Do you know how long you should wait to sleep after you finish eating? For most of us, we eat dinner before seven at night, settle down, and relax with some TV or family time. We hardly ever think about the timing of our meals and our sleep, but it does matter. In fact, there is a precise answer as to how long you should wait before you get to sleep after you finish eating.
We’ll explore how long you should wait before sleeping after eating, why that is, and how you can take steps to encourage better daily routines. Whether you’re stuck to a routine of eating at a particular time or find yourself eating late at night, this article will show you that there is a scientific reason for the timing of our day, and it does matter!
Why It Matters When We Eat and Sleep
A question that might be on your mind as we dive into this topic is why this matters at all. Is there really a reason we have to wait before we go to sleep after we eat? The short answer is, yes! There is a real, valid reason as to why the timing of our meals matters in accordance with our bedtime.
You may not know this, but your body does best at digesting food and drinks when it is alert, active, and light is present. That’s right: your body doesn’t digest food that well at night because your body is expecting that nightfall means that your meals are over as your body prepares for sleep (Source: Journal of Biological Rhythms). So, it does matter when we eat and sleep!
If we want to enjoy better health, we have to work with our body, not against it. If we don’t, we might encounter issues such as acid reflux, indigestion, and other sleep disturbances. For those who have eaten right before going to bed, you can tell that it does something to your body, and you don’t digest everything as well as you would have when you were awake.
So, how long do we have to wait to sleep after eating? Let’s look at what the research says!
What is the Recommended Waiting Period for Sleep After Eating?
According to most experts, the recommended waiting time to go to sleep after eating your last meal or snack is generally two to three hours before lying down. If you can eat larger meals earlier in the day and avoid heavier meals at dinner, then you’ll enjoy even better sleep as a result!
There is an old saying that you should “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” In other words, eat a heavier breakfast, mid-size lunch, and then less food overall at dinner to help you with your overall health. If you’re worried about being hungry after dinner due to a smaller meal, don’t worry—studies show that eating a larger breakfast can help with your appetite at night, especially in women.
What Happens If I Eat a Larger Meal for Dinner or Eat Too Late?
The good news is that nothing terrible will happen in the short term. You might experience some issues like acid reflux or indigestion, but in the long term, there are some issues to be aware of. Eating a late, larger meal—especially if you are a shift worker and may be forced to do so—can lead to adverse health outcomes, including abdominal obesity, impaired glucose intolerance, and even impaired kidney function (Source: Nutrients).
When you eat late as well, what this does is encourage poorer sleep quality and shorter sleep duration and force your body to work harder to digest when it is not used to doing so. But, if you’re able to eat three hours before bed and limit all snacks after that, you’ll have fewer nocturnal awakenings, and you’ll enjoy better sleep quality.
You may be wondering if there are foods that are best to eat for dinner to avoid some of the common concerns that we have discussed. Fortunately, research shows that there are plenty of ways to eat healthy so your body benefits, as does your sleep.
Best Practices for Evening Meals: Choosing the Right Foods
As you might expect, aside from eating earlier, try to avoid spicy, fatty, or acidic foods. If you struggle with GERD, acid reflux, or other digestive conditions, these might already be foods you avoid anyway after guidance from your healthcare provider. Instead, you should opt for easy-to-digest items that are meant to support your health.
Some of the best items include fruits and vegetables, which have been shown to be associated with improved sleep quality because of the natural intake of melatonin from these foods (Source: Journal of Food Science). Your highest protein intake should be at breakfast to help you get enough energy to start your day, but at dinner, you can opt for some lighter, lean protein sources, like fish, turkey, and other options.
According to some experts, eating meals that are nearly identical in their macronutrient intake—meaning that they have the same balanced protein, fat, and carbohydrate for each meal—leads to lower thermal responses at nighttime intake, which is beneficial for sleep. So, if you follow these tips, you can enjoy healthier dinners and better sleep while also eliminating the chance for the dreaded acid reflux or GERD symptoms you might experience from time to time!
Eat Healthy and Time Your Meals for Better Sleep at Night
Avoiding any food about two to three hours before you go to sleep at night is a must if you want to have better sleep. As we explored in the article, eating the right foods also matters, so take steps to eat healthy, protect your well-being, and encourage better rest at night. We hope that this article taught you something new and helped you support your health! How will you plan your meals to support your sleep in the future?
