The final meal should be strictly regulated in time, we have been told for decades. After six in the evening, it’s best to lock your mouth and refrigerator, otherwise sleep won’t come, and your stomach will feel heavy, while your soul will be anxious and guilty. It turns out that all these rules have no strict basis. And it is possible and even necessary to eat at night, claims endocrinologist-dietitian Yulia Sidorova.
"A late dinner can ruin sleep, especially if it’s fatty food or sweets, but there are situations when a light snack actually helps — both with sleep and well-being. Sometimes the body craves food not out of habit, but because it really needs fuel," she explains. So, let’s figure out how, when, and what exactly can be eaten at night, according to medical advice.
To Make Late Meals Beneficial
Ideally, you should eat a couple of hours before sleep. Lying down slows down digestion, and heavy food can easily cause heartburn or nighttime reflux. But perfect conditions don’t happen every day. Sometimes you have dinner too early, go to bed late, or spend the entire evening working — and hunger creeps in closer to night. There are also medical reasons not to ignore such signals: for example, for people with diabetes, a small snack can help avoid nighttime hypoglycemia.
Menu for Nighttime "Goddesses"
The main thing is to choose foods that don’t overload the stomach and help you relax. "Soft protein options are best: cottage cheese, kefir, eggs, lean fish. They provide a feeling of fullness without sugar spikes. Light vegetables are also suitable — they don’t create heaviness and add fiber. Fruits like bananas or kiwis work almost like natural sedatives: bananas are rich in magnesium and tryptophan, while kiwis, as studies show, improve sleep quality thanks to serotonin and melatonin. A small portion of berries helps cope with evening sweet cravings and provides antioxidants. A handful of nuts, like almonds, saturates with healthy fats and helps the body produce melatonin," the dietitian lists. For drinks, it’s better to choose warm herbal tea — chamomile, lemon balm, hibiscus, or weak green tea. They don’t overload the kidneys and gently soothe.
Blacklist
Here’s what to stay away from before bed. Foods with simple carbohydrates — candies, pastries, white bread — raise blood sugar too sharply and then quickly cause a drop. As a result, anxiety, restlessness, and trouble falling asleep arise. Fatty, fried foods often lead to heartburn. Alcohol and caffeine disrupt the architecture of sleep: you seem to fall asleep quickly, but the quality of sleep itself deteriorates. Large volumes of liquid late in the evening can lead to nighttime trips to the bathroom.
"A healthy evening routine is always about balance. Going to bed hungry is just as unpleasant as falling asleep with a heavy stomach. When you listen to yourself and choose calm, light foods, your body thanks you with deeper sleep. It’s not the enemy of your figure, but part of a caring attitude towards yourself," concludes the dietitian.
