Eating before bed is very common, you might eat dinner late at night, have a snack in bed, and some nights you might wake up from your sleep to quell hunger pangs.
Sound familiar?
Well, these may be eating habits and patterns worth revisiting, as they increase your risk of eating more than your daily calorie needs. Increased chances of weight gain and metabolic problems.
Research suggests that maintaining a healthy weight may increase your lifespan and improve your athletic performance.
Here’s what you need to know about the role metabolism plays in your weight loss goals, and what to do if you snack late at night.
Spoiler alert: it turns out that making even the smallest changes to your daily routine can make a big difference in your long-term goals.
Your body is Circadian rhythmIt is also called the “biological clock.”
Circadian rhythm Your body clock is your body’s natural 24-hour cycle that controls many physiological processes. This internal clock is influenced by environmental cues such as light and dark and helps to synchronize your body’s functions with the day-night cycle.
Metabolism, the process by which the body converts food into energy, is also controlled by circadian rhythms.
During the day, when most people are active, the body is better able to digest and metabolize food, and research shows that the body burns more calories while resting and after eating. Early in the day Compared to night.
Eating late at night can disrupt your body clock and lead to weight gain. Research suggests.
of the study It also suggests that eating late at night, especially at night, can lead to weight gain. Contributes to insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders.
4 effects that eating late at night has on your body
Night is approaching. Do you suddenly feel like eating something?
For many of us, the habit of having a snack before bed is usually more of a psychological habit than an actual need for food, and as we just learned, it’s not necessarily good for your health.
Fun fact: What does MyFitnessPal offer? Sleep Insightsis a new integration that helps you connect the food you eat with the quality of your sleep. Download the app for free!
There are other reasons why it’s important to avoid eating late at night.
1. Increases hunger
Oddly enough, one of the effects of eating late is Increased hungerEating late at night can disrupt the hormones that regulate hunger and fullness.
Eating close to bedtime more You might eat your food and end up eating an additional snack.
2. Reduce your calorie intake
Gaining or losing weight is essentially a matter of math: you need to take in fewer calories than you burn in a day.
Eating at night is likely to make you gain weight. Why? Because you’re taking in extra calories that you don’t need to use for energy.
In addition, your body Your metabolism slows down at nightEating a large meal before bed and exceeding your recommended calorie intake can slow down your metabolism and lead to weight gain.
3. It promotes fat storage in the body
One Harvard University Research A small randomized controlled study of 16 overweight or obese participants found that eating later in the day increases hunger, reduces calorie consumption, and promotes fat storage in the body.
4. It messes with your body clock
Another reason to avoid eating late at night is that it can affect your circadian rhythm and sleep patterns.
According to a studyEating on a schedule that doesn’t align with your circadian rhythm (for example, eating late at night instead of when you’re awake) may increase your risk of developing metabolic disorders.
These four issues can lead to weight gain over time.
How can you prevent it? Eat a high-fiber, high-protein breakfast, which science has shown helps maintain energy levels throughout the day. Promotes satiety while reducing snacking Later that day.
What time at night should I stop eating to lose weight?
There is no exact answer as to when you should stop eating, because we all live in different places of light and darkness.
In general, you should stop eating 3 hours before bedBut the exact time to stop eating is up to you. Current evening routine.
If you’re someone who goes to bed by 8pm, then a 5pm dinner might be fine, but if you don’t go to bed until 10pm, then a later dinner, say around 7pm, might be okay.
Alternatively, you could have an early dinner and a snack three hours before bedtime, as long as you don’t eat more than your daily calorie needs.
If you get hungry in the evening, by all means eat something and choose a light but filling drink, such as a cup of coffee. Air popped popcorn has only 62 calories..
FAQ
What if I often wake up hungry?
If you get up in the middle of the night to eat, consider eating a slightly larger breakfast and lunch so that you’re not as hungry at dinner and bedtime.
If I’m intermittent fasting, how late should I eat my last meal of the day?
Those who practice intermittent fasting (and are concerned about weight gain due to late-night food cravings) should consider scheduling their final meal to occur about three hours before bedtime.
Conclusion
After all, eating late at night or having a late-night snack can… Alters energy levels and metabolismIt also affects insulin and blood sugar levels.
However, exactly why and how this happens is not well understood and more research is needed. Some evidence There is some conflict on this topic.
If you want to finish your meal earlier, try to finish your meal at least three hours before bedtime, and you’ll be more likely to achieve your health and weight goals.
