It’s about time. Experts suggest that eating dinner within a certain two-hour window can promote weight loss, improve sleep, and promote digestion.
Known as the “early bird approach,” eating your last meal of the day between 5pm and 7pm helps you align with your body’s natural circadian rhythm. This rhythm affects metabolism, digestion, and hormone release, peaking during the day and slowing down as the evening begins.
Eating too late can disrupt this rhythm, negatively impacting your sleep, digestion, and mood.
“We know that eating late at night increases your risk of obesity,” says Tara Schmidt, registered dietitian at Mayo Clinic Diet. he told Fortune last month..
Research results published in 2022 cell metabolism It was found that people who ate their main meal around 5pm burned more calories than those who ate dinner later.
Finish your meals 4 hours in advance Hit the hay, take a walk after dinneror as some people call it, “fart walking.”
Schmidt told Fortune magazine that digestion occurs best “when light is present and the body is active.” “My blood sugar level goes up while I eat, so my blood sugar goes down. But now when I exercise, it goes down again.”
Persistent hyperglycemia is a hallmark of diabetes.
Eating dinner too late can worsen heartburn and acid reflux.
A 2023 study found that people who eat after 9pm are 28% more likely to suffer a stroke.
For every hour after 8pm that study participants ate dinner, their chances of having a stroke or a transient ischemic attack, in which blood supply to the brain is temporarily interrupted, increased by 8%.
In addition to meal timing, foods with high fat and acid content, caffeine and spicy flavors are more likely to cause indigestion and heartburn, making it difficult to fall and stay asleep.
Foods that promote better sleep tend to contain a balance of lean protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates.
Research has also proven that how you eat food is just as important as what and when you eat it.
Research shows that the more you chew, the better you feel.
Experts say eating slowly and thoughtfully can help you lose weight, help you recognize when you’re full, and reduce overeating. When you become aware of the food in your mouth, Eat more consciouslyThis is the key to really enjoying it and knowing when you’ve had enough.
