What Really Happens To Your Body When You Eat Late At Night?

Most people eat late at night to fall asleep, but go on not thinking of the consequences. In fact, it’s done repeatedly by thousands of late-night binge eaters and you see them with the pizza box or a tub of ice cream in their hands. What really happens to your body when you eat late at night?

Eating late at night is often considered a big no-no if you’re trying to lose weight. However, there are multiple studies suggesting that when you eat isn’t as important as what you eat.

What really happens to your body when you eat late at night?

So, what really happens to your body when you eat late at night? Find out below:

1.You burn less fat

The problem with eating late at night is that it can lead to indigestion, which means you will have a hard time falling asleep. If you don’t get enough rest, chances are your body will store more fat because of cortisol (the stress hormone). As a result, your blood sugar levels and blood pressure rise.

2.Your metabolism slows down

It’s also been found that the metabolism of people who eat late at night is slower because their bodies don’t have enough time to digest their food before they go to sleep. As a result, their bodies store more fat instead of burning it for energy.

3. Eating late disrupts sleep patterns

The National Sleep Foundation recommends avoiding large meals 2-3 hours before bedtime for better sleep. It's also advised that snacks should be light and easy to digest. This allows time for normal digestion of food prior to bedtime.

4. You're at increased risk of acid reflux

According to the American College of Gastroenterology, foods that are high in fat can back up into the esophagus and cause heartburn when lying down after eating. What's worse is that acid reflux increases your chances of developing esophageal cancer by about 50 percent, according to a study published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology.

5. You're more likely to gain weight

You may think that eating late at night means you'll burn off those extra calories while sleeping — but it doesn't work like that, says Michelle Davenport, PhD, RD, author of Food $ense for Families. "Your metabolism doesn't shut off at night," she says. Instead, anything you eat late at night that isn't burned off before you go to bed will be stored as fat instead of being used for energy.

6. Your immune system might suffer

This is because it needs time off while you're asleep! (Plus there was this study done on rats showing they're less likely to catch colds when they get enough rest.)

For instance, studies show that people who skip breakfast are 4.5 times more likely to be obese. This is because the body needs energy to kick-start metabolism and helps burn calories throughout the day. If your energy levels run low mid-morning, snacking on something light like yoghurt or fruit can help keep your metabolism up.

Our body, including our digestive system needs time to relax and recover. When we go to sleep, our body tries to purge harmful elements that are present that have accumulated during the day, it is less effective if we don't sleep properly. The truth is that by eating late at night or right before bedtime you are causing your body harm. This is why you feel sluggish and tired the next day, which affects your daily performance.

Studies have shown that eating late can interfere with the sleep-fasting cycle and cause disrupted circadian rhythm. There are many studies that back up this idea, most of them concluding that you will gain weight if you eat late at night. Not only does your body produce more ghrelin (a hormone that increases appetite) when trying to sleep, but it also affects the levels of testosterone and growth hormones (important in building muscle and preventing fat).