The right time to eat dinner affects your sleep, digestion, and overall health. Both Ayurveda and doctors emphasize the importance of maintaining a proper time gap between eating and sleeping.
The right time to eat at night
In today's hectic lives, we often eat late at night and go to sleep immediately. Sometimes, because of work, sometimes because we're staring at the phone or watching TV, we lose track of time. Do you know how the right time to eat dinner affects your sleep, digestion, and overall health? Both Ayurveda and doctors emphasize the importance of maintaining a proper time gap between eating and sleeping.
Eating at the right time not only ensures proper digestion but also promotes deep and restful sleep. So, let's explore how long before bedtime you should eat. Ayurveda and doctors have a say on this matter.
How long before bedtime should you eat?
According to Ayurveda and doctors, dinner should be eaten at least 2 to 3 hours before bedtime for good digestion and better sleep. Allowing this much time allows the food to digest properly and reduces the risk of problems like acidity, gas, or heartburn. For those with GERD or frequent acid reflux, a gap of 3 hours or more is considered even more beneficial. For example, if you go to bed at 10 pm, you should eat dinner between 7 and 8 pm, and if you go to bed at 11 pm, it's better to eat dinner by 8 pm, so that your stomach remains light at bedtime and you get a good night's sleep.
Why is it important to differentiate between eating and sleeping?
1. Eating is done properly - After eating, the body needs time to digest food. If we lie down immediately, digestion cannot take place properly.
2. Prevention of acidity and heartburn - Lying down immediately after eating can cause stomach acid to rise upwards, which can lead to problems like acid reflux, heartburn, and sour belching.
3. For sound and deep sleep - During sleep, the body repairs itself, relaxes the mind, and maintains hormonal balance. If the stomach is heavy or digestion is ongoing, sleep can be interrupted frequently.
4. For weight and metabolism – Eating late at night slows down the metabolism, fat starts accumulating, and there is a risk of weight gain.
What should be eaten at night, and what should not be eaten?
At night, eat light and easily digestible foods like boiled or lightly cooked vegetables, lentils, porridge, a small amount of roti or rice, lukewarm milk (with turmeric), a few almonds or walnuts, and plain yogurt (in small quantities). Avoid heavy dinners, fried or spicy foods, excessive sweets or sugary snacks, caffeine (tea, coffee), and fruits (especially very sweet or heavy fruits) late at night.
