Should You Eat at 10:55 PM?
For a typical adult without underlying medical conditions, it is advisable to avoid eating at 10:55 PM and instead finish your last meal at least 3 hours before bedtime to optimize metabolic health, sleep quality, and reduce cardiovascular risk.
Metabolic and Weight Considerations
The evidence strongly suggests that late-night eating negatively impacts cardiometabolic health:
Adults who consume ≥33% of their daily energy intake in the evening are twice as likely to have overweight or obesity compared to those who eat most calories mid-day 1.
Eating 12+ hours out of sync with the light-dark cycle increases postprandial glucose levels by 15% and can induce insulin resistance in just four days 2.
Early time-restricted eating (e.g., 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM) provides superior benefits for weight and glycemic control compared to later eating windows 2.
An 8-10 hour eating window with 14+ hours of fasting enhances fat loss, reduces oxidative stress, improves cardiovascular endpoints, and decreases glucose and insulin levels 2.
Sleep Quality Impact
Eating close to bedtime disrupts sleep architecture:
Eating within 3 hours of bedtime increases the odds of nocturnal awakenings by 61% (OR=1.61), even after adjusting for confounding factors 3.
Eating or drinking less than 1 hour before bedtime is associated with increased wake after sleep onset in both women (OR=2.03) and men (OR=2.64) 4.
As the interval between eating and bedtime expands, the odds of sleep disruption decrease 4.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Risk
Patients whose dinner-to-bed time is less than 3 hours have a 7.45-fold increased risk of GERD compared to those who wait 4 hours or more (95% CI 3.38-16.4) 5.
This association holds for both erosive and non-erosive GERD 5.
Cardiovascular Safety Concerns
Eating windows shorter than 8 hours per day have been associated with higher cardiovascular disease mortality risk, according to the American College of Cardiology 6.
The American College of Cardiology recommends an 8-12 hour eating window for balancing metabolic benefits with safety 6.
Practical Recommendations
Optimal eating schedule:
- Finish your last meal by 7:00-8:00 PM if you sleep around 11:00 PM 3, 5.
- Aim for an 8-10 hour eating window (e.g., 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM or 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM) 2.
- If early time-restricted eating is feasible (8:00 AM to 4:00 PM), this provides optimal metabolic benefits 2.
Important caveats:
- Small, nutrient-dense snacks (~150 kcal) of single macronutrients may not be harmful and could benefit muscle protein synthesis, particularly when combined with exercise 7.
- However, large mixed meals late at night consistently show negative outcomes 7.
- The evidence is strongest against eating within 1-3 hours of bedtime for metabolic health, sleep quality, and GERD prevention 4, 3, 5.
At 10:55 PM, you should avoid eating and instead plan your meals earlier in the day to align with your circadian rhythm and optimize health outcomes.