Some prefer to dine early, others later. Question of habit and culture. However, the time we take our last meal of the day has consequences on our weight, our well-being and the quality of our sleep. So, is it better to dine at 6 p.m. as in the Nordic countries or rather in the Spanish between 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.?
According to Alexandra Murcier, dietician-nutritionist, it is especially essential to have her last meal well before bedtime. For good reason, too late a dinner is likely to increase the risk of gastroesophageal reflux and thus affect the quality of sleep. Not to mention that if the organization did not have time to digest, it will produce an additional effort at the start of the night, which will prevent us from having a recovery sleep. At the same time, the digestion process increases the body temperature while it is supposed to decrease at the time of falling asleep.
In addition, eating too late can increase the levels of glucose and insulin before bedtime, which can affect metabolism and weight regulation. “Some studies have shown that people who eat later in the evening tend to consume more calories, which can disturb the energy balance and promote the accumulation of body fats”notes the specialist. According to her “You should eat at least 2 to 3 hours before going to sleep “. The ideal time for dinner is thus between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
“This makes it possible to digest well before sleeping and respecting our circadian rhythm which influences the way in which our body digests and metabolizes food. Digestion and metabolization are more effective during the day and a dinner too late can disturb this process” explains our interlocutor. Conversely, it should not be dinner too early because too large a space between dinner and bedtime is the door open to snacking. A reflex which, in addition to disturbing sleep, promotes weight gain.
Thanks to Alexandra Murcier, dietician-nutritionist.