Have you ever woken up still feeling exhausted? You thought you had a full night’s sleep, but it sure didn’t feel like it.

Your late-night snack may have been hindering your beauty slumber. Because our bodies function on circadian rhythms, eating close to bedtime can disrupt that rhythm, causing your digestive system to have to work hard during the night in order to digest your meal. With your GI tract in full action, your body isn’t able to rest properly. In addition to waking up tired, you may experience weight gain over time, an increase in blood sugar and blood pressure, and heartburn or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).

How can you set yourself up for a better rhythm? Develop consistent times for meals and sleep, and aim to finish eating at least three to four hours before bedtime. 

This health tidbit is taken from the Lifelines section in our latest issue. Read the whole section for free here!

“Late Night Snacking and Its Effect on Sleep,” American Sleep Association, sleepassocation.org, Nov. 12, 2020.