Adopting an early dinner routine can offer a range of health benefits, in contrast to the common habit of eating lightly for breakfast, having a large lunch, and a heavy dinner.
Humans are not “nocturnal,” so aligning eating habits with the body’s natural circadian rhythm can lead to significant improvements in overall health.
9 Benefits of an Early Dinner
Here are nine potential benefits of having an early dinner:
- Improved Sleep Quality: Eating dinner two to 2.5 hours before bedtime allows the body to complete the main digestion process, enabling the digestive system to rest. This helps prevent digestive issues from disrupting sleep and can lead to more efficient bodily functions.
- Weight Loss: Eating earlier can aid in weight management by boosting metabolism and promoting a form of intermittent fasting. During fasting, the body uses stored fat for energy, which can enhance metabolic activity.
- Constipation Relief: An early dinner promotes a well-rested digestive system, which can lead to “healthier excretory system” function, improved bowel movements, and “alleviate flatulence.”
- Increased Energy: This practice can make you feel “lighter and more energetic” in the morning, making it easier to wake up and be more productive. It may also make workouts more effective.
- Better Appetite Regulation: An early dinner can prevent you from skipping breakfast and help regulate your appetite throughout the day, aligning with the “breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper” philosophy.
- Reduced Acid Reflux: Eating dinner at least three hours before sleeping can significantly reduce the risk of acid reflux, a “burning sensation in the chest” caused by eating right before bed.
- Lower Risk of Heart Attack: Having dinner at least three hours before bedtime can lower the risk of a heart attack. Eating late can disrupt the natural decrease in blood pressure that occurs during sleep, keeping it elevated.
- Reduced Risk of Diabetes: By eating two to three hours before bedtime, the body can “more effectively convert food into glucose,” which helps maintain proper insulin levels and can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Decreased Risk of Cancer: Eating dinner just before bedtime has been linked to a higher risk of certain cancers. The article notes that men who eat late have a “15% increased risk of prostate cancer,” while women have a “15% increased risk of breast cancer.” Eating earlier may reduce these risks.
