Is Eating Before Bed Bad For Your Health?

The common belief is that eating before bed is bad for you. Bedtime eating is believed to mess with your metabolism, cause weight gain, make it harder for your body to regulate blood sugar levels, and prevent you from sleeping well. But is it as harmful as they say? Continue reading to learn more about the potential health impacts of eating before bed. 

Is It Bad To Eat Before Bed?

Considering old and new perspectives, food intake before bedtime is generally avoidable. However, experts say eating is okay if you must, for example, if you have hunger pangs. However, when choosing an evening snack, it is important to make healthy choices, limit yourself to a small portion, and ensure you eat your bedtime snack at least 1 to 2 hours before turning in.

Potential Benefits of Eating Before Bed

Stabilize Blood Sugar Levels

Experts do not recommend eating a large meal before bedtime, which can cause a spike in blood glucose levels. However, a light snack can be beneficial in preventing nocturnal hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels at night). Symptoms of nocturnal hypoglycemia can include sweating, nightmares, and waking up tired, irritable, and confused in the morning. 

Consuming a light bedtime snack may be especially useful for people with diabetes. Our blood sugar levels tend to fluctuate naturally throughout the night, often causing high blood sugar in the morning. For those with diabetes, eating a low-fat, low-sugar snack at bedtime can help stabilize blood sugar levels throughout the night, thus preventing a spike in blood sugar upon waking up in the morning.

Fall Asleep Faster

Certain foods can reduce sleep latency (help a person fall asleep faster). These foods contain compounds such as tryptophan, which promote deep sleep. Tryptophan is an amino acid that the body uses to make melatonin and serotonin. Melatonin regulates the circadian rhythm and tells the body when it’s time to sleep, while serotonin regulates sleep and hunger. However, it is unclear if these foods can help a person stay asleep longer or improve sleep quality. 

Tryptophan-containing foods include milk, fish, chicken, turkey, egg whites, nuts, and seeds.

Manage Hunger

Experts at the Sleep Foundation say eating before bedtime can help satisfy hunger and cravings. This can help you fall asleep faster than if you went to bed on an empty stomach with hunger pangs. However, it’s important to differentiate between hunger and emotions like anxiety, boredom, and fatigue. Moreover, you should choose nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories if you’re hungry before bed. These foods can satiate you without disrupting sleep.

Improve Muscle Recovery

Studies have suggested muscle protein formation is higher during sleep when protein is consumed before bedtime. However, the results are mixed. Other studies have found that overnight protein synthesis does not significantly increase after an evening exercise session, followed by protein intake before sleep. 

Experts say 30 to 40 grams of pre-sleep protein can benefit muscle recovery in healthy individuals and may help with age-related muscle mass loss in older adults.

Risks of Eating Before Bed

Weight Gain

Your body has higher insulin sensitivity in the daytime hours. This is designed to help the body use glucose for energy and help you get through the day. At night, insulin resistance kicks in. As a result, intake of high-calorie snacks (for example, cookies, chips, ice cream) before bed results in your body storing the calories as fat instead of burning them for energy. This can lead to weight gain. Moreover, many people tend to overeat mindlessly while watching TV before bed. 

So, if you aim to lose weight or maintain a healthy body weight, avoid nighttime snacking, especially calorie-rich, sugary, and salty snacks.

Digestive Issues

Eating too close to bedtime can cause acid reflux and heartburn symptoms. Fatty or spicy food, in particular, can lead to excess stomach acid and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Lying down immediately after eating can cause stomach acid to backflow into the esophagus (food pipe), causing heartburn.

Does Eating Before Bed Reduce Sleep Quality?

Data from the American Time Use Survey has shown that eating less than 1 hour before bedtime is associated with a longer sleep duration of 25 to 35 minutes. However, the data also showed that food consumption close to bedtime is linked to increased wakefulness after sleep onset (WASO). WASO is the amount of time spent awake by a person after they initially fall asleep. For example, if someone wakes up once at night and is awake for 30 minutes, they have a WASO of 30. WASO is a symptom of chronic insomnia.

The increased WASO linked to late-night eating indicates possible sleep disruption and reduced sleep efficiency; as a result, the sleep duration rises to compensate for the sleep interruption.  This study also indicates that consuming food or drinks between 4 and 6 hours before bedtime may enhance the chances of achieving optimal sleep duration. Further research is needed to explore the relationship between specific foods and beverages and their effects on sleep quality and duration.

Guidelines For Eating Before Bed

How Long Before Bed Should You Stop Eating?

You should stop eating 2 to 4 hours before bedtime. This gives your body time to digest the food and reduces the chances of negative effects from your evening snack. However, a light snack up to an hour before bedtime may also be okay.

Recommended Portion Sizes

Experts recommend limiting yourself to a small snack, about 100 to 200 calories, before bedtime. Learn more about healthy portion sizes.

Best and Worst Foods To Eat Before Bed

Nutritious Late-Night Snacks for Better Sleep

• Tart cherry juice.

• Kiwi fruit.

• Nuts such as almonds and walnuts.

• Milk.

• Steamed or raw vegetables.

• Fruit such as an apple or banana.

• A small piece of dark chocolate.

• A cup of Greek yogurt.

Foods To Avoid To Ensure Restful Sleep

• Spicy food.

• Fatty or fried food.

• Acidic food.

• Full-fat dairy products, including ice cream.

• Chips, cookies, and cakes.

• Caffeine consumption includes chocolate and caffeinated beverages like tea and coffee.

• Alcohol.

Balancing Benefits and Risks

Eating large meals or calorie-rich snacks close to bedtime is an unhealthy habit that can lead to sleep deprivation, weight gain, and acid reflux. But eating late is not always bad. Eating a light, healthy snack without extra calories at least 2 hours before bedtime likely won’t have a negative impact. 

FAQs on Eating Before Bed

Is It Bad to Eat Before Sleeping?

It depends on what foods you eat and how close to bedtime you eat. Eating a heavy meal very close to bedtime can have many negative effects. On the other hand, a small, light snack about 2 hours before bedtime may have some beneficial effects.

What Happens If You Eat Before Bed?

Health experts say eating a large meal before bed can disrupt sleep, cause weight gain due to increased caloric intake, and cause acid reflux. However, eating a light, nutritious snack about two hours before bedtime may be beneficial. It may help you fall asleep faster, regulate blood glucose levels during sleep, and aid muscle recovery.

Should I Eat Before Bed If I'm Hungry?

Yes, you should eat before bed if you’re hungry. But make sure you choose a light, nutrient-dense nighttime snack, limit yourself to a small portion to avoid excessive calorie intake, and time your snack for at least an hour before bed.

Why Shouldn't You Eat 30 Minutes Before Bed?

Experts in nutrition and sleep medicine recommend avoiding eating 30 minutes before bed because it can negatively affect your physical and mental health due to poor sleep quality. Late-night snacking can affect your sleep pattern and prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep. High-calorie intake in the form of unhealthy snacks while watching TV before sleeping can lead to weight gain. Obesity is a risk factor for several health conditions, including sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which can cause sleep disruption. In addition, an acidic or spicy bedtime snack can cause acid reflux and heartburn, making it harder to fall asleep. Sleep disruptions can cause you to wake up feeling tired and confused in the morning. This can affect your mental health, resulting in irritability, anxiety, and depression.