If you were ever told to never eat before bed, you were not given the complete information you need to make an informed decision. The statement is not entirely true because the only two things that matter are the amount of calories you consume on a daily basis and eating healthy, balanced meals. This is especially true for people with busy schedules who have a hard time dictating when they should eat or not.
That said, there are a few reasons why it’s not a good idea to eat close to bedtime. Even though there is no research or evidence that shows eating late makes it more difficult to control weight, you should try to finish your evening meal by 8:00 p.m. Doing so helps you feel less bloated the next morning and to sleep better.
If you suffer from gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), a condition that often causes heartburn, eating close to bed is out of the question. That’s because food swells your stomach and increases the chances of it backing up, or refluxing, into your esophagus, and cause burning pain, nausea, dry cough, or sore throat. People with GERD should eat at least 3 hours prior to bedtime.
There’s another reason it is best to not eat close to bedtime: your appetite in the morning. If you eat a meal or too many snacks too close to bed time, you’ll be less likely to wake up wanting to eat breakfast, the meal that boosts your metabolism for the day.
To be honest, if you are healthy and have no dietary restrictions, there is no hard and fast rule about the latest time you should eat before going to bed. It’s perfectly fine to eat a piece of fruit or drink a glass of milk prior to going to bed. A small snack that is low in fat can be digested relatively quickly – usually within an hour – on an empty stomach.
The Bottom Line: You’ll consume the same amount of calories whenever you decide to eat — yet when some people eat late at night, they’re more likely to over eat and skip breakfast the next day. Keep that in mind and plan your meals out ahead of time, and avoid over eating by stopping to eat when you are full! As well, avoid eating large meals 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. A healthy, light snack is allowed only if dinner was eaten 4 to 5 hours before bedtime.
That said, there are a few reasons why it’s not a good idea to eat close to bedtime. Even though there is no research or evidence that shows eating late makes it more difficult to control weight, you should try to finish your evening meal by 8:00 p.m. Doing so helps you feel less bloated the next morning and to sleep better.
If you suffer from gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), a condition that often causes heartburn, eating close to bed is out of the question. That’s because food swells your stomach and increases the chances of it backing up, or refluxing, into your esophagus, and cause burning pain, nausea, dry cough, or sore throat. People with GERD should eat at least 3 hours prior to bedtime.
There’s another reason it is best to not eat close to bedtime: your appetite in the morning. If you eat a meal or too many snacks too close to bed time, you’ll be less likely to wake up wanting to eat breakfast, the meal that boosts your metabolism for the day.
To be honest, if you are healthy and have no dietary restrictions, there is no hard and fast rule about the latest time you should eat before going to bed. It’s perfectly fine to eat a piece of fruit or drink a glass of milk prior to going to bed. A small snack that is low in fat can be digested relatively quickly – usually within an hour – on an empty stomach.
The Bottom Line: You’ll consume the same amount of calories whenever you decide to eat — yet when some people eat late at night, they’re more likely to over eat and skip breakfast the next day. Keep that in mind and plan your meals out ahead of time, and avoid over eating by stopping to eat when you are full! As well, avoid eating large meals 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. A healthy, light snack is allowed only if dinner was eaten 4 to 5 hours before bedtime.
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