Nutritionist Jéssica Borrelli recommends eating light meals at night and maintaining a specific time interval before sleep to improve digestive health.
Proper evening nutrition is critical because the body's internal processes shift as darkness falls. When digestion is compromised, it can lead to fragmented sleep and decreased overall recovery during the night.
Speaking on the Viva Bem program this past Saturday [2], Borrelli said that the body reduces its metabolism and the production of enzymes as night approaches. This biological slowdown makes it more difficult for the system to process food, which in turn can interfere with the quality of sleep.
To mitigate these effects, experts suggest a strategic gap between the final meal of the day and the time a person goes to bed. An ideal interval is generally two to three hours [1]. This window allows the stomach to process the majority of the food before the body enters a resting state.
For those who consume heavier or fattier dinners, the required waiting period may increase. In such cases, the interval can extend up to four hours to ensure proper digestion [1]. Borrelli said that choosing lighter options for the final meal of the day helps the body manage this metabolic dip more effectively.
Failure to respect these intervals can lead to digestive discomfort. Because the body is not optimized for heavy processing during the late hours, the effort required for digestion can keep the brain and body from reaching the deep stages of sleep necessary for health.
“The body reduces its metabolism and the production of enzymes as night approaches.”
The guidance reflects a broader understanding of circadian rhythms, where metabolic efficiency is tied to the time of day. By aligning food intake with the body's natural decline in enzyme production, individuals can reduce the physiological stress on the digestive system, potentially improving sleep architecture and metabolic health.
