22/09/2021
Have you ever thought about the time between your last meal and when you go to bed?
The timing of your last meal can affect how quickly you fall asleep.
In the evening, our body prepares itself for rest and fasting. Consuming large/heavy meals too close to bed can delay & affect these processes, resulting in increased sleep latency (time to sleep).
Here are 3 reasons why eating close to bedtime can disturb sleep:
* Digestion of food increases our core body temperature by approx. 2°C. This conflicts with the need for our body to drop 1°C in order to fall asleep. So long as our body temperature is elevated, falling asleep is going to be difficult. Having fully finished digesting our last meal before bedtime allows our body to cool down & enter sleep easily.
* Having a greater distance between your last meal and laying down decreases your risk of reflux/ GERD. Undigested food is more likely to cause gastrointestinal discomfort, which can stop you from falling asleep.
* Our gut is often referred to as âthe second brainâ. The two are connected by the gut-brain axis (vagus nerve). On an energetic level, whilst the gut is active (digesting), the brain will also stay active. It may be harder to quiet the mind while the gut is hard at work.
Ideally, weâd finish eating our last meal at least 2 -3 hours before bed. This allows enough time for our stomach to empty, which can take up to 4 hours.
If youâre having trouble falling asleep, or waking up tired, it may be worthwhile to consider how your meals are timed throughout the day.
In the morning / afternoon we are more active, therefore our body has a greater opportunity to digest and burn off the calories that we have consumed. Therefore, having larger meals earlier in the day, and a smaller/ lighter meal in the evening can alleviate pressure from the digestive system & improve sleep outcomes.
If itâs not possible to finish your last meal 2-3 hours before bed, consider eating easy to digest foods that will spend shorter periods in the stomach for your last meal.
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Sleep well