The late we eat, the less sleep is restful and the more we store.
Everyone has their habits in the evening. Some like dinner early, others late and others very late. But to be sure you sleep well, it is recommended not to dine at any time and above all to be regular. On Instagram, Dr. Poonam Desai explains that dinner late disturbs metabolism, distinguishes hormones and promotes weight gain, especially after 30 years. “”Have you ever wondered what is really going on when you eat too late at night or at night? “ she questions. “Late dinners and snacks while you watch Netflix lead to bad sleep, hormonal chaos and weight gain.”
Eating late at night triggers a chain of reactions that harm sleep. Melatonin, sleep hormone, conflicts with insulin, disturbing the regulation of blood sugar. “Poor sleep can lead to an astonishing increase of 23% of your blood sugar level in the morning.” This promotes fatigue when you wake up and cravings in the middle of the morning. Poorly rested, the body also produces more ghrelin, hunger hormone, and less leptin, which signals satiety, pushing towards desires of sugars and fat the next day. “Late meals also maintain high cortisol levels, opening the way to the accumulation of abdominal fat.”
For the doctor, it is therefore necessary to avoid dinner too late … that is to say after 7 pm. “When you eat after 7 pm, you convert the calories into fat faster than you would never have thought” she explains. Worse still if the late meal is accompanied by prolonged time in front of the screens and a low exposure to natural light. “Patients who close their kitchen at 19 hours often find that they lose fat more effectively and have more restful sleep,” says Dr. Desai. She considers this rule as “One of the easiest to implement longevity tips”.
In France, the National Institute for Sleep and Vigilance recommends a light dinner, at least two hours before bedtime, and to keep regular meal hours. The World Health Organization does not fix any precise time but recommends a balanced diet, rich in fruits, vegetables and complete cereals, and poor in saturated sugars and fats. The idea is to have a dinner adapted and taken early enough to contribute to better sleep and overweight prevention.
