Benefits of sleeping at 8pm and waking up at 4am
Dr. Dattatray Solanke, a gastroenterologist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai (India) – said that following a schedule of sleeping from 8pm and waking up at 4am (8pm to 4am) is in line with the natural circadian rhythm.
This habit can have a positive impact on your body and the way you eat dinner early can improve your health and sleep quality.
Improve sleep quality:
Aligning your sleep with your natural light-dark cycle promotes deeper, more restorative sleep. Going to bed early allows your body to spend more time in REM (rapid eye movement) and deep sleep, which are important for physical and mental recovery.
Improve energy levels:
Going to bed early and waking up early ensures steady energy throughout the day. Your body has enough time to recover, helping you to be more focused and alert, especially in the morning.
Hormone regulation:
Melatonin is a hormone that regulates the body's biological clock and sleep, and it peaks earlier in the evening, making it easier to fall asleep. In addition, the body regulates cortisol better in the morning, helping you wake up feeling alert and refreshed.
Improve metabolism:
Going to bed early, around 8pm, will help your metabolism run more efficiently, reducing late-night cravings that can disrupt your digestion. Your body digests and uses food more efficiently when you go to bed earlier.
How can eating dinner early affect you?
Eating an early dinner allows your body to fully digest food before bed, preventing discomfort, acid reflux, or indigestion that can disrupt sleep, says Dr. Solanke.
“When you eat early, your blood sugar tends to stabilize before bed, which can reduce the risk of waking up at night due to a blood sugar dip. Your body doesn’t have to work as hard to digest food while you sleep, allowing it to focus on restorative functions like cell repair and hormone regulation,” says Solanke.
Veena V, clinical nutritionist at Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru (India) - adds that the gap between early dinner and bedtime helps in enhancing digestion and reduces the chances of heartburn or bloating.
Eating an early dinner improves sleep quality because your body isn’t preoccupied with digesting food while you rest. It also helps control blood sugar levels and provides energy throughout the night without the need for late-night snacking.
