Should You Sleep On An Empty Stomach?
Don’t make the mistake of going to bed hungry. Eat something light, and remember that you should wait an hour and a half before going to bed.
While opinions diverge, the question remains unresolved. Is it recommended to go to bed with a full stomach? Or sleep on an empty stomach? In reality neither of these two extremes is good for your health, we will tell you why in this article.
Sleep on an empty stomach: what you need to know
Many believe that going to bed without eating is a good solution to lose weight. Which is however totally false. Indeed, we need food in order to be able to rest. Indeed, there is nothing worse than waking up with stomach cramps due to hunger.
This belief is based on the assumption that “if we eat dinner, we get fat”. And it is for this reason that some recommend that we go to bed hungry.
Also read: 10 foods you shouldn’t eat before going to bed
However, the feeling of hunger we have in the morning usually forces us to jump on the first thing that we find in the refrigerator. Or get up at night to have a snack. And usually it’s something fatty rather than something light and healthy.
The functioning of our body tells us about the best habits to follow. Going to bed hungry will prevent us from sleeping properly. This will have harmful consequences on our body. And especially if this habit is repeated daily.
As we always say, extremes are never good, so we recommend that you run out lightly in the evening and let several (about 2 to 3) pass before you go to bed.
If it’s really too late, don’t go to bed without eating anything. Eat even a yogurt, a soup, a tea with a toast …
Some studies have shown that the minimum time to go to sleep after dinner is an hour and a half. During this time, you can take the opportunity to do the dishes, read, study and watch some TV. Or talk to your partner, get your clothes ready for the next day, etc.
Never go to sleep on an empty stomach.
It’s also best to have a dinner that is high in whole carbohydrates and low in protein, and saturated fat. Indeed the gas and stomach aches that the latter two can cause will disturb your sleep.
If you happen to come home late from college or work and wonder whether it’s better to eat a meal before bed, or keep busy and go to sleep on an empty stomach: stop doubting and eat a little something before bed.
Indeed, sleeping on an empty stomach can cause, according to some scientific studies, insomnia, or problems to regenerate muscles and organs during the night.
In addition, hunger keeps our brains alert which is not good for peaceful sleep. When you don’t get enough sleep, your metabolism decreases, and the amount of ghrelin increases.
Ghrelin a hormone that stimulates appetite. It makes us get up in the middle of the night in order to eat without measuring the quantity or the quality of what we eat.
Going to sleep on an empty stomach, or hungry, prevents you from fully resting, and is also very negative if you want to build muscle mass.
When your body is deprived of necessary nutrients for several hours, it begins to break down muscle fibers for energy. If you want to lose weight, then it is not a good idea not to eat before sleeping or to skip meals.
The disadvantages of sleeping with a full stomach
At the other extreme of what we have just explained are those who “stuff themselves” before going to sleep and appear to weigh 5 kilos more each night!
When you fill your body with food, it accumulates in your stomach, the organ responsible for producing enzymes and acids for digestion.
The blood goes directly to this area and you may want to sleep. However, it is best that you wait before going to bed. Even if it’s for watching TV or reading.
Eating a lot before going to sleep can cause a feeling of heaviness, but also acid reflux causing heartburn or heartburn or in the esophagus, problems falling asleep, even nightmares, …
In addition, be aware that dinner itself does not make you fat. It’s actually what you choose to eat that does it.
Nutritionists indicate that it is best to stop consuming carbohydrates 4 hours before going to bed. And that you have to wait at least 1 hour and a half to 2 hours after the meal before going to bed. .
The metabolism is slower during the night, so digestion is slow to take place.
And this causes gas, the increased fermentation of the food present in the intestines. Resting after eating is necessary, but it does not mean sleeping. Sit on a sofa and get busy, read, chat, watch TV. But wait a while before you go to bed.
Also read this article: Discover the benefits of reading at night for your brain
Experts also tell us that it is okay to shower with food. What is not advised is to swim. Because the muscles and the digestive system will seek the blood supply. This can then cause muscle cramps.
Finally, going to bed directly after eating, and more particularly if the meal has been heavy, can promote the onset of gastric reflux. Also, you will have more trouble falling asleep.
The ideal is to eat more fruits and vegetables in the evening than sweet, fried or high-flour foods.
