Having a Large Meal at Night Disrupts Sleep, Study Finds

Amy Taylor July 31, 2015

With all that’s going on, skipping meals during the day and pushing back dinnertime to later in the evening has become more of a trend among many of us. But eating too much in the evening may have a negative impact on the quality of our sleep, new research revealed.

The new study, carried out by scientists from Brazil’s Universidade Federal de São Paul, found that the timing of food intake may have a significant effect on sleep patterns. According to them, eating more in the evening hours, near to bedtime, may result in disruptions to healthy sleep patterns. And women may be especially vulnerable to these food-related sleep disruptions.

They found that eating more heavily at night was associated with deterioration to several measurements of sleep quality. They also found that women were more vulnerable to the negative effects of night-time eating on sleep.

Their study involved 52 adults ages 19-45 – all were healthy non-smokers, free of sleep disorders, and have normal weight. Researchers monitored the participants’ sleep overnight in a laboratory setting. Outside the lab, they went about their normal daily lives. The subjects were also instructed not to engage in any additional exercise beyond their normal routine, and were asked to abstain from alcohol and to avoid tea and coffee in the evening.

Furthermore, participants were asked to keep track of their daily food intake. They were also asked to provide as much information about their diet, including the type of meals they prepare, the portion sizes and timing.

Their findings revealed that men who consumed higher amounts of fat in the evening hours had lower sleep efficiency scores, and spent less time in REM sleep. Meanwhile, women’s sleep patterns experienced disruption linked to both evening fat consumption and overall calorie consumption in the evenings. Higher fat intake was also linked to lower sleep efficiency among men and women.

While many studies have shown how sleep affects eating habits, hunger, cravings and weight. For instance, it has been told that lack of sleep can make us eat more during waking hours and crave for less healthy foods. Poor sleep is also linked to varying health problems, including diabetes, obesity and metabolic disorders.

But too little attention was given on the effect of eating timing on sleep. The new study provides some detailed preliminary information suggesting that night-time eating can significantly interfere with several mechanisms of sleep, and impede sleep quality.

Source of this article: Eating at Night Disrupts Sleep