OT: It pays to eat early

And we’re not talking about the Early Bird Specials.

The Case for Eating Dinner Earlier, Especially in Winter
https://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2025/11/19/the_case_for_eating_dinner_earlier_especially_in_winter_1148354.html
Once the clocks have gone back and darkness falls before many of us even leave work, the rhythms of winter can feel heavier — shorter days, darker evenings, and often, later dinners. But shifting when we eat during the winter could make these months a little easier on our bodies and minds.

Our bodies operate on circadian rhythms – internal 24-hour clocks that regulate sleep, metabolism, digestion and hormone cycles. These rhythms are naturally synchronized with light and dark, so when daylight fades earlier, our metabolism also begins to wind down…

For instance, one study found that healthy adults who ate dinner at 10pm experienced 20% higher blood sugar peaks and burned 10% less fat compared to those who ate dinner at 6pm. This was despite both groups eating identical meals and having similar bedtimes…Other research links consistent late-night eating – especially close to bedtime – with poorer health outcomes and a greater risk of obesity and metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes.

DB2

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Is this a thing? Who eats dinner at 10pm? I’m confused.

JimA

For the next 48 hours after I lift weights I eat 50grs of protein every 5 hours. It the next meal is at 10pm, so be it. Last meal before bed I usually split protein between casein and whey. Casein takes a couple more hours to get thru the system.

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Spaniards. They often eat dinner very late by US standards.

I grew up (in the USA) eating dinner around 7pm. We almost never ate dinner or 5 or 6pm.

Today, it’s variable. If we’re doing leftovers, we eat on the earlier side. It’s 6:30 now, and I just finished cleaning up after dinner. If the meal is more involved, we may eat at 8-9pm. It also depends on what the day held for us. Sometimes we’re busy outside, and don’t even get inside until sundown (which happened a lot the past few weeks). Cooking then means we aren’t eating until 8pm, at least.

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