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Early dinner is not only good for weight loss and digestion, but it may also help you sleep better and increase your overall energy levels. Yes, that late-night snack or ice cream splurge that seems so cozy is actually doing you more harm than good.
Sharing how early dinner can improve your sleep, nutritionist Rashi Chowdhary took to Instagram and explained, “Melatonin is your sleep hormone which starts to get released in your bloodstream after sunset. And when you have a large meal post sunset, you’ll also release insulin which raises cortisol which is your stress hormone, this is the basic metabolic response for digestion of food. Now, the thing is cortisol and melatonin compete with each other and cannot survive together which can lead to a lot of hormonal issues.”
Chowdhary said that when you start eating dinner early you give your body enough time “to release melatonin to a point where between 10pm to 2am when it reaches its peak growth hormone, repair enzymes, restorative enzymes all of these get secreted and that’s why you wake up feeling energetic and refreshed”.
How early dinner improves sleep
Dr. G Sushma, Consultant, Clinical Dietician, CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, concurred with Chowdhary and cited other health benefits of eating dinner early, including:
Improved digestion: dinner early allows your body more time to digest the food before going to bed. This can help prevent problems such as acid reflux or indigestion that might occur when you lie down with a full stomach. When you eat early, your digestive system is able to perform more efficiently, effectively breaking down and absorbing nutrients.
Enhanced sleep quality: Eating dinner early can help you sleep better. When you consume a large meal close to bedtime, your body may still be digesting it, disrupting sleep and causing discomfort. By finishing dinner early, you allow your body to focus on rest and recovery during sleep rather than digestion.
Weight management: Research suggests that eating earlier in the day may help with weight loss. It allows your body more time to metabolize the calories you consume and use them for energy throughout the day. A late meal may also help regulate hunger hormones, preventing late-night snacking or overeating.
Stabilize blood sugar levels: Eating an early meal can help keep blood sugar levels constant. When you eat a meal and allow your body enough time to digest it before going to bed, you help reduce blood sugar spikes and crashes, supporting improved overall metabolic health.
Increased energy levels: When you eat your meal early, your body has more time to process and absorb nutrients. This can provide a consistent release of energy throughout the evening and into the next morning, promoting sustained energy levels and preventing energy crashes.
How early dinner is good for digestion and weight management
The first and simplest technique for weight loss is diet change. There are two components to this: the type of food and the timing of meals. “In terms of diet-type change, the most effective method is probably reducing carbohydrates,” said Dr. Sumit Talwar, Consultant, General, Laparoscopic and Minimal Access Surgery, Bariatric Surgery, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road and Whitefield.
He added, “Regarding the timing of meals, many methods are in vogue and almost all of them are effective. Intermittent fasting involves a long period of no food intake. Early dinner is one of the methods of intermittent fasting. Early dinner is helpful in many ways apart from increasing the fasting time. It also improves sleep hygiene and will be helpful in reducing reflux and improving the quality of sleep.”
Ushakiran Sisodia, Registered Dietician and Clinical Nutritionist, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai also agrees that early dinner has various health benefits. “An early dinner consumed at least two hours before sleeping can offer better blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity, which reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, because you give your body sufficient time to digest food before you go to bed, your digestion improves and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be relieved,” she said.
Source:IE
