If you are a busy person or have trouble planning ahead, it can be difficult to have dinner at a consistent time. But, as long as you aren’t starving by your meal, does it matter? Is there a best time to eat?
“In general, the ideal time to eat dinner is between 5 to 7 pm,” said registered dietitian Marissa Karp. But she acknowledged that the timeframe may not work for everyone’s schedule and said that eating dinner three hours before bed is best.
Eating three hours before bed will “allow for proper digestion and decrease your risk of reflux,” according to registered dietitian Elizabeth Brown. But she added that a meal high in fat, like fast food, might take more than six hours to digest and could lead to a higher risk of acid reflux interrupting sleep cycles.
Registered dietitian nutritionist Lena Bakovic said, “In my opinion, dinner should ideally be consumed at least two hours prior to bedtime (and sometimes slightly longer, depending on the individual). This strategic timing aids with providing our digestive systems sufficient time to digest and absorb nutrients, while also helping to prevent symptoms of reflux or negatively impacting sleep.”
Ms. Karp said if you eat dinner too early, possibly around 3 pm, you may be hungry at bedtime and unable to fall asleep. You may need a light snack to help you sleep better.
“Eating dinner too early can set us up to eat more food later, in larger portions, and in late evenings or close to bedtime,” warned Ms. Bakovic.
If you eat too late, you can have digestive problems. “If we’re eating close to bedtime, we don’t give our bodies that time to properly digest,” said Ms. Karp, explaining that the digestion process mostly stops while we sleep.
Another problem with eating late is that it can disrupt hormones. According to Ms. Bakovic, “Eating too late can also alter hormonal balance, namely insulin levels, unusually affecting blood sugar ebbs and flows.” Throwing off your sleep hormones and your hunger hormones can lead to unhealthy imbalances in your metabolism.
Ms. Karp also explained that having meals at a regular time every day helps your internal clock. Routines act as cues that help set the time inside our bodies. That can lower the risk of heart disease or blood sugar concerns.
Leptin, a hormone that signals being full, is higher at night. Ghrelin, a hormone that makes you feel hunger, is lower in the evening. When you eat meals at inconsistent hours, you can disrupt your levels and cause hunger spikes.
So, by eating earlier in the evening, a few hours before bed, at roughly the same time every day, you can help yourself digest your food and get a better night’s sleep.
