Is eating at night really THAT bad?

By Anthony Rodriguez

The short answer:

It depends. The occasional 2 am McDonald’s run probably won’t kill you; if you exercise regularly, midnight protein might even help your gains. However, a consistent second dinner will increase your risk for weight-related and sleep-related disorders.

Night-eating might make you gain weight.

For years, we believed that all calories were created equal and that if we ate too many, we would start to store the excess as fat. As our understanding of metabolic processes increases, we are starting to realize that this is simply not true.

As it turns out, late-night eating might be particularly bad for you if you’re trying to keep the pounds off. Later in the day, fatigue depresses our judgment ability and willpower, so even if you strive to eat healthily, that box of donuts your roommate brought home might be too good to resist. Studies with people with sleep-related eating disorders, like Night-Eating Syndrome, have shown that later in the night, we tend to overestimate our energy needs and consume more calories than necessary.

Night-eating may disrupt your metabolism.

In addition, your body is more likely to store late-night calories as fat instead of using them for energy. Steven Shea, from Oregon Health & Science University, believes this effect is caused by body temperature changes, biochemical interactions, hormone levels, and physical activity.

Consistent night eating can even disrupt your body’s clock, leading to problems with initiating and maintaining sleep. This can lead to poorer sleep quality, difficulty initiating sleep, and multiple other parasomnias. All major eating disorders are related to poor sleep and sleep problems, indicating that eating contributes greatly to the regulation of our natural 24-hour rhythm, better known as the circadian rhythm.

Circadian disruption leaves you more vulnerable to age-related and weight-related disorders like Metabolic Disorder, Alzheimer’s disorder, and Type 2 Diabetes.

Exercise might change the playing field.

The negative effects of eating patterns on your body’s metabolism are well-documented, but recent research has revealed a positive effect when combined with strategic food choices and sufficient exercise.

A 2014 study by MJ Ormsbee found that a low-calorie protein shake before bed decreases next-day hunger and reduces blood-insulin levels in overweight women, which reduces the risk of weight gain and diabetes. In 2015, Ormsbee published another study which found a correlation between a light protein shake before bed and increased muscle gain in men who lifted weights. While these results sound great, they’re very recent and follow-up studies are still needed to support these findings.

Bottom line, nighttime eating can be beneficial when paired with exercise and proper nutrition, especially in obese populations.

No time to exercise? Try intermittent fasting!

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a method where a person restricts their daily caloric intake to only a fraction of the day. For example, you can choose an 8-hour window in which you’re allowed to eat and fast the rest of the day. IF is effective in reducing overall calorie intake and can help you lose a few pounds.

A recent study evaluating the effect of IF on humans has shown that it is a promising weight loss method and in the long-term (2–6 months), can protect against Metabolic Syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other related disorders. IF even has promising uses in the domains of cancer and multiple sclerosis, but further trials are needed to consolidate these findings.

Some tips to curb night-eating:

• Don’t eat a day’s worth of calories for dinner.
• Keep healthy snacks around
• Cut down on the carb-rich foods at night.
• Find time to exercise
• Don’t go cold turkey, it’s never a good idea.
• Scare yourself with the threat of weight-related health complications.
• Try to eat at the same times, earlier in the day.
• Read up on Intermittent Fasting,

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References:

Mattson, Mark P. Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes. Europe PMC. 2018.

Ormsbee, MJ. Influence of night-time protein and carbohydrate intake on appetite and cardiometabolic risk in sedentary overweight and obese women. PubMed. 2014.

Ormsbee, MJ. The health impact of nighttime eating: old and new perspectives. PubMed. 2014.

“Snack ’n’ Snooze: Sleep and Eating Behavior.” COGS 163. Mitochondriacs.