Bright lights, loud noises, snoring partners and even the wrong-sized pillows can make for a night of twists and turns, but one thing you may not have considered is the meal time for your evening meal. In most households, dinner is often eaten between 6pm and 7pm, but if you eat later than that, according to the experts, you could be harming your sleep quality.
Nutritionist Toby King, on behalf of BunkBeds.co.uk, warns that eating before bedtime could have a big effect on how easily you fall asleep and the overall quality of your sleep. Toby said: “Want amazing sleep? Stop eating at least two hours before bedtime.”
What time to stop eating for a good night’s sleep
After a meal, your heart works harder to send more blood to your digestive organs, which involves an increase in heart rate and stroke volume. Your heart rate can stay increased for around two hours, after that, it should return to normal. However, if you eat larger meals or foods that can elevate your heart rate then you should give yourself more time before trying to sleep.
Toby said: “On the safe side try to give yourself two to three hours before going to bed after eating and cut out foods that can elevate your heart rate. Foods high in sodium can raise your heart rate, as well as foods that contain tyramine such as parmesan and gorgonzola, soy sauce or salami, all of these foods can affect your blood pressure and raise your heart rate.”
An elevated heart rate before bedtime can disrupt your sleep, making it harder to relax and transition into a deep, restful state. When your heart rate is high, it signals to your body that it’s not yet ready for sleep.
The peak increase in heart rate usually occurs between 30-60 minutes after eating and then slowly returns to normal after a few hours, but your meal size, nutrients in the meal and overall cardiovascular health can play a role.
Toby said: “If you do have to eat close to your bedtime, keep the meal smaller and try to minimise your salt and carbohydrate intake as these will keep your heart rate elevated for longer. An elevated heart rate can make it harder to wind down for the evening and can cause you to wake up during the night. If possible, I would get my larger meals during the day and then eat a small snack such as a slice of whole-wheat toast with a thin layer of avocado a few hours before bedtime.”