Dinner timing & Sleep
Have you ever thought about the time between your last meal and when you go to bed?
The timing of your last meal can affect how quickly you fall asleep and how deeply you sleep.
In the evening, our body prepares itself for rest and fasting. Consuming a large or heavy meal too close to bed can delay and affect these processes, resulting in increased sleep latency (time to sleep) and reduced sleep quality.
Here are some reasons why eating close to bedtime can disturb sleep:
- Digestion of food increases our core body temperature by approx. 2°C. This conflicts with the need for our body to drop 1°C in order to fall asleep. So long as our body temperature is elevated, falling asleep is going to be difficult. Having fully finished digesting our last meal before bedtime allows our body to cool down and enter sleep easily.
- Having a greater distance between your last meal and laying down decreases your risk of heartburn/ reflux/ GERD. Undigested food is more likely to cause gastrointestinal discomfort, which can stop you from falling asleep.
- Our gut is often referred to as “the second brain”. The two are connected by the gut-brain axis (vagus nerve). On an energetic level, whilst the gut is active (digesting), the brain will also stay active. It may be harder to quiet the mind while the gut is hard at work.
Ideally, we would finish eating our last meal at least 2 -3 hours before bed. This allows enough time for our stomach to empty, which can take up to 4 hours.
If you are having trouble falling asleep, or waking up tired, it may be worthwhile to consider how your meals are timed throughout the day.
In the morning / afternoon we are more active, therefore our body has a greater opportunity to digest and burn off the calories that we have consumed. Our digestive fire is at its peak in the middle of the day. Therefore, having larger meals earlier in the day, and a smaller/ lighter meal in the evening can alleviate pressure from the digestive system and improve sleep outcomes.
If it’s not possible to finish your last meal 2-3 hours before bed, consider eating easy to digest foods that will spend shorter periods in the stomach and digestive tract for your last meal.
If you would like personalised help with sleep & nutritional support, please reach out for a consultation.
Sleep well
Xx Maya