This is one of the simplest recommendations I make for my clients - and one of the ones that makes a huge difference.

It’s not a fancy supplement or protocols… it’s just this: finish eating earlier in the evening.

Here's why I'm so adamant about it -

Your body isn't designed to digest while you sleep

Digestion is active work!

When you eat, your body ramps up blood flow to the gut, releases enzymes, and starts breaking everything down. That process takes two to four hours - depending on what you ate.

When you lie down before that's finished, you're working against your own delicate systems.

Horizontal positions (i.e. sleeping) slow gastric emptying. They also increase the risk of acid reflux. And your core body temperature - which needs to DROP for deep sleep - stays elevated from the metabolic heat of digestion.

I always notice this for myself too with late meals! I sleep so much worse. And it’s always very obvious from my Oura ring scores (looking at you, HRV).

The solution is to finish eating at least two to three hours before bed. That way, you’re going to bed with an empty stomach and a body that's actually ready to rest.

It also does something really interesting for your heart

There was a recent controlled trial that looked at what happened when people finished eating at least three hours before bed - without changing what they ate or how much.

The only thing they changed was the timing.

Here's what changed:

• Blood pressure dipped more deeply during sleep (which is what a healthy heart is supposed to do!)
• Nighttime heart rate dropped
• Heart rate variability improved - a marker of how well your nervous system is regulating itself
• Cortisol came down
• Blood sugar regulation improved

That's a significant list of changes from just changing WHEN you ate dinner!

Why timing matters more than most people think

Your body runs on a circadian rhythm - a roughly 24-hour internal clock. And almost every system follows it: your gut, your liver, your cardiovascular system…

Insulin sensitivity, enzyme production, how your arteries respond to pressure - all of it is higher and more efficient earlier in the day. By evening, your body has already started to wind down.

Late-night eating sends food into a system that isn't ready to handle it well. The reality is this: the same meal at 6pm is processed differently than at 10pm.

This is why I keep coming back to timing as a foundational piece - it works WITH your biology instead of against it.

Where to start

This might feel like a massive overhaul if you’re used to eating dinner an hour or 2 before bed - I see this a lot with my clients who exercise in the evenings.

If you go to sleep around 10pm, aim to finish eating by 7pm. If that feels like a big jump, even shifting dinner 30 minutes earlier is meaningful. Those small consistent changes add up!

And if you're someone who tends to snack late at night - that's worth looking at too. It's often less about hunger and more about habit or stress.

Do you really need popcorn every night with your show? 🥲 It’s an important habit to evaluate since it’s impacting your sleep more than you might realize!

In health,

-Daina

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​tabletocrave.com​

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