When eating dinner with others, it’s difficult enough to decide what to eat, let alone when to eat. Everyone has their preferences, which are typically determined by their individual schedule and lifestyle. If you’re an early riser, your dinner is likely early in the evening. There are also cultural norms dictated by geographic location. In some countries, like Spain, dinner might not start until 9 p.m. <\/p>\n
But health experts agree that certain meal times are better for your health than others. To unpack the science behind digestion and how your dinner time can impact it, we chatted with Megan DeChatelets<\/a>, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., at Sarah Lynn Nutrition and nutrition advisor for Hilma<\/a>.<\/p>\n Related StoryWhat Happens When You Have A Late Dinner?<\/p>\n It all depends on your metabolism. While everybody\u2019s energy levels are different, you can typically expect your metabolism to slow down as the day comes to a close. <\/p>\n “Metabolism tends to be at its highest during the day when you are most active and engaged in various physical and mental activities,” DeChatelets says. “In the evening, metabolism starts gradually slowing down as you transition toward more restful activities and prepare for sleep.”<\/p>\n The later you eat, the less your body metabolizes your food. And the impact it can have on your body is glaring. According to a 2022 study<\/a> by researchers at Harvard Medical School, later meal times can deregulate appetite hormones in the body, which means you can still feel hungry even after having a full meal.<\/p>\n The Harvard researchers also found that due to the body’s metabolic state later in the day, the body burns calories more slowly after a late dinner. In addition, the way those calories are utilized is believed to trigger more fat storage in the body compared to eating earlier in the day.<\/p>\n “Consistently eating a large meal too close to bedtime can also contribute to metabolic imbalances and difficulty managing weight, as the body is more likely to store calories as fat when not being used for energy,” DeChatelets says.<\/p>\n Related StoryHow Does Your Dinner Time Affect Sleep Quality?<\/p>\n