A healthy dinner serves as an opportunity to nourish your body after a long day, replenish energy levels, and provide essential nutrients needed for overall health. However, eating dinner at the right time is as important as eating a healthy dinner. It is often recommended that eating early dinners is crucial for optimal health. Ideally, it's best to have dinner a few hours before going to bed. This allows the body to digest the food properly, which can improve sleep quality and prevent discomfort that might arise from going to bed on a full stomach. Eating at a consistent time can also help regulate the body's internal clock, supporting metabolic processes and promoting better health.
Advocating the same, Dr. Saurabh Sethi, popularly known as the gut doctor, a gastroenterologist trained at AIIMS, Harvard, and Stanford Universities, shared a detailed post on Instagram in which he explained how early dinners help boost health.
"Your dinner time matters more than your dinner plate," Dr. Sethi wrote.
Dr. Sethi further explained what happens when you eat late:
- Insulin sensitivity drops by 50% to 40%
- Fat burning slows down
- Sleep hormones (melatonin)
- Clash with your digestion
"This happens because your body keeps digesting when it is time to repair and detox. That's why you wake up heavy, bloated, or still tired, even after 8 hours of sleep. After sunset, melatonin rises naturally, and insulin release weakens. Eating late dinners can lead to poorer sleep and greater fat storage overnight," said Dr. Sethi.
Benefits of eating early dinners:
Research shows that those who ate dinner before 7 pm showed:
- 15% lower nighttime glucose
- Better insulin sensitivity
- Improved sleep quality
Even when calorie intake was identical
There are several benefits to having early dinners. Eating early allows for ample time to digest the food before sleep, which can lead to improved digestion and metabolism. It can also help prevent late-night snacking, which often involves unhealthy choices. An early dinner can lead to a better night's sleep, as it reduces the likelihood of experiencing acid reflux or discomfort when lying down. Additionally, it can help maintain stable energy levels for the following day and may even contribute to weight management.
Dr. Sethi described how eating dinner at different times affects health:
- 7 PM - Stable sugar, better sleep
- 9:30 PM - Higher sugar, slower repair
"For those with diabetes, prediabetes, or fatty liver, post-dinner sugar spikes are often 30-50% higher, sometimes more, depending on insulin resistance. This is why early dinner can help hormones and sugar control, especially for individuals with prediabetes, diabetes and fatty liver," Dr. Sethi concludes.
Moreover, regularly eating late may increase the risk of developing conditions like diabetes and heart disease, as it can interfere with healthy eating patterns and metabolic health.
In summary, dinner is a vital meal that plays a crucial role in maintaining physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Eating at the right time, preferably early, can enhance digestion, improve sleep quality, and support overall health. Avoiding late dinners can help maintain a balanced lifestyle and contribute to better long-term health outcomes.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
