Eating ‘Early Bird Dinners’ Could Improve Your Health
The saying, “you are what you eat.” Preparing or ordering a healthy and wholesome dinner can bookend your day with necessary nutrients and foods that make you feel good.
However, TikTok has discovered that it’s not just about what you eat but also when you eat, that makes a difference to your health. ABC News shares a social media trend encouraging “early bird dinners” eaten around 5 pm has dominated both the algorithm and restaurant reservations in the real world. This trend is associated with a number of health benefits.
Early Bird Dinner
Early bird dinner has gone viral on social media in recent months. The trend promotes finishing dinner early in the evening. And it’s not just showing its colors in social media hashtags. Restaurants report that diners of all ages are booking earlier meals.
Steakhouse partner Michelle Durpetti shares with Fox News that she sees a definitive rise in young people reserving tables for the 5 – 5:30 pm dinner slot. “What used to be a time slot primarily favored by older guests or pre-theater diners,” Durpetti explains, “has now become one of the most in-demand hours for a much younger demographic.”
Early dining may attribute its rise in popularity not just to its associated wellness benefits but also because it is easier on the wallet. With many Americans now considering dining out to be a special occasion event, early bird dinner often has special pricing..
Restaurant owner Dennis Turcinovic adds that early meals may also fit better into young people’s schedules. “More professionals,” Turcinovic explains, “are finding it convenient to meet for dinner before heading home after work, and with many embracing remote work and flexible schedules, earlier dining fits well into their schedules.”
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A Better Night’s Sleep
But eating early isn’t just a matter of convenience.According to Healthline, early birds may enjoy better quality sleep. Finishing a meal several hours before turning in for the night can reduce the body’s need to multitask digesting and resting.
Physician and sleep medicine specialist, Alex Dimitriu tells Healthline, “This is a rare case where a TikTok trend actually aligns with basic human biology. Eating earlier improves sleep by reducing digestion while asleep, and minimizing acid reflux, both of which can be disruptive to a good night’s sleep.”This is especially relevant when it comes to dinners with heavy proteins or those accompanied by alcohol, a known REM sleep disruptor, Dimitriu adds. “Heavy proteins,” he explains, “disrupt sleep quality the most because they force the body to work when it should be resting.”
Regulating Blood Sugar
In addition to the sleep benefits, eating early may keep blood sugar levels lower by easing the transition between daytime snacking and nighttime fasting.
A study, published in the journal Nutrients, contrasted the blood glucose of 12 participants enjoying early supper at 6 pm, and the blood sugar levels of those same individuals when they ate at 9 pm. The study found that the early suppers enjoyed health benefits related to blood sugar levels and substrate oxidation, or the way the body burns carbs and fats.
People with diabetes or low blood sugar should consult a doctor first, before making changes to their eating schedule.
Improving Cardiovascular Health
Early suppers, especially when combined with early breakfasts, may prevent cardiovascular disease and improve heart health as well, stresses Healthline. There is a relationship between meal timing and heart health. Shifting dinner just one hour earlier could reduce the risk by 28 percent. Dinner doesn’t have to be the last thing you squeeze into a busy evening. Moving it a little earlier could be both easier, cheaper, and help you live a healthier lifestyle.
