I assume it should just be evenly spaced out relevant to the times you wake up and go to sleep, however, im wondering if the actual time of day, (like dusk vs dawn,) should be taken into consideration as well. Like could a nocturnal human thrive the same way as everyone else?
I’m by no means an expert in nutrition, but I work night shift and constantly am wondering the same thing. There are a few small studies that I’ve read about meal timing and how eating at night can cause impaired glucose tolerance. I stay on an entirely night schedule, and sleep from 10am to 6pmish so I guess I’m screwed. Curious to see what people who know more have to say
Food intake does affect your circadian rhythm; I think I’m pretty unusual so I won’t guess as to where to place a 3-meal day. But it matters, along with light level and activity.
Where you put things depends on your goals somewhat. If you’re trying to lose weight or avoid metabolic syndrome, you might try waiting a while in the morning before eating, or eating more fats and protein early on. Consider whether multiple meal times hold any benefit for your particular uses.
We all have different patterns, and they change over our lifetimes. There have been some studies on people living underground, but really I don’t think we should expect experiments to address the issue successfully. Just watch your sleep hygiene, and go with your intuition I would say.
Most recent studies I’ve read seem to indicate that it’s best to eat the bulk of your calories and most of the carbohydrates you consume in the morning and then stopping sometime around sunset or at least a couple hours before going to sleep.
So basically fuel up in the morning, use that energy throughout the day and go to sleep with an empty tank and let your body focus on repair and reset while you sleep.
That’s not to say there aren’t various hacks to use for weight loss and reducing insulin events and timing workouts in a fasted state and pre/post workout nutrition. But for the average human, eat in the mornings, burn energy during the day, sleep on an empty stomach.