My eating window is 4-11, and I go to bed about an hour later. I’m active during the day, and pretty sedentary at night.
Would I benefit from altering my eating window, or does it not make a difference?
Thank y’all!
Edit: was hoping for good news but got a reality check instead 😆 I’ll work to love my eating window up.
Whether fasting or not, going to sleep an hour after you’ve eaten (especially a large meal) is not recommended as it provides poor-quality sleep, and does not provide a long enough time span for quality digestion. Other side effects can be indigestion, heartburn, acid reflux, as well as general discomfort. At the end of the day, while I don’t have any literature on it, it only makes sense that the extra time between ending your fast, going to sleep, and waking up the next morning would provide an even better-fasted state.
I’d recommend at least a 2-hour gap before bed, so stop your eating window at 10pm. I’d also recommend taking a short walk after dinner, at least 10-15 min, to help the digestion process as well.
You will definitely benefit from eating before 11 pm. When you sleep, your body functions start to slow down, including your digestive system. So it takes longer to break down the food. Plus, you need at least a 3 hour window to give the food time to digest so you don’t get any problems with acid reflux/heartburn, especially after a dense meal. So if you still want to eat late, then you should eat at 9:30 at its latest.