A common question among everyone who wants to lead a healthy lifestyle is whether they should eat before bed. Although the answer to this question is fairly straightforward, the wide array of different opinions online can make it confusing.
Moreover, like it’s often the case, the information online is largely based on myths rather than science. Thus, in this article we will help you to finally understand if snacking before bed is good for you, according to most recent research as well as traditional medicine.
The reason why many of existing articles lack quality, is because they focus on the short-term goals instead of long-term effects on your body. For instance, you may feel or sleep better when you eat before bed, but you are at the higher risk of many diseases. And while we seem to be confused by that today, ancient medicine has established this rule thousands of years ago. Ayurveda, for example, proposes that your body is most active in terms of digestion between 10 pm and 2 am. That means your body is in its phase of cleansing, removing all the toxins that pile up in your body during the day. However, that process is only possible if your stomach is empty. Thus, if you’re looking for the best solution for your overall health and anti-aging, you should stop eating several hours before sleep.
Like with all others, there is an exception to this rule as well. The ones who can indulge in this habit are catabolic people who lose weight too fast and suffer from blood sugar dysregulation. For them, snacking before bed can be helpful and is even encouraged. However, it may be surprising that the best snack for them is actually high quality fat, rather than carbohydrates that are usually recommended. For instance, a handful of nuts, avocado or a full-fat yoghurt would be a great evening meal. Even so, that is not something you’d want to do in the long run, as your main goal should be to balance your blood sugar levels, and eradicate this issue all together.
To sum up, if you want to maintain a healthy and functional body, you should avoid snacking before bed. Allow your body to detoxify, and you’ll see improvements in your weight and overall health in no time.
Find out about the right choice for you and how to balance your meals for optimal metabolic health by booking your lifestyle consultation with one of our experts.