As long as you dont eat too much or too near to your bedtime, then a healthy evening snack can help you to fall asleep quicker. Spicy and acidic foods can also aggravate acid reflux and indigestion, per the NIDDK. Think twice before you rip open that bag of chips as you settle down to watch your favorite late-night TV show. Weight is not the sole (or even most important) indicator of your health. Should you eat before bed? Where we have commissioned independent research and/or articles to support our content, we will state as such in the sub-heading of the article. What is the best mattress for a bad back? If you feel hungry at night, you can eat a banana before bed. There are a few different ways eating before bed can impact your health. The protein of the peanut butter balanced out the blood sugar impact of the banana, so I wouldnt get a huge spike in blood sugar. Chocolateitself has been used for centuries for its power to reduce stress and anxiety. I got home at 9:30. Elon Musk Says It's A 'Better Option', Taking Probiotics With Antidepressants May Reduce Symptoms Of Depression, Alcohol Dependency In Teens Raises Risk Of Depression Later In Life: Study, Foods To Include In Your Diet To Manage Iron Deficiency, First Saliva-Based Pregnancy Tests: Everything To Know, AI Demonstrates High Accuracy In Diagnosing Mpox Using Skin Lesion Photos, 'Gene Silencing' Technology Offers Fresh Hope For Alzheimer's Patients, New Nanoparticle Sensors Can Help In Detection Of Cancer Through Urine Test, Does Meal Timing Matter? We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. The editorial team reviews them for accuracy and facts to ensure the most authentic and accurate content is published. Eating dinner before going to bed makes you gain weight is a myth 2. Study # 1 . If you suffer from acid reflux, avoid eating acidic foods, like tomatoes, chocolate, and citrus fruits, before bed. For some people, eating close to bedtime may cause reflux, which can be uncomfortable as well as disturb their ability to sleep, Gans said. So, in this instance, you would have already eaten your breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner and the late night eating is ADDITIONALcalories. The only other truth about late night eating to be mindful of is that you dont want to eat a bunch of sugar or starch right before you go to sleep. Launched in 1922, Reader's Digest has built 100 years of trust with a loyal audience and has become the largest circulating magazine in the world, Enjoy all the latest stories, tips, news & advice, Readers Digest is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UKs magazine and newspaper industry). You tryna be tricky? There are a lot of old wives' tales out there. Read his inspiring story, From Soccer to Bed to No Hair on My Head that started it all. Eating before bed can also contribute to acid reflux, which is a condition that happens when your stomach contents come back up into the oesophagus, said nutritionist Keri Gans, R.D. Otherwise, these unhealthy nighttime dietary habits can promote weight gain and disturb sleeping patterns. There's no evidence that eating late at night increases weight gain. What's more, eating before bed has the potential to negatively affect your sleep. It may lead to indigestion and acid reflux. What you have heard is a myth. Can I eat carbs before bed? Winter said he generally recommends people try to stop eating four hours or more before bed to lower the risk of poor sleep but, he admitted, its difficult to find research with an exact time that applies to everyone. Eating too much will likely push you over your recommended daily calorie intake, leading to weight gain. At the same time, you may have heard advice warning against eating at night because its bad for your digestion, sleep, or weight. This blog post looks at the effects of eating before bedtime and the foods to avoid. Heres what you need to know. To get more information about these cookies and the processing of your personal data, check our Privacy & Cookie Policy. The food you consume will decide whether you get sound sleep or spend a sleepless night. [Related:Is Sleep Deprivation Making You Fat?]. But there is one that that increases when you sleep: fat burning. Having a full stomach might make you feel drowsy. Bodybuilding and Eating Before Bed | livestrong If you have a heavy dinner before bed, your body will have a tough time digesting it and you may experience heartburn while trying to sleep. Some ways to make them less of a nightmare so you can justget on with your life. You just have to make sure youre eating the right stuff. Our bodies are set up to be awake and eating and moving during the day, and sleeping and fasting overnight, says Allison. Thus, you may not be able to grab some sound sleep. If you feel so hungry that its hard for you to sleep, then consider eating some healthy snacks. The contents of this website are provided as-is, Sleep Authority and its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, contributors disclaim any warranty of the information contained herein. Eating before bed gives you more fuel to burn and decreases the length of time your body resorts to using fat to fuel itself. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit ipso.co.uk, Viral BS: Medical Myths and Why We Fall for Them, 6 Benefits of ADHD: Tips for harnessing ADHD skills, What is sepsis? What You Need To Know About Alcohol and Sleep, According to Experts. Foods that contain these essential components include: A bowl of low-sugar cereal with low-fat milk, cheese and crackers, or avocado on wholemeal toast are ideal bedtime snacks. Plus lying there with a rumbling tummy can occupy your mind and make it hard for your body to relax, Dr. Dasgupta says. However, by following a path of moderation, pre-bedtime snackers can ensure that the body has sufficient energyand will rest peacefully. Having a heavy meal before bed might lead to indigestion. Nutrition and Sleep: Everything You Need To Know. If you get home late and you dont want to stay up for another four hours, then have something simple like this before you go to bed. It can also help people with diabetes to regulate their blood sugar levels. Perhaps drinking that protein shake before hitting the sack is not a bad idea after all. Writers at Sleep Authority are supported by a research team conducting in-depth research about the topics. This is particularly important for people who suffer from chronic acid reflux and heartburn, also referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). As in, additional calories. If youve enjoyed reading this article, you might also like this post on, why you shouldnt sleep with your phone next to you. Diet Truth or Myth: Eating at Night Causes Weight Gain - WebMD Like many other things in life, eating before sleeping has both its good and bad sides. You get better sleep when your stomach is satiated, so you'll be less likely to wake in the middle of the night if you've had a small healthy bedtime snack. Foods and beverages to avoid include alcohol, spicy foods, foods with high acidity, caffeine, and fatty foods. In fact, it can be a rather helpful part of your fat burning diet. And all of these are really modulating your energy expenditure," he explains to Men's Health. Metabolism has been slowed by the long period of fasting and its now easier to store calories in fat reserves. Thus, it holds on to the carbs and fats already present. CARBS BEFORE BED: Are They Making You Fat? (What The Science - YouTube Read more. We think you are in {country}. If you eat a light dinner containing proteins and carbs, your stomach will stay full as they are complex. USE OF AND/OR REGISTRATION ON ANY PORTION OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF The idea is that you dont have a chance to burn off the calories you consume if you go to sleep straight after eating. Medical myths: Eating before bedtime makes you fat Is Sparkling Water Bad for You in Some Way? That's because your body burns stored fat after depleting carbs from your last meal and stored glycogen, explains Satchin Panda, professor at the Salk Institute and author of "The Circadian Code.. Rather, dont be scared of the, Ideally, you want to have your pre-sleep carbohydrate meal four hours before you go to bed. In reality, your body needs energy at night to carry out essential repair work while you sleep. Individuals seeking medical advice should consult a licensed physician. Next, I took a banana and put it in a bowl with some peanut butter. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. The study specifically found that people who ate or drank an hour before bed had more than twice the risk of waking up shortly after falling asleep, which is linked with insomnia and bad sleep quality. If you have trouble falling asleep, do not eat 2-3h before going to sleep and eat neither too rich nor too heavy. Well, before you even think about giving up your beloved bedtime routine (or spontaneous midnight picnic), lets take a look at what effects that eating before bed can actually have on your health. Find more curious medical myths withViral BS: Medical Myths and Why We Fall for Them, available on Amazon. Does eating chocolate before bed give you nightmares? The fruit is even pricklier than it appears, but there are ways to prevent that burning sensation. Why Is Sleep So Important for Athletic Recovery? Can Thyroid Supplements Help You Lose Weight? Again, it depends. Did you enjoy this tip on Eating Before Bed? Eating right before bed willmaintainthe optimal glucose levels in your blood. It's equally important to understand that the body can take up to three hours to properly digest food. In a perfect world, youd eat well-balanced meals on a consistent schedule. Depending on the snack you choose, it may lead to unhealthy weight gain. What are some of the health benefits of a paleo diet? In the past, some dieticians have recommended fasting in the evening to lose weight, but experts now think that going to bed hungry can have the opposite effect. Youll probably be even more shocked when I tell you this: the best food to eat before bed is a carbohydrate. A Flat Butt, This Man Gave His Body Away, Piece by Piece, The TX Abortion Ban That Risked Their Wives' Lives. Small bedroom design ideas updated for 2023. Traditionally people thought that fasting in the evening would help them burn calories while they sleep, but there is limited evidence to support this. While our bodies are indeed perfectly capable of doing two things at oncesleeping and digesting, in this casehitting the sack right after feasting is not ideal for many people because of the way the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is set up. Generally, experts suggest waiting two hours after a meal to sleep. See also. Advertise - Plus with the popularity of intermittent fasting (that involves only eating during a set window, like 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), you might wonder if theres something to that. Time is irrelevant. In fact a solid bedtime routine can help signal to your body and mindwhich have been going all daythat its time to slow down and rest now, Dr. Dasgupta says. Starving yourself before bed can actually lead to you storing fat. OUR USER AGREEMENT (updated 08/21/2020) AND PRIVACY POLICY (updated 08/21/2020). If, however, these calories are simply part of your daily needs, then weight gain is less likely., (Related: Dietitian-approved, High-protein Snacks To Eat After a Workout). Toby Morris, a dietitian at UC Berkeley's Tang Center, notes that individual needs vary, so snacking before bed has no clear formula. Is It Bad to Eat Before Bed? - Verywell Health It may even cause people to sleep longer than their body requires. Tryptophan is an amino acid found in some foods that increases the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. You get home late from work and barely have time to eat dinner before it's time to get some sleep. This quick snack gave me good carbs from the banana, and a good amount of protein from the peanut butter. Sleeping after eating will help you sleep better because a full stomach makes you feel drowsy helping you fall asleep faster. But newer evidence is showing a more complex picture of nighttime eating. This is when acid flows from the stomach back into the throat. But avoiding food that far in advance of bed can be tricky to pull off, especially when most people get hungry three or so hours after their last meal, Cording said. "A lot of things are going slower [at night], says Eric Ravussin, PhD and Director of the Nutritional Obesity Research Center at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana.