. According to our findings, depending on the foods consumed, nocturnal snacking may increase sleep quality and weight loss.

In general, we recommend eating supper early in the evening and having a light, nutritious snack if you become famished again as nighttime approaches. Read on for a detailed analysis of the pros and cons of consuming close to bedtime, as well as suggestions for healthful snacks. Lets discuss about the Topics Should You Eat Late Before Bed?

Should You Eat Late Before Bed?

Pros of Eating Before Bed

The benefits of consuming before bed include weight loss, improved sleep, and maintenance of blood sugar levels.

Weight Loss

Even while sleeping, your body requires energy to recover from the previous day. When you go to bed famished, your body lacks the calories it needs to refuel; as a result, it stores carbohydrates and lipids rather than using them as fuel. Choosing sleep-inducing munchies high in tryptophan and melatonin is not only healthy, but also satisfies appetite and provides the energy your body needs to recover at night.

Tryptophan

Tryptophan is an amino acid that raises the body's serotonin and melatonin levels. In order to induce sleep, we ingest tryptophan-containing substances because we cannot produce it naturally.

Examples of nutrients abundant in tryptophan include milk, cheese, eggs, nuts, fish, and legumes.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that influences the sleep-wake cycle to modulate sleep. Melatonin production is dependent on the body's exposure to lightless light, which increases melatonin production.

Cherries, hazelnuts, bananas, oatmeal, and tomatoes are excellent sources of melatonin.

Sleep Better

A full stomach causes drowsiness, but nutritious foods can make all the difference between a restful night's sleep and dyspepsia. Apples and peanut butter or avocado crostini are nutrient-rich, nutritious treats.

Maintain Blood Sugar

Fruits, almonds, oatmeal, and whole grain bread are foods that regulate blood sugar levels. Low levels result in diminished vitality and morning drowsiness. High concentrations cause energy surges, which exacerbate sleep disturbances.

Cons of Eating Before Bed

Cons to eating before bed include poor sleep, slower metabolism, eating more, unhealthy choices, acid reflux, indigestion, and heartburn, and health risks.

Poor Sleep

Depending on what you eat and at what time of day, the foods you consume can disrupt your sleep patterns. Foods containing caffeine like chocolate and coffee may seem like a good idea before bed, but the caffeine boosts your energy and may cause you to wake up several times in the middle of the night.

Slower Metabolism

Eating before bed can cause the body’s metabolism to slow. The body slows down its functions at night to prepare for sleep, but consuming foods, especially those high in carbs, can make it harder to digest and result in weight gain.

Meal Size

People are typically hungriest at night, resulting in larger meals. Instead of consuming late at night, when there is less time for digestion, train yourself to consume larger meals during the day. Follow the advice "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper" if you're attempting to lose weight.

Unhealthy Choices

We are more likely to indulge our appetites for high-fat, sugary foods such as chips, pizza, cookies, and ice cream when we nibble late at night. When we snack on these types of foods, particularly in front of the television, we are more likely to binge eat or consume more food indiscriminately.

Acid Reflux, Indigestion, and Heartburn

Acid reflux, indigestion, and GERD are additional dangers associated with consuming large meals before bedtime. Allowing the body time to assimilate before bedtime can reduce the likelihood of developing these conditions.

After consuming and climbing into bed at a horizontal angle, stomach acid readily enters the esophagus, causing acid reflux.

Indigestion occurs when a person experiences stomach pain and distress following a substantial meal.

Heartburn is a chest-burning sensation induced by excess and the consumption of spicy foods. When lying down, acid reflux may worsen.

Worsens Sleep Apnea

If you already struggle to manage the symptoms of sleep apnea, consuming late at night can increase the number of sleep disruptions you experience. 

A 2019 study found that consuming more food close to nighttime was associated with "an increase in the number of awakenings" among the participants.

Health Risks

Health risks of regularly eating late at night include obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Obesity and Weight Gain

One cause of weight gain and obesity is eating more calories than what we use as energy causing the body to store more fat. These high-calorie foods include fast food, fried foods, fatty meats, and sugary junk food make you gain weight no matter when you eat them.

Diabetes

Diabetes is when you have high blood sugar and your body is unable to produce, or struggles to produce, insulin to regulate blood sugar levels.

Heart Disease

Heart disease includes any condition which affects the heart, including heart defects, high blood pressure, and arrhythmia. Regularly eating junk food, especially late at night, can narrow and clog arteries with cholesterol and fatty deposits (a.k.a. plaque)

Don’t Go to Bed Hungry

While we recommend avoiding late-night snacks, we also discourage going to bed while famished. Your body requires constant energy to function, even while you sleep.

If you do not eat before slumber, your body will have less energy to restore and repair itself. In addition, with less energy, the body retains existing fat for energy, making weight loss more difficult and weight gain more likely.

Eating your last meal a couple of hours before bed helps you strike a balance between avoiding sleep-disrupting hunger and feeling uncomfortably full and distended as you extend out on your bed.

Healthy Snacking for Better Sleep

Avoid reaching for the ice cream or snacks if you're still famished after dinner. Sweets, fast food, and piquant foods are high in calories and can stimulate appetite. These types of foods can also hinder the body's ability to fall slumber rapidly at night, as acid reflux and indigestion, as well as the consumption of chiles, heat the body and inhibit its natural cooling at night.

Fruits, vegetables, and other nighttime nibbles that contain complex carbs and modest quantities of high-quality protein include:

• Cheese and crackers
• Apples and peanut butter
• Low-sugar cereal with low-fat milk
• Avocado toast

Foods to Avoid at Bedtime

Acidic foods, fried foods, salty foods, and high-fat foods can all be difficult on the stomach, especially if you recline down shortly after eating them. Also, sugary foods can affect your ability to sleep at night, so avoid desserts and unhealthy food.

Caffeine is a major no-no as nighttime approaches. Obviously, this means avoiding coffee, beverages containing caffeine, and harsher black and green teas. But even decaf tea contains trace quantities of caffeine, so herbal teas are recommended for sleep if you wish to avoid caffeine entirely.

Best Time to Eat

Three hours before bedtime is the optimal time for supper, allowing the stomach to properly digest and concentrate on sleep preparation when bedtime arrives. Eating small amounts of complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, or a small amount of protein will satisfy your appetite and help you fall asleep more quickly.

As part of your bedtime regimen, you can spend the next couple of hours relaxing after supper. A warm shower or bath, perusing a good book, journaling about your day, or completing a jigsaw puzzle are examples of possible activities.

If you feel famished as nightfall approaches, consider a light and nutritious late-night snack, such as a cup of yogurt or a fistful of nuts.

Also read: Sleeping on the Floor: Benefits & Side Effects

Frequently Asked Questions

When should you eat your biggest meal?

While many look to dinner as the big meal of the day, having a light breakfast and lean lunch as a result, it may be better to eat your heavier meals earlier in the day. Many find it easier to maintain a healthy weight if they make lunch their big meal of the day. And for some, eating a large breakfast energizes them more throughout the day.

If you find a large dinner creates weight gain and makes it harder to relax in the evening, you may want to try re-arranging your meal plan so you eat more food earlier in the day and less at night.

When should I stop eating before bed?

The usual advice from experts is to stop eating three hours before bed. This period of time gives your body time to digest a meal, limiting the indigestion, possible weight gain and acid reflux that could keep you up when you get into bed. So if you aim to be in bed by midnight, try to eat dinner before 9 p.m.

What foods should I avoid eating before bed?

Acidic, fried, and salty foods are more likely to cause gastric distress close to bedtime, especially if you sleep flat rather than in an inclined bed. It is easier for stomach contents to flow up the esophagus when you recline down after consuming, increasing the likelihood of heartburn. This is also why you should avoid overeating before bedtime and opt for a light snack rather than a complete supper if you experience hunger pangs.

Should I go to bed hungry?

Feeling a little bit hungry before bed can be a good thing, as you don’t want to feel overly full before bed. However, you don’t want so hungry that you can’t relax and fall asleep. So if you’re struggling to sleep and find your stomach feels empty, a light snack may help you fall asleep.

How can I feel full longer without eating?

High-fiber foods require more time to metabolize, prolonging the sensation of satiety without increasing caloric intake. Therefore, when deciding what to consume for dinner to avoid bedtime snack cravings, search for foods high in fiber. Fruits and vegetables and whole grains are all high-fiber nutrients. If you do become famished later, popcorn is an easy-to-prepare refreshment that is high in fiber and low in calories.

Conclusion

Generally, eating a substantial meal close to bedtime is not a good notion. If you recline down while your stomach is still assimilating dinner, you may experience acid reflux symptoms such as indigestion or nausea.

Giving yourself two or three hours after a meal before going to bed allows your stomach to shift its contents into your small intestine, thereby reducing the likelihood of digestive problems when you extend out in bed.