- Eating at night isn’t “good” or “bad”—it depends on your unique needs and goals.
- It can aid recovery and curb hunger for some, but cause weight gain or disrupt sleep for others.
- If you prefer an evening snack, choose one high in protein and fiber.
Is the advice “Stop eating after 7 p.m.” a myth or a helpful strategy? The truth is, there’s no universal cutoff time. Whether late-night eating works against you—or fits into your routine—depends on your habits, hunger patterns and health goals.
Here’s what registered dietitians say about the potential pros and cons of late-night eating, so you can decide whether that evening snack makes sense for you.
Benefits of Eating at Night
May Support Muscle Repair
If you exercise at night or even in the late afternoon, a nighttime snack can actually support your fitness goals. “If you’re doing a strenuous workout either before or after dinner, you may need to eat something extra at night before going to bed,” says Sarah Schlichter, M.P.H., RDN. She adds that a balanced nighttime snack can help you meet your nutrient needs and promote muscle repair.
Research shows that consuming 20 to 40 grams of protein before bed can enhance overnight protein synthesis and support post-exercise recovery. Whey and casein—proteins naturally found in dairy—tend to have the strongest effects., So if you’re looking to maximize muscle growth or improve recovery from tough workouts, a high-protein snack like strained (Greek-style) yogurt or cottage cheese may be especially beneficial. If you don’t eat dairy, other protein-rich options can still help recovery.
Prevents Nighttime Hunger
Sometimes the benefit of eating at night is simple: you’re hungry and need to eat. “If you’re someone who eats an early or smaller dinner with your family, you may physically need another smaller meal or light snack before bed,” says Schlichter. This is especially true if you’re sitting down to dinner between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. but don’t go to bed until 10 or 11 p.m. That’s a long stretch without food, and your body might legitimately need more fuel.
Going too long without eating, even overnight, can leave you restless, make it harder to fall asleep or cause you to wake up during the night. If you’re lying in bed with a growling stomach, a small, balanced snack might be exactly what you need. Schlichter recommends choosing something with both fiber and protein to keep you comfortably satisfied until morning.
May Help You Meet Energy Needs
If you don’t follow a traditional three-meal-a-day schedule or struggle with low appetite or other eating difficulties, eating at night can be an important way to meet your energy and nutrient needs. “Eating at night may make up for calories not consumed during the day,” says Lisa Andrews, M.Ed., RD, LD.
She adds, “This is important for individuals trying to gain weight, or for those with higher calorie needs (after surgery or cancer treatment).” When you’re recovering from illness, dealing with treatment side effects or simply can’t stomach much food earlier in the day, the evening might be the time you’re finally able to take in meaningful nutrition.
The same principle applies if your work schedule doesn’t align with a typical 9-to-5. “Eating at night may be needed for certain people, such as those doing shift work or working late hours, to sustain energy levels and work performance,” says Hennis Tung, M.S., RD. Whether you’re working the night shift at a hospital, closing up a restaurant or putting in late hours to meet a deadline, eating at night may be an essential way to meet your needs.
Downsides of Eating at Night
Disrupts Circadian Rhythm
Eating late at night can interfere with your body’s internal clock—and that clock does more than signal when it’s time to sleep or wake. “Eating late at night has been shown to disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm, which can have a negative impact on metabolic hormones,” explains Tung. “Metabolic hormones like insulin have a direct role in glucose metabolism and body weight by influencing appetite and food intake.” In other words, when your circadian rhythm is thrown off, it can affect how efficiently your body processes food and regulates hunger.
But the effects go beyond just metabolism. Research suggests that late-night eating can shift the production of hormones and neurotransmitters responsible for sleep, hunger and mood regulation. In particular, it may suppress melatonin release—the hormone that helps you feel sleepy—while disrupting the natural rhythms of serotonin and dopamine, two neurotransmitters responsible for emotional well-being. Late-night eating may also lower levels of leptin, the hormone that signals fullness, and raise levels of ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates hunger. As a result, you may feel hungrier, experience greater cravings and end up eating more in the evening than you intended.
May Lead to Weight Gain
If you’re struggling to lose weight, or gaining weight unexpectedly, late-night eating may be partially to blame. When your circadian rhythm is disrupted, your hunger and fullness hormones, glucose metabolism and metabolic rate can become dysregulated, increasing the likelihood of overeating and subsequent weight gain.
But changes in metabolism are only part of the picture. “Eating additional calories late at night can lead to weight gain, particularly if it’s a snack void of or low in nutrition, or high in sugar or saturated fat,” says Schlichter. For example, one study in women with overweight or obesity found that those who stopped eating at least two hours before bedtime ate 235 fewer calories per day compared to those who ate right up until bedtime.
To make matters worse, evenings are when less-nutritious food choices tend to happen. Whether you’re dealing with decision fatigue, boredom, stress or simple habit, reaching for foods like cookies, chips or candy is far more common at night than earlier in the day. In these cases, the issue may be less about when you’re eating and more about what you’re choosing.
Could Worsen Acid Reflux
If you have acid reflux, you’re no stranger to the burning throat or chest pains caused by stomach acid creeping up into your esophagus. While many things can trigger those uncomfortable symptoms—including eating spicy foods, wearing tight clothes and even stress—when you eat matters, too. When you’re upright, gravity helps keep stomach acid where it belongs, but lying down too soon after eating makes it easier for acid to flow back into your esophagus.
Studies suggest that allowing at least three hours between your last meal and bedtime can significantly reduce nighttime reflux. If waiting three hours isn’t possible, give yourself as much time as you can. Avoiding high-fat and spicy foods in the evening may also help keep reflux at bay.
Tips for Eating at Night
If you do need or want to eat at night, experts recommend these strategies to support your health and a good night’s rest:
- Choose a Balanced Snack. “Choose foods with complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats to prevent blood sugar spikes,” says Tung. She recommends options like whole-wheat toast with nut butter, whole-grain crackers with cheese, low-sugar yogurt with fruit, or hummus with veggie sticks.
- Be Mindful of Portion Size. Eating a large amount of food just before bed can disrupt digestion, leading to less restful sleep, elevated blood sugar overnight or excess calorie intake. Opt for a snack-size portion of food at night instead of an entire meal.
- Watch for Added Sugars. Research suggests that higher added sugar intake throughout the day is linked with poorer sleep patterns compared to those who prioritize complex carbohydrates.
- Check In with Your Emotions. Sometimes late-night eating isn’t driven by hunger, but more out of habit or to fill an emotional need. Andrews recommends checking in and asking yourself if you’re hungry or just bored, anxious or experiencing another feeling that’s fueling your urge to eat. “If you’re not hungry, make yourself a cup of tea and call it a night.“
Our Expert Take
Contrary to common rules about eating at night, there’s no specific cutoff time where food becomes off-limits. Looking at the bigger picture of your hunger levels, what you ate earlier in the day and whether you’re reaching for food out of habit or boredom can help you decide if a late-night snack is just what you need, or if it’s something you should skip. If late-night eating makes sense for you, focus on portion control and a balance of complex carbs, protein and healthy fats to support your sleep quality and overall health.
