Eating healthy food is not enough. The right time to consume healthy food is essential. The question is not always “WHAT to eat?” but it is also important to ask “WHEN to eat?”. It is recommended to have your dinner around 7 pm- 8 pm. 

Our body has an internal rhythm that schedules the timing of functioning of the body. This rhythm is known as “circadian rhythm” which is a natural body clock that assists in making changes and adjustments to the body according to the environment, activities, sleeping, eating, and digestion. Therefore, timing is everything. It can have a direct impact on your body metabolic process, weight process, health, and also sleep cycle. 

Try to consume all your meals within a time period from 6 am to 7 pm in smaller meals so that you don’t have to starve yourself. As always suggested by doctors, ‘eat breakfast like a king and dinner like a beggar’. 

A Good night

We all love to binge-watch our favorite shows with some late-night snacks. But you should know that this is not a healthy habit. Doctors have stated that eating close to your sleeping time can give rise to digestive issues and heartburn. You will find it harder to sleep with such uneasiness. Late eating habits can make your body function in a ‘high alert’ situation which automatically disturbs the circadian rhythm. During night time, your body is in a healing state, and eating late will interfere with your body with powering down. 

But if food is consumed early, the body will digest it properly and you will have a good night and a good energized morning. 

Weight loss

It has been stated by experts that 6 am to 7 pm is the best period of the day to have all your meals as it helps in decreasing the good amount of calorie consumption overall. The reason behind it could be because the time of consuming food has been decreased automatically brings down less calorie intake. In the times of overnight fasting, fat reduction takes place as the body gets time to settle in the ketosis state. A ketosis state is said to be a natural body state at the time when the body is completely fat-fueled. You can say, the stored fat is being used by the body for energy purposes. 

Nutritionists such as Dr. Rupali Dutta have mentioned that there is a chain of events. Early dinner leads to proper digestion and good digestion is followed with weight reduction. The body works like the timing of the sun. There is limited movement of the body is food is eating near bedtime which causes indigestion of food in intestines. But if the food is consumed early, the food will be utilized nicely. Chances are high that if calories consumed are not taken into use, they will turn into fat. 

Healthier heart

Individuals who are victims of diseases such as PCOD, diabetes, heart illness, and thyroid are advised to eat less and ear early in the evening, especially Indians who have dinner food high in sodium such as papad, vegetables to meat, dal, all other dishes which are all mixed with a large amount of salt. If such food is consumed at late hours of the night, water retention, high blood pressure, and bloating are some health problems that people might face. 

People continue to consume a large amount of carbs and sodium in their supper. This could also bring risk to their heart and blood vessels. Hypertension patients are recommended to intake more oats, complex carbs, bran chapatis, and brown rice as they are healthier and better alternatives.

Energetic day

Eating early and going to sleep on time can make your body in the right schedule and function better. Early waking up can make you feel energetic and provides timely consumption of meals. Your physical, as well as mental health, will remain healthy and positive. 

Conclusion

It is advised to maintain a gap of 2-3 hours between dinner and sleep time. People who have late dinner can possibly become victims of “non-dipper hypertension”. Ideally, there should be a blood pressure drop of about 10% during the night for resting purposes but in “non-dipper hypertension” state, there might be a failure of blood pressure dropping. In the case where pressure continues to stay raised, there are chances of heart disease or possibly a stroke. 

In situations where you have a craving in the night time, do not stay an empty stomach. It can cause a whole lot of other health issues if the stomach stays empty of long periods. Try to consume food that is rich in protein, low calories, and low carbs.