Imagine you’ve been working hard to achieve your weight loss goals by following a strict meal plan. But despite your best efforts, you’re struggling to shed those last few pounds. On top of that, you find yourself tossing and turning at night, unable to fall asleep. And there goes that sleep schedule you tried so hard to keep…
We are always told that what we eat matters, and how much we eat matters even more. But, interestingly enough, when we eat is just as important. We humans live on a so-called biological clock, or circadian rhythm. Throughout evolution, this has helped us stay in sync with our environment. This clock tells our bodies when to fall asleep and when to wake up. It also tells our bodies what hormones to produce when, which thus affects how you feel at times. It used to work well before our time but unfortunately, in the modern world with constant exposure to artificial light, hectic schedules, and unreliable meal times, our natural circadian rhythms are sometimes disrupted. These disruptions get us out of sync with our internal rhythm and, thus, our wellbeing. This may sound scary and out of our control, but fear not! 1-2
Have you ever heard of something called a “zeitgeber”? The word comes from German, with zeit meaning “time” and geber meaning “giver” – time-giver. Some examples of zeitgebers are eating patterns, physical activity, exposure to light, and temperature changes. They help our body know what time it is, and they do that through hormones. For example, light exposure during the day stimulates the production of the hormone cortisol to make us feel awake and alert, and the absence of light at night can stimulate the production of the hormone melatonin, which helps us sleep. 3-4
That’s where time-restricted eating (TRE) comes in! TRE is a way of eating where we consume all of our daily calories within a specific time frame, usually ending a few hours before bedtime. By following regular patterns of eating, our bodies can regulate the production of hormones that are involved in metabolism and hunger cues. This helps our bodies stay on track and work the way they’re supposed to, which is very important for our overall health. 5-6
Is it really that bad to eat in the evening?
We’re all guilty of enjoying a late-night snack every now and then. But eating too much late at night simply makes it harder to sleep. If we eat too much, our cortisol levels go up. And at the same time, our melatonin levels go down. Not exactly the best combination for a good night’s sleep! And there’s more. When we eat something, our body produces hormones that make us feel full. Unfortunately, at night, we need to eat more to get the same amount of these hormones. And eating more could lead to weight gain and higher blood pressure. Altogether, limiting late night snacking could make us feel much better in the long term. 7-9
Benefits of TRE
Intermittent fasting. Sounds familiar? It’s a form of TRE that has become popular in the last decade. Basically, you only eat within a certain window of time during the day, and you fast (which means no food, only water) for the rest of the day. While there are many ways to practice TRE, an eating window of 8 hours is most common. That means fasting for 16 hours, most of which is sleeping, fortunately! Most people who practice intermittent fasting usually eat between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. This means that they are finished eating in the evening, hours before they are going to bed. Eating this way can help your body control your blood sugar levels, make your heart and brain healthier, and help you lose weight. 10-13
Don’t worry. That is not to say that you can’t ever enjoy a late dinner with your friends on the weekend. A recent study found that engaging in TRE for just five days a week already provides plenty of health benefits. This way of eating is commonly known as the “5:2” method: 5 days on, 2 days off the diet14. So, even when you take some days off, you are still doing something amazing for your body.
Does how often we eat also matter?
Yes, eating more often throughout the day can actually help people maintain a healthy weight and be healthier, according to a recent study. But, it’s not just because they eat more often! It’s because they are more aware of their hunger cues and eat when they start to feel hungry. This helps them eat less at night and not snack too much. So, the results were more related to the timing of the meals than their frequency. 13
Take-home message
While it’s important to be aware of the impact that the timing of your meals has, it is more important to never ignore your hunger cues. Listening to your body is crucial for both your mental and physical wellbeing. After all, life’s too short not to have some popcorn while unwinding and watching a late-night movie with your loved ones. But, if your goal is to improve your health and sleeping patterns or to lose weight, TRE is something worth trying out.
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Why When You Eat Matters
We know that what we eat matters, but when you eat is just as important. Stay tuned to see how it impacts sleep, health, and weight.
October 11th, 2023
Imagine you’ve been working hard to achieve your weight loss goals by following a strict meal plan. But despite your best efforts, you’re struggling to shed those last few pounds. On top of that, you find yourself tossing and turning at night, unable to fall asleep. And there goes that sleep schedule you tried so hard to keep…
We are always told that what we eat matters, and how much we eat matters even more. But, interestingly enough, when we eat is just as important. We humans live on a so-called biological clock, or circadian rhythm. Throughout evolution, this has helped us stay in sync with our environment. This clock tells our bodies when to fall asleep and when to wake up. It also tells our bodies what hormones to produce when, which thus affects how you feel at times. It used to work well before our time but unfortunately, in the modern world with constant exposure to artificial light, hectic schedules, and unreliable meal times, our natural circadian rhythms are sometimes disrupted. These disruptions get us out of sync with our internal rhythm and, thus, our wellbeing. This may sound scary and out of our control, but fear not! 1-2
Have you ever heard of something called a “zeitgeber”? The word comes from German, with zeit meaning “time” and geber meaning “giver” – time-giver. Some examples of zeitgebers are eating patterns, physical activity, exposure to light, and temperature changes. They help our body know what time it is, and they do that through hormones. For example, light exposure during the day stimulates the production of the hormone cortisol to make us feel awake and alert, and the absence of light at night can stimulate the production of the hormone melatonin, which helps us sleep. 3-4
That’s where time-restricted eating (TRE) comes in! TRE is a way of eating where we consume all of our daily calories within a specific time frame, usually ending a few hours before bedtime. By following regular patterns of eating, our bodies can regulate the production of hormones that are involved in metabolism and hunger cues. This helps our bodies stay on track and work the way they’re supposed to, which is very important for our overall health. 5-6
Is it really that bad to eat in the evening?
We’re all guilty of enjoying a late-night snack every now and then. But eating too much late at night simply makes it harder to sleep. If we eat too much, our cortisol levels go up. And at the same time, our melatonin levels go down. Not exactly the best combination for a good night’s sleep! And there’s more. When we eat something, our body produces hormones that make us feel full. Unfortunately, at night, we need to eat more to get the same amount of these hormones. And eating more could lead to weight gain and higher blood pressure. Altogether, limiting late night snacking could make us feel much better in the long term. 7-9
Benefits of TRE
Intermittent fasting. Sounds familiar? It’s a form of TRE that has become popular in the last decade. Basically, you only eat within a certain window of time during the day, and you fast (which means no food, only water) for the rest of the day. While there are many ways to practice TRE, an eating window of 8 hours is most common. That means fasting for 16 hours, most of which is sleeping, fortunately! Most people who practice intermittent fasting usually eat between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. This means that they are finished eating in the evening, hours before they are going to bed. Eating this way can help your body control your blood sugar levels, make your heart and brain healthier, and help you lose weight. 10-13
Don’t worry. That is not to say that you can’t ever enjoy a late dinner with your friends on the weekend. A recent study found that engaging in TRE for just five days a week already provides plenty of health benefits. This way of eating is commonly known as the “5:2” method: 5 days on, 2 days off the diet14. So, even when you take some days off, you are still doing something amazing for your body.
Does how often we eat also matter?
Yes, eating more often throughout the day can actually help people maintain a healthy weight and be healthier, according to a recent study. But, it’s not just because they eat more often! It’s because they are more aware of their hunger cues and eat when they start to feel hungry. This helps them eat less at night and not snack too much. So, the results were more related to the timing of the meals than their frequency. 13
Take-home message
While it’s important to be aware of the impact that the timing of your meals has, it is more important to never ignore your hunger cues. Listening to your body is crucial for both your mental and physical wellbeing. After all, life’s too short not to have some popcorn while unwinding and watching a late-night movie with your loved ones. But, if your goal is to improve your health and sleeping patterns or to lose weight, TRE is something worth trying out.
Imagine you’ve been working hard to achieve your weight loss goals by following a strict meal plan. But despite your best efforts, you’re struggling to shed those last few pounds. On top of that, you find yourself tossing and turning at night, unable to fall asleep. And there goes that sleep schedule you tried so hard to keep…
We are always told that what we eat matters, and how much we eat matters even more. But, interestingly enough, when we eat is just as important. We humans live on a so-called biological clock, or circadian rhythm. Throughout evolution, this has helped us stay in sync with our environment. This clock tells our bodies when to fall asleep and when to wake up. It also tells our bodies what hormones to produce when, which thus affects how you feel at times. It used to work well before our time but unfortunately, in the modern world with constant exposure to artificial light, hectic schedules, and unreliable meal times, our natural circadian rhythms are sometimes disrupted. These disruptions get us out of sync with our internal rhythm and, thus, our wellbeing. This may sound scary and out of our control, but fear not! 1-2
Have you ever heard of something called a “zeitgeber”? The word comes from German, with zeit meaning “time” and geber meaning “giver” – time-giver. Some examples of zeitgebers are eating patterns, physical activity, exposure to light, and temperature changes. They help our body know what time it is, and they do that through hormones. For example, light exposure during the day stimulates the production of the hormone cortisol to make us feel awake and alert, and the absence of light at night can stimulate the production of the hormone melatonin, which helps us sleep. 3-4
That’s where time-restricted eating (TRE) comes in! TRE is a way of eating where we consume all of our daily calories within a specific time frame, usually ending a few hours before bedtime. By following regular patterns of eating, our bodies can regulate the production of hormones that are involved in metabolism and hunger cues. This helps our bodies stay on track and work the way they’re supposed to, which is very important for our overall health. 5-6
Is it really that bad to eat in the evening?
We’re all guilty of enjoying a late-night snack every now and then. But eating too much late at night simply makes it harder to sleep. If we eat too much, our cortisol levels go up. And at the same time, our melatonin levels go down. Not exactly the best combination for a good night’s sleep! And there’s more. When we eat something, our body produces hormones that make us feel full. Unfortunately, at night, we need to eat more to get the same amount of these hormones. And eating more could lead to weight gain and higher blood pressure. Altogether, limiting late night snacking could make us feel much better in the long term. 7-9
Benefits of TRE
Intermittent fasting. Sounds familiar? It’s a form of TRE that has become popular in the last decade. Basically, you only eat within a certain window of time during the day, and you fast (which means no food, only water) for the rest of the day. While there are many ways to practice TRE, an eating window of 8 hours is most common. That means fasting for 16 hours, most of which is sleeping, fortunately! Most people who practice intermittent fasting usually eat between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. This means that they are finished eating in the evening, hours before they are going to bed. Eating this way can help your body control your blood sugar levels, make your heart and brain healthier, and help you lose weight. 10-13
Don’t worry. That is not to say that you can’t ever enjoy a late dinner with your friends on the weekend. A recent study found that engaging in TRE for just five days a week already provides plenty of health benefits. This way of eating is commonly known as the “5:2” method: 5 days on, 2 days off the diet14. So, even when you take some days off, you are still doing something amazing for your body.
Does how often we eat also matter?
Yes, eating more often throughout the day can actually help people maintain a healthy weight and be healthier, according to a recent study. But, it’s not just because they eat more often! It’s because they are more aware of their hunger cues and eat when they start to feel hungry. This helps them eat less at night and not snack too much. So, the results were more related to the timing of the meals than their frequency. 13
Take-home message
While it’s important to be aware of the impact that the timing of your meals has, it is more important to never ignore your hunger cues. Listening to your body is crucial for both your mental and physical wellbeing. After all, life’s too short not to have some popcorn while unwinding and watching a late-night movie with your loved ones. But, if your goal is to improve your health and sleeping patterns or to lose weight, TRE is something worth trying out.
Sign up for our newsletter
Follow our story