Eating little or no dinner is a virtue covered in proverbs and advice. “The graves are full of wonderful suppers”, “Eat breakfast like a king, dine like a prince and dine like a beggar.” Conventional wisdom tells us that going to bed with a full stomach is a bad idea, but is it scientific? The answer is yes.
What is toxic light?
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Studies have shown that Late dinner may be behind weight gainBecause they increase appetite, reduce metabolism (the expenditure of energy during rest), and help accumulate fat. Nocturnal eating habits are directly related to metabolic syndrome and Cholesterol levels change.
But also, eating dinner late has a direct impact on the quality of our sleep. Meal timing can affect circadian rhythms because appetite-regulating hormones follow circadian rhythms that, if disturbed, They cause the metabolism to release. This has been verified because The same food eaten at different times of the day It has different effects on energy absorption and utilization.
Sleep must be regulated, above all, by the light that our eyes receive. but Food also has a big impact. One of the most effective remedies to overcome it jet lag After an ocean voyage is to eat at the destination time. Simply explained, when we eat, we are sending a signal to our body that we have excess energy and therefore it is time to be active.
Blood glucose and sleep
These changes mainly relate to the concentrations of sugar in the food and in the blood. The body has a natural circadian rhythm of blood sugar concentration, which means if we continually eat small snacks instead of large meals, trying to keep our blood sugar steady, Levels will change throughout the day Because of these tunes. In the same way, Eating at night produces a higher peak The concentration of glucose and fats in the blood to be taken in the morning. This is especially true if the dinner contains large amounts of sugar and fat. Desserts at dinnertime don’t sound like a good idea.
The effect also occurs in the opposite direction. When we don’t sleep well, the next morning Less ability to absorb breakfast sugarsThat is, we become resistant to insulin, the hormone that processes glucose in the blood.
High blood sugar affects sleep quality, which has been verified in young people with type 1 diabetes. The same thing happens in people with type 2 diabetes, which is more common, as it lacks blood glucose regulation. Negatively affects the quality of your sleep. In healthy people, but who show signs of prediabetes, that is, poor blood glucose regulation, or insulin resistance, Increased inflammatory factors It also causes sleep disturbances.
Research shows that eating high-calorie foods about 30 to 60 minutes before bed can make a difference Increased sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) in women. last 2021 Cambridge Study It has been found that eating or drinking an hour or less before bedtime increases the odds of waking up during the night.
It’s true that eating a lot can make you drowsy at first, but unfortunately, it’s all the rage after a few hours Circulating energy will wake us up at midnight. Leaving two to three hours between dinner and going to bed seems to be an effective sleep hygiene measure for most people.
* Dario Pescador is editor and magazine director Co Magazine And the author of the book The best of what you have got Published by Oberon.
What is all this based on?
- Delayed isokinetic eating increases hunger, reduces energy expenditure, and alters metabolic pathways in overweight and obese adults.. Delayed isotrophic feeding increases hunger, reduces energy expenditure, and alters metabolic pathways in overweight and obese adults.
- Association of nocturnal eating habits with metabolic syndrome and its components: a longitudinal study. Association of nocturnal eating habits with metabolic syndrome and its components: a longitudinal study.
- Circadian rhythms and meal timing: influence on energy balance and body weight. Circadian rhythms and meal times: influence on energy balance and body weight.
- Rhythms of feeding and the daily regulation of metabolism. Eating rhythms and the daily regulation of metabolism.
- Meal timing regulates the human circadian system. Meal timing regulates the human circadian system.
- Roles of circadian rhythm and sleep in human glucose regulation. Role of circadian rhythm and sleep in human glucose regulation.
- Physiological responses to food intake throughout the day. Physiological responses to food intake throughout the day.
- Effect of insufficient sleep on dysregulated blood glucose control under standard meal conditions. Effect of insufficient sleep on dysregulated glycemic control under standard meal conditions.
- Disordered sleep quality and architecture in adolescents with type 1 diabetes: relationship to glycemic control, vascular complications, and insulin sensitivity.. Altered sleep quality and architecture in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Relationship with glycemic control, vascular complications, and insulin sensitivity: Relationship with glycemic control, vascular complications, and insulin sensitivity.
- Association between poor glycemic control, poor sleep quality, and increased arterial thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes. Association between poor glycemic control, poor sleep quality, and increased arterial thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes.
- Association between poor sleep and glucose intolerance in prediabetes. Association between sleep deprivation and glucose intolerance in prediabetes.
- The relationship between food intake and sleep pattern in healthy individuals. The relationship between food intake and sleep pattern in healthy individuals.
- Associations between eating or drinking before bedtime and duration of falling asleep and waking after sleep onset: results from the American Time Use Survey. Associations between eating or drinking at bedtime, duration of sleep, and awakening after sleep onset: results from an American Time Use Survey.
- Effects of dinner timing on sleep phase distribution and EEG power spectrum in healthy volunteers. Effects of dinner timing on sleep phase distribution and EEG power spectrum in healthy volunteers.