Eating before bed is very common. You might have a late night dinner. You might snack in bed. And, some nights, you may even wake up from your sleep to relieve hunger pangs.
Sound familiar?
Well, these may be eating habits and patterns worth revisiting. They may put you at greater risk of eating more than your caloric needs each day, increasing the likelihood of weight gain and metabolic problems.
Research shows that having a healthy weight may extend your life and improve your mobility.
Here’s what you should know about the role your metabolism plays in your weight loss goals, and what to do if you’re a regular late-night snacker.
Spoiler: It turns out that changing your daily routine—even just a little bit—can have a big impact on your long-term goals.
Your body has a circadian rhythm, also known as your “circadian clock.”
Circadian rhythms are the body’s natural 24-hour cycles that regulate many physiological processes. This internal clock is affected by environmental factors such as light and darkness, which help synchronize body functions with the circadian cycle.
Metabolism, the process by which the body converts food into energy, is also regulated by circadian rhythms.
The body digests and metabolizes food better during the day, when most people are more active. Research shows that the body burns more calories at rest and after eating than at night.
Research shows that eating late at night can disrupt your circadian rhythm and lead to weight gain.
Research also shows that eating later in the day, especially at night, is associated with weight gain. This misalignment between the body’s circadian clock and food intake may also lead to insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders.
4 ways late-night eating affects your body
Night fell quickly. Do you suddenly want something to eat?
For many people, having a snack before bed is common. But this is often more of a mental habit than an actual need for food. And, as you just learned, this habit doesn’t always work for you.
Interesting facts: MyFitnessPal now offers Sleep Insights, a new integration that helps you make the connection between the food you eat and the quality of your sleep. Download the app for free!
Here are some other reasons to avoid eating late at night.
1. Increase hunger levels
Oddly enough, one of the effects of eating later may be increased levels of hunger. This is because eating later disrupts the hormones that help regulate satiety and hunger.
Eating too close to bedtime may mean you’ll be looking for more food and may end up eating extra snacks.
2. Burn fewer calories
At its core, weight gain and loss is a mathematical problem. You need to take in fewer calories than you burn during the day.
Eating at night may make it easier to gain weight. Why? You’re adding extra calories that you may not need to use as energy.
Additionally, your body’s metabolism slows down at night. If you eat too much before bed and exceed your recommended caloric intake, a slow metabolism may lead to weight gain.
3. Promote fat storage in the body
A Harvard study that included a small, randomized control group of 16 overweight or obese participants found that eating later in the day increased hunger, reduced the number of calories burned, and promoted the storage of body fat.
4. Disrupt your body’s circadian rhythm
Another reason to avoid late night eating is that it can affect your circadian rhythm and sleep patterns.
Eating plans that don’t align with your circadian rhythm (e.g., eating late at night instead of while you’re awake) may increase your risk of metabolic disorders, according to one study.
These four problems can be associated with weight gain over time.
How can you prevent this from happening? Eat a high-fiber and high-protein breakfast. Science shows it helps maintain energy levels throughout the day and promotes feelings of fullness while reducing snacking later in the day.
When should I stop eating at night to lose weight?
There is no definite answer to when you should stop eating because everyone lives in a different place with different light and dark conditions.
The general consensus is to stop eating three hours before bed. But the exact time to stop eating will vary based on your current nighttime routine.
For people who go to bed before 8 pm, eating dinner at 5 pm may work.
Alternatively, you could have an early dinner and then have a snack three hours before bed, as long as you don’t consume more calories than you need for the day.
If you find yourself hungry at night, by all means, eat something. Choose something light but filling, such as a cup of air-popped popcorn, which has only 62 calories.
FAQ
What if I often wake up hungry?
If you wake up and eat in the middle of the night, consider eating a slightly larger breakfast and lunch so you’re not as hungry at dinner or bedtime.
If you intermittent fasting, how late should you have your last meal?
People who practice intermittent fasting (as well as those concerned about weight gain due to late-night food cravings) should consider scheduling their meals approximately three hours before bed.
bottom line
All in all, eating late at night or having late-night snacks has the potential to alter your energy levels and metabolism, including affecting insulin and blood sugar.
But exactly why and how this happens is unclear. More research needs to be done. Some of the evidence on this topic is conflicting.
If you want to try eating earlier, stick to eating at least three hours before bed and you may have a better chance of reaching your health and weight goals.
