Early dinner is not just beneficial for weight management and better digestion but might even help you sleep better and may also improve your overall energy levels. Yes, that late night binge on snacks or ice-cream that might feel very comforting to you is in fact doing you more harm than any good.

Sharing how early dinner can improve your sleep, nutritionist Rashi Chowdhary took to Instagram and explained, “Melatonin is your sleep hormone which starts to get released in your bloodstream after sunset. And when you have a large meal post sunset, you’ll also release insulin which raises cortisol which is your stress hormone, this is the basic metabolic response for digestion of food. Now, the thing is cortisol and melatonin compete with each other and cannot survive together which can lead to a lot of hormonal issues.”

Chowdhary said that when you start eating dinner early you give your body enough time “to release melatonin to a point where between 10pm to 2am when it reaches its peak growth hormone, repair enzymes, restorative enzymes all of these get secreted and that’s why you wake up feeling energetic and refreshed”.

How early dinner improves sleep

Speaking with indianexpress.com, Dr. G Sushma, Consultant, Clinical Dietician, CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad concurred with Chowdhary and shared various health benefits of early dinner, such as:

• Improved digestion: Eating dinner early allows your body more time to digest the food before you go to bed. This can help prevent issues like acid reflux or indigestion that may arise when you lie down with a full stomach. When you eat earlier, your digestive system can work more efficiently, breaking down and absorbing nutrients effectively.
• Enhanced sleep quality: Having an early dinner can promote better sleep quality. When you eat a heavy meal close to bedtime, your body may still be digesting the food, which can disrupt sleep and cause discomfort. By finishing dinner early, you allow your body to focus on rest and recovery during sleep rather than digestion.
• Weight management: Studies suggest that eating earlier in the day may be beneficial for weight management. It gives your body more time to metabolise the consumed calories and utilise them for energy throughout the day. Additionally, an early dinner may help regulate hunger hormones, reducing late-night snacking or overeating.
• Stabilise blood sugar levels: Eating an early dinner can help maintain stable blood sugar levels. When you consume a meal and give your body ample time to digest it before sleep, it helps prevent spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels, promoting better overall metabolic health.
• Increased energy levels: When you have an early dinner, your body has more time to digest the food and absorb nutrients. This can provide a steady release of energy throughout the evening and into the next morning, promoting sustained energy levels and preventing energy crashes.

How early dinner is good for digestion and weight management

Diet modification for weight loss is the first and easiest strategy. There are two parts to this — one is the type of food and the other is the timing of meals. “In the diet-type change, the most effective method is probably reducing carbohydrates,” said Dr Sumit Talwar, Consultant, General, Laparoscopic and Minimal Access Surgery, Bariatric Surgery, Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road, and Whitefield.

He added, “Regarding the timing of meals, many methods are in vogue and almost all of them are effective. Intermittent fasting involves a long period of no food intake. Early dinner is one of the methods of intermittent fasting. Early dinner is helpful in many ways apart from increasing the fasting time. It also improves sleep hygiene and will be helpful in reducing reflux and improving the quality of sleep.”

Ushakiran Sisodia, Registered Dietician and Clinical Nutritionist, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai also agrees that early dinner has various health benefits. “An early dinner consumed at least two hours before sleeping can offer better blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity, which reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, because you give your body sufficient time to digest food before you go to bed, your digestion improves and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be relieved,” she said.