The stomach works great at night
Everyone has heard that if you eat before bedtime, food will be deposited as fat or not digested because the intestines don't work at night. Yes, salivation, swallowing frequency, and upper esophageal sphincter pressure are reduced during sleep. However, the bowels are working. Studies show that the highest secretion of gastric juice is between 10 pm and 2 am, the peristalsis of the small intestine is higher at night than during the day, and gastric emptying is faster at night than in the morning.
Quantity matters more than what time food is eaten
It is scientifically proven that calories do not become more harmful after 6 pm — they are the same at any time of day. You can make a meal plan as you feel comfortable, for example, move the main meal to the evening. The most important thing is not exceeding the planned daily calorie intake. For the body, it is more important to consider what you eat and in what quantity.
Eating in the evening is a normal habit
The body adapts to a regular eating schedule. Therefore, if you get used to having dinner late in the evening the body adjusts to this mode of eating and starts a chain of reactions so that the process goes as necessary. The gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and digestive organs work the way they are supposed to during both waking and sleeping periods.
4. Evening hunger leads to breakdowns
When thinking about losing weight, many people choose the path of least resistance — eliminate a certain meal or food. The easiest way is to eliminate dinner. Unfortunately, many people get hungry before bed. Skipping dinner often causes people to snap and eat much more than they would at a normal dinner.
5. You can eat carbs at night
Some believe that carbs should be eaten only in the morning so that they can be spent during the day. However, not all carbs are the same. You really should not eat fast carbohydrates, like flour and sweets, for dinner. The ideal dinner is no more than 250 kilocalories and includes complex carbohydrates and protein. Eating this gives a feeling of fullness without excess weight gain. Foods with magnesium and potassium (relax muscles and calm the nervous system), tryptophan, and vitamin B6 (help synthesize sleep hormones) are especially good before bed.
6. A serving of protein for dinner improves sleep
Hunger is often the cause of insomnia. Eat a protein of two hard-boiled eggs or a piece of lean meat with your vegetables in the evening. For example, a chicken breast, or 100 grams of turkey is enough to increase the duration of deep sleep. Animal protein contains tryptophan, an amino acid that improves the quality of sleep. But you should remember that it is better to eat dinner 1-2 hours before sleep.
7. When we sleep, we also lose weight
In addition to the fact that at night the body expends calories to maintain life, it also produces many hormones — one of which is somatotropin. It is responsible for a good mood and for losing weight at night. In the morning you will notice that you will lose 10-14 ounces on the scale. And if you go to bed hungry, in the morning you will see a roughly 2 lb. increase due to water retention in the body. However, this does not mean that you have to eat too much in the evening.
8. Dinner with the company gives positive emotions
For many, the evening dinner with family or in a cafe with friends is a tradition, a rest, and part of social life. Not taking part in this will cause hunger and irritation, especially if you see other people enjoying their dinners. This will cause a bad mood, a feeling of isolation, and breakdowns such as overeating when alone.
