Does eating before bed affect sleep?

Bowl of cut fruit, next to a laptop

We’re often warned to avoid food before bed or after 6pm, because it’s bad for weight gain, sleep and digestion.  However, there’s also evidence to suggest a snack at night may support weight loss and promote better sleep. So what should we believe? 

The answer is that the effects of eating before bed varies for different people and there isn’t one answer for all.

The negative effects of eating before bed 

It may lead to unhealthy habits 

Research suggests consuming large meals or the majority of daily nutrients late in the evening may increase the risk of weight gain and obesity, along with other cardiometabolic diseases.  

However, this only holds true for large quantities of food intake at night. Recent data suggests that there may be a positive effect of people having a small nutrient-dense, low-energy snack at night (under 200 kcals). It’s suggested consuming 586–628 kJ (140–150 kcal) of protein or carbohydrate before sleep increases satiety and reduces the desire to eat the following morning - which may assist those who are trying to lose weight. 

It may increase symptoms of acid reflux

It’s generally recommended that patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) refrain from eating within 3 hours  of going to sleep. GERD is a common condition when gastric contents, such as stomach acid, splash back into your throat and irritate the lining of your esophagus. Symptoms of GERD include:

  • heartburn

  • difficulty swallowing

  • a lump in the throat

  • dental erosions

  • chronic cough

  • laryngitis

Research has shown that having dinner too close to bedtime increases the likelihood of acid reflux in patients, making it difficult to have a good night's rest. Therefore, try to avoid eating at least three hours or more before bedtime, as it may be extremely uncomfortable if you start experiencing acid reflux at night. Not getting quality sleep could negatively impact your productivity the following day and take a toll on your mental and physical health. 

Additionally, you might want to avoid drinking or eating anything that could aggravate reflux symptoms. This includes but is not limited to: drinks or food containing caffeine, alcohol, tea, chocolate, and hot spices.

Benefits of eating before bed

It may assist with weight loss and long-term weight management

There’s a common belief that snacking at night can cause weight gain and sabotage people on a weight loss journey. However, research has challenged this belief and shows that having a healthy snack at night could not only help with weight management but could also promote healthy weight loss. 

It suggested that having a nutrient-dense snack at night reduced episodes of unhealthy snacking and increased appetite satiety. This in return made individuals less hungry the following morning, thus reducing the overall calorie intake for the day and aiding with weight loss. 

In another 4-week study of adults who were night-snackers, participants who tried eating one bowl of cereal and milk 90 minutes after dinner ate an average of 397 fewer calories per day. Hence suggesting that having a post-dinner snack may help late night snackers feel more satisfied and eat less unhealthy food

It promotes better sleep 

Having a grumbling stomach may make it difficult to fall asleep. Hence, having a healthy snack may ease feelings of hunger, promote a better night’s sleep and allow us to be more productive the following day. 

Also, some foods may even help you sleep better and fight insomnia. Melatonin is an essential sleep hormone that regulates your sleep cycle, where levels usually rise at night and come down in the morning. Many people may take melatonin to improve sleep, but adding foods that contain the natural hormone may work just as well.  Sleep deprivation is also linked to overeating and weight gain, as the later you stay up, the more likely you are to gain weight due to a greater daily caloric intake. 

Key takeaway 

Despite the popular recommendation to avoid food 3 hours before bed.  Eating before bed isn’t always detrimental to your health. In fact, it may even assist with weight loss and promote long-term weight management. Additionally, eating certain types of food that contains natural melatonin could promote quality sleep and allow us to have a better night's rest. However, people that suffer from GERD shouldn’t eat less than three hours before bed, as sleeping too soon after food could increase the risk of acid reflux symptoms and make it harder to sleep.


IF YOU’RE EXPERIENCING PERSISTENT DISRUPTIONS TO YOUR SLEEP, CONSULT WITH A PHARMACIST OR TRUSTED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.

Any advice provided in this content is of a general nature and does not take into account your objectives, health or needs. The information in this post is not intended to substitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be exclusively relied on to diagnose or manage a medical condition. You need to consider the appropriateness of any information or general advice we give you, having regard to your personal situation, before acting on our advice or purchasing any over-the-counter sleep product.


Peter Shakespeare