The hustle and bustle of daily life often takes precious time away from mealtime, which often takes a back seat to work, errands, social obligations, and entertainment. For most of us, dinner is always a late-night affair. However, Dr Shikha Singh, Clinical Nutritionist, underscored the cruciality of finishing your dinner before 7 PM, at OnlyMyHealth’s Poshan Summit 2023.
Early Dinner: A Game Changer For Your Health
“An essential tip that I always share through my YouTube channel, Instagram and to my personal clients is to finish your dinner before seven every day! An early dinner plays a vital role in weight management and maintaining good health,” shared Dr Singh, while addressing the attendees of the panel discussion on the hidden link between diet and diseases.
Also Read: What's The Best Time To Eat Dinner If You Want To Lose Weight, Expert Answers
Better Digestion
“As the night approaches the metabolism of our body decreases. By finishing your dinner earlier, you give your digestive system ample time to process the food before bedtime. The later you will have your dinner, the more it will stay undigested in your stomach. This undigested food will be converted into fat, which causes obesity, indigestion, acid reflux, and bloating,” informed Dr Singh.
Weight Management
Eating late at night can wreak havoc on your weight management efforts. When you consume calories close to bedtime, your body may not have a chance to burn them off effectively. This can lead to weight gain over time. By finishing your dinner by 7 PM, you give your body more time to metabolise the food before sleep.
Better Sleep Quality
Late-night meals can disrupt your sleep cycle. Your body needs time to wind down and prepare for rest. When you eat late, your body is still actively digesting food when it should be focused on rest and repair. This can result in poor sleep quality and leave you feeling groggy in the morning.
Hormonal Balance
Eating late can also disrupt your body's hormonal balance. It may interfere with the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating sleep. It can also affect ghrelin and leptin, hormones that control hunger and fullness, potentially leading to overeating.
Blood Sugar Control
Consuming carbohydrates late at night can lead to blood sugar spikes and crashes. By finishing your dinner earlier in the evening, you allow your body to better regulate blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. This has been proven in a study published in Molecular Diversity Preservation International, which showed that eating dinner by 6pm resulted in better average blood glucose levels the following day compared with eating dinner late at 9pm.
Improved Metabolism
Your metabolism naturally slows down as you prepare for sleep. Late-night eating can further suppress your metabolic rate, as your body has no food in its system at a time when its metabolism is still functioning efficiently, making it used to not working hard to digest the food properly. Eating earlier in the evening supports a more efficient metabolism, making it easier to maintain or lose weight.
Also Read: Say No To Late Night Dinner: Experts Explain Benefits Of Having Early Dinner
Mindful Eating
Finishing dinner by 7pm also encourages mindful eating. Eating earlier makes you less likely to snack mindlessly in front of the TV or computer. This can help you make healthier food choices and control your portion sizes.
Optimising The Benefits Of An Early Dinner
Dr Singh recommended combining seven to eight hours of sleep every day, daily physical activity for 30 minutes, at least three litres of water throughout the day, and controlling your stress can further boost the immunity provided by an early dinner routine.
Emphasising the importance of eating a light dinner, she added, “Lighter the dinner, the easier it will be for you to sleep properly. The better you sleep, the better your body’s digestion will be.”
In conclusion, making the effort to finish your dinner by 7 pm can have a positive impact on your digestion, sleep, weight management, and overall well-being. It's a simple lifestyle change that can lead to significant health benefits. However, the best time to finish dinner may vary from person to person. It's important to listen to your body's signals of hunger and fullness. If you find that you're naturally hungry earlier in the evening, finishing your dinner by 7 PM could be the right choice for you. It is advisable to consult a healthcare provider in case you have preexisting medical issues or dietary restrictions, before making any changes to your food habits.