When Should You Eat Dinner?

 

Do you know that eating for better health also depends on what you eat and when you eat? Unfortunately, while thousands of health information on society exist, most don’t discuss this critical topic. 

 

And this is more critical important for dinner time. Plus, if you have any medical condition, such as acid reflux, or are on a weight loss plan. 

 

In 3 minutes or even less, you will know exactly when to eat dinner depending on your medical condition or health target. 

 

Is There A Specific Ideal Time Of Day For Dinner?

According to studies in 2016, most individuals (especially adults) have an inconsistent eating pattern. In a population of 156 in the research, about 73 people eat within the difference of approximately 15 hours. While some will continue to eat snacks till midnight, others typically stop eating by 4 pm. 

 

In conclusion, your dinner time should depend on your medical condition. For example, when should you eat if you want to lose weight? If you have acid reflux, what time should you eat? Well, you’ll have answers to these questions in a moment. 

 

For Acid Reflux

GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a common medical condition in adults. It occurs when acids from the stomach flow back to the esophagus, making you feel some burning sensation in the chest region. 

 

Weakness in the lower esophagus sphincter (LES) is responsible for GERD. Also, some foods, stress, meal timing, and composition are other factors that aggravate GERD.  

 

In a 2005 study, researchers conclude that the last meal of individuals with GERD should be at least 3 hours before laying down to sleep. And this is meant to give enough windows for the digestion of the food, decreasing the possibility of a backward flow of the food mixed with acids from the stomach. 

 

For instance, if you have GERD and usually go to bed by 9:00 pm, you are supposed to stop eating from 6:00 pm. 

 

 

For Weight Loss

Eating fewer calories is the most known weight loss approach. But along with proper timing is better. 

 

According to some studies, people on weight loss programs should eat their final meal for the day before getting ready for sleep. And this is the same time before your system starts to discharge melatonin. 

 

In response to the usual darkness and lightness periods of the day, your system starts discharging melatonin during the night. This is closely associated with your body’s metabolism, and is known as circadian rhythm. 

 

According to 2017 research, it was revealed that eating later into the night (when you’re preparing to sleep) increases your body fat. However, this also depends on the type of food, the amount, and your physical activity or inactivity. 

 

As noticed in shift workers who have to eat at nights, eating later in the night raises your risk of gaining weight and other health problems since it alters an ideal circadian rhythm, as other studies agree. 

 

In addition, eating late at night is linked to increased calorie intake. In a research carried out in 2013, overweight women ate a weight-loss diet for three months. 

 

While they were subjected to the same calorie throughout the periods, those who consumed their highest calories in the morning lost about three times more weight than those who ate theirs at night. 

 

However, you should still eat healthy snacks when you’re hungry at night. But it is always best to eat dinner before sunset if you are on a weight loss program. This will prevent your meal from interrupting your normal circadian rhythm. 

 

Conclusion

Eating an evening meal before the sun sets is recommended if you’re trying to lose weight or avoid acid reflux and other possible health problems. This will allow your system some hours to digest before bedtime.