Eat dinner early: Benefits for sleep, gut health & blood sugar

25th Oct 2024

By simply shifting your dinner time earlier, you could support your circadian rhythms, improve sleep, aid digestion and help regulate blood sugar levels.

Key points

• 5 benefits of eating dinner earlier
• 1. A well-synchronised circadian system 
• 2. Improved blood sugar control
• 3. Better use of calories
• 4. Better sleep, better digestion
• 5. Longer overnight fast
• Key takeaways: How to match meals to your body clock
• In daily life: 5 tips for earlier dinners

5 benefits of eating dinner earlier

1. A well-synchronised circadian system 

Our bodies operate on an internal timing system that synchronises key functions to occur at the right time—from sleep to the release of digestive hormones and insulin sensitivity. This clock is guided by cues from the environment, like natural light and meal timing, to stay aligned with the outside world. Eating during the day and getting sunlight help keep our circadian system in sync, while mistimed cues—such as artificial light or late-night eating—can disrupt these rhythms, impacting sleep, digestion and overall health.

2. Improved blood sugar control

These daily rhythms align with the earth’s light/dark cycle, promoting activity with morning cortisol and winding down at night as melatonin rises. This timing prepares us for food during the day and fasting at night, so functions like glucose metabolism work best in daylight and slow down in the evening. In human trials, eating earlier leads to better blood glucose and insulin responses than eating the same meal at night. So, by having dinner earlier, you can tap into these optimised responses to food.

3. Better use of calories

In a similar way, eating late at night has been repeatedly linked to increased body fat and a higher risk of obesity, possibly because our metabolic processes are less efficient in the evening.

4. Better sleep, better digestion

Eating too close to bedtime can lead to issues like heartburn or indigestion that affect sleep. Finishing your last bite earlier gives your body more time to digest, helping both digestion and sleep quality.

5. Longer overnight fast

Early dinners also mean a longer break from food overnight. Early research, mostly in animals, suggests this might trigger autophagy—a process where cells clear out old or damaged parts.

Key takeaways: How to match meals to your body clock

Find what helps you stay consistent: Regularity is another key aspect of circadian health, so find a balance between shifting dinner earlier and what works best for your routine.

Big breakfast, light dinner: Eating most of your food earlier in the day aligns with times when metabolic processes are most efficient. Try to increase protein and fibre in your breakfast to keep you full for longer.

Stick to daytime eating: Research suggests eating between 8-9 a.m. and 5-6 p.m. to stay aligned with your body clock, depending on when you wake up and go to sleep. Eat at least 3 hours before bed to aid digestion and fast for longer.

In daily life: 5 tips for earlier dinners

While the research is interesting, changing our eating habits can be tough, especially for those on late shifts.

Just remember, this is about what we do most of the time, not the occasional late-night meal with friends. Our goal is to inspire small, manageable changes for better health, without the pressure of perfection.

A few tips that might help:

1.  Set a regular dinner time: Review your schedule and find the earliest time that works for you.

2.  Try a new approach: Dinner is often seen as a time to unwind after a long day, so we tend to eat late. But we can eat earlier, finish our tasks and unwind in other ways. Plus, moving around after dinner is better for digestion and blood sugar levels.

3. Plan ahead: Prep your meals in advance to avoid last-minute cooking by chopping vegetables, marinating proteins or batch-cooking over the weekend.

4.  Focus on protein & fibre: Include plenty of vegetables and protein sources like beans, tofu, lentils and fish to help you feel full for longer and prevent late-night cravings.

5.  Create a wind-down routine: After an early dinner, find what helps you relax—brush your teeth to signal the end of mealtime, take a walk, do some light stretches, read or sip herbal tea before bed.

Need some recipe ideas? We've got loads of quick one-pot dinners on the Doctor’s Kitchen recipe hub. You can plan your meals and generate a shopping list to make your week easier.