Many factors influence your last meal of the day – dinner, including your appetite, habits, culture, work schedules, personal preferences, and even social settings.
However, for those eating later than 8 pm, the primary concern is weight gain.
While there are different schools of thought on what is the best time to stop eating, according to experts, late nights only include the consumption of junk and processed foods.
And so, research has examined the timing of meal intake and its effects on health. According to studies, timing not only affects your digestion, absorption, and metabolism but also helps in weight loss.
Side effects of eating later than 8 pm
Eating after 8 pm not only increases your hunger but decreases the amount of calories you burn leading to greater fat storage.
Also, your circadian rhythm – the 24-hour body clock influences the best time to eat based on its effects on hunger, nutrient absorption, insulin sensitivity, and metabolism. According to studies, if you eat within a window of 8 am to 5 pm, your fasting blood sugar levels would be lower.
Beyond the effects of weight gain, eating later also has drawbacks for digestion, as it significantly increases indigestion, acid reflux, and other gastric issues.
According to nutritionists, those experiencing bloating should avoid eating within 90 minutes of sleeping to prevent the onset of any digestive problems.
Numerous studies also show that eating late increases your risk of metabolic syndrome – a group of conditions that include insulin resistance, obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels.
In the long term, it also contributes to obesity.
How to eat healthy and stop late-night cravings?
Even though nutritionists say 8 pm should be the ideal time to say goodnight to food, it is not a hard and fast rule for everyone.
However, for the sake of your health, you must give yourself some space between eating dinner and heading to bed. A few basic strategies may help you avoid eating late at night, like:
Have a consistent meal timing
Always make sure to have your dinner at the same time every day for your body to align digestion accordingly.
Never sleep hungry
Even if you are getting late, make sure to take a few bites before sleeping. Not eating at all can also cause a lot of digestive problems when you get up the next morning.
Portion control
It is important to eat only till you are hungry. Do not stuff yourself because the food is tasty or of your choice of liking.
Enjoy regular meals
Eating regular meals throughout the day – especially ones that are packed with fibre and protein helps reduce your desire to eat late at night
Drink herbal tea
Before going to bed, make sure to a pot of calming herbal teas like chamomile that help you relax and calm your nerves.
