Is Eating Before Bed Bad?

A lot of individuals believe eating before bed is a terrible idea.

This is frequently based on the idea that eating before bed causes weight gain. Some contend that a snack before night can help with a diet plan for weight loss.

What then should you think? The truth is that not everyone will have the same response. It greatly depends on the individual.

Eating before bed is debatable.

Nutritionists are debating whether or not it is advisable to eat before bed, which is understood to be between dinner and bedtime.

According to conventional knowledge, eating before bed could result in weight gain since, when you sleep, your metabolism often slows down. This can raise the possibility that the calories will not burn.

Alternatively, some medical professionals assert that eating before bed is completely acceptable and may even enhance weight loss or sleep.

It follows that it is not surprising that many people are unsure about their best course of action.

There is evidence to support both sides of the debate, which is part of the issue.

Even though many people think that weight gain results from a reduced metabolism when sleeping, your basal metabolic rate at night is virtually as high as it is during the day. While you sleep, your body still needs a lot of energy.

Additionally, there is less evidence to support the notion that calories are more important before bed than they are at any other time of the day.

It might result in bad habits.

There is currently no conclusive physiological explanation for why eating before bed should result in weight gain. But numerous studies demonstrate that those who eat before night are more likely to gain weight.

Contrary to what you may anticipate, the explanation is easier. It turns out that those who eat before night are more likely to put on weight simply because a bedtime snack counts as an additional meal and contains additional calories.

Additionally, some people tend to feel the most hungry in the evening.

The hunger hormone ghrelin tends to spike in the evening in those who are stressed, according to research. This increases the likelihood that a snack before night may cause you to consume more calories than you need each day.

Some people enjoy snacking at night while watching TV or using their laptops, so it’s not surprising that these behaviors could result in weight gain.

Furthermore, because they didn’t eat enough during the day, some people get ravenously hungry right before night.

A cycle of excessive eating before bed, being too full to eat much the next morning, and then being excessively hungry before bed the next evening can result from this acute hunger.

This pattern, which demonstrates why many people should have balanced meals throughout the day, can easily result in overeating and weight gain.

It would appear that the issue with eating at night may not be directly related to your metabolism changing to fat storage at night. Instead, late-night munching, which raises your calorie consumption, can lead to weight gain.

If you have acid reflux, avoid it.

In the US, 18.1 to 27.8% of persons suffering from the prevalent ailment known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). When stomach acid or other gastric contents rush back into your throat, it occurs.

Heartburn, difficulty swallowing, a lump in the throat, and tooth erosions are among the symptoms.

Avoid eating before bed if you experience any of these symptoms because lying down makes regurgitation considerably simpler.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to refrain from eating for at least 3 hours before going to bed if you have GERD.

You might also want to refrain from consuming or eating anything that contains alcohol, coffee, tea, chocolate, or hot spices. These foods can all make symptoms worse.

SUMMARY

People with acid reflux should avoid eating for at least three hours before going to bed. Additionally, they might want to stay away from trigger foods, which can exacerbate symptoms.

Potential advantages

For some people, eating before bed may not be a good idea, but for others, it can be advantageous because it may prevent midnight snacking and promote weight reduction.

Evidence suggests that consuming a snack before bed may aid in weight loss for some people rather than contribute to weight gain.

Having a planned snack after dinner rather than continuously “grazing” will help you control your appetite and possibly stop you from overeating if you tend to consume a large part of your calories after dinner.

Adults who started eating one bowl of cereal and milk 90 minutes after supper consumed an average of 397 fewer calories per day during a 4-week study of night snackers.

Final results showed that this change alone caused individuals to lose an average of 1.85 pounds (0.84 kg).

According to this study, including a little after-dinner snack may make night snackers feel full enough to eat less than they otherwise would. Additionally, it might eventually help you lose weight.