No conclusive evidence suggests eating at night is automatically harmful to your health — but eating certain foods before bed may disrupt your sleep. In general, experts recommend eating your last meal or snack at least two to three hours before bed to give your body time to digest.
So when exactly should you stop eating at night? Scientists can't agree on a single set time, but the consensus seems to be within three hours before bedtime. So if you go to bed at 11 p.m., don't eat after 8 p.m. Banishing late night snacks after that time could help alleviate the symptoms of acid reflux disease, too.
Recent medical studies have shown that eating between the hours of 12pm-11pm resulted in higher levels of blood glucose, insulin and cholesterol, than eating between the hours of 8am-7pm. So, if your goal is to reduce your body fat or your cholesterol, it may be beneficial to try curbing your late night eating habits.
If you really are experiencing late-night hunger pains, reach for a low-cal, whole-grain snack like whole-wheat toast, high-fiber cereal, or popcorn. "Whole-grain carbs help release serotonin in the brain, which make you feel calm and ready for sleep," Moskovitz says.
This is what happens when you eat late at night
Eating late regularly conditions your body to store the calories as fat, which leads to weight gain. This can also give you problems like indigestion and heartburn. Those who eat dinner at least two hours before bed have a reduced risk of cancer.
It's best to stop eating about three hours before going to bed. That allows plenty of time for your body to digest the last food you ate so it won't disrupt your sleep, but leaves a small enough window before sleep that you won't go to bed feeling hungry.
There's no be-all and end-all on what time you should close the kitchen. Some researchers define "eating late" as eating your last meal less than two hours before bedtime, while other research suggests cutting yourself off by 6 p.m. delivers the greatest health benefits.
“If you are hungry, you should eat something, regardless of the time of day,” says Aimee Takamura, registered dietitian and director of wellness and sustainability at Restaurant Associates. “The act of eating late at night does not affect metabolism or lead to many of the adverse effects you may have heard of.
Dining Late at Night
Aside from causing belly fat, eating late and reclining on a full stomach increases your risk of developing acid reflux and indigestion, since gravity is no longer able to pull everything in your tummy straight down.
Calories consumed at night won't change your metabolism or count more than calories consumed during the day. Weight gain and weight loss comes down to a simple math equation, explains Day. “Too many calories taken in versus not enough expended on any given day, regardless of the time, will lead to weight gain.”
Bedtime hunger may be an indication that you're not eating enough during the day. As a result, your body may be trying to compensate right before bed by taking in extra energy to make up for what it missed earlier.
"Most often, feeling hungry at night is caused by a late bedtime or an underlying sleep issue," Brilling said. "We recommend seven to eight hours of sleep at night. Many adults suffer from some kind of sleep disturbance, such as insomnia or sleep apnea. Night waking is often 'treated' with food."
Don't Go to Bed Hungry
Going to bed without a last meal means your body has less energy to rejuvenate and repair itself. Plus, with less energy, the body holds onto existing fat for energy, making it harder to lose weight and easier for weight gain to occur.
"When it comes to weight loss, going to bed a little bit hungry can help because it keeps hormones like insulin low, and that can help facilitate weight loss," Davis says. But she reiterates that having a big dinner right before bed has the opposite effect.
Going to bed hungry doesn't just mean less sleep — it may also be bad news for those trying to build muscle. If deprived of nutrients for long enough, your body can start to break down muscle for energy (also called a catabolic state).
An average woman needs 2,000 calories every day if she rests and eats nothing (6). So, if you do not eat anything for 2 days, you will technically already have a 4,000 calorie deficit. That means you have just smidgen over one pound without eating anything for 48 hours.
Studies show that for optimal health, it's best to consume most of your calories earlier in the day rather than later — for example by eating a large breakfast, a modest lunch, and a small dinner.
“When we eat late at night, we tend to store extra calories from food as fat, and we don't use stored fat as fuel. Our metabolism slows at night, so we don't utilize energy from a late-night meal well,” said Hailey Fox, a registered dietitian with Banner Churchill Community Hospital in Fallon, Nevada.