Do you eat before bedtime?

United States
May 21, 2008 9:25am CST
When do you eat our last meal of the day? Most times I eat my last meal several hours before bedtime. I've heard that late eating can lead to obesity. And, I'm not interested in dealing with extra weight, right now. My kid likes to eat before bedtime. It makes her fall asleep faster. Sometimes I'll go to the fridge and get a piece of honey wheat bread and milk before bed if I've forgotten to eat dinner. That helps me fall asleep. Do you ever eat just before bedtime? Do you find that it helps you sleep better or just gain weight?
4 people like this
35 responses
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
21 May 08
My son likes to have his bedtime snack literally 5 minutes before he goes to bed. I do snack late at night, but not normally right before I go to bed. I don't think that it helps me sleep better though. It is just a habit.
1 person likes this
• United States
21 May 08
My little kid is the same way. Last night she asked for three cooked hotdog literally minutes before she went to bed. Maybe it was a stall tactic. But, I'm not picky on when she eats as long as she does eat enough food. And, so I never turn down the opportunity to feed her. Thanks for stopping by.
1 person likes this
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
22 May 08
My son does not eat as much as he should either, so I normally give in and let him have a snack right before he goes to bed. Lat night though he was watching a movie and ate a whole bag of microwave popcorn while watching it. Then had the nerve to ask for a bedtime snack. Thanks for BR!!
@magrylouyu (1627)
• United States
21 May 08
Sometimes I do, sometimes I dont. We eat dinner fairly early for the kids about 5:30-6pm. I have a sleep disorder and cant sleep until about 2am. So usually by 12:30am I am getting a little big hungry so I will have a snack and then about 1-2 hours later I go to bed.
1 person likes this
@youless (112900)
• Guangzhou, China
22 May 08
It depends on. I don't often eat before sleep. But sometimes when I feel a little bit hungry, I like to eat some snacks instead. That'll be enough for me. I don't have to worry about the weight because I am very thin. In fact I need to pull on more weights. I love China
@mayka123 (16905)
• India
22 May 08
I always eat my meal just before bedtime. Or I should say that I fall asleep immediately after my dinner. It has been a habit since childhood. And I for any reason I have to stay awake the whole night I skip my dinner.
@marciascott (25529)
• United States
22 May 08
I think that is the worst thing to do, eat and go to bed, that is how all those calories add up. I wouldn't do it if I were you!
@mayka123 (16905)
• India
22 May 08
I agree all the calories are adding up and showing on my waist and thighs more than anywhere else. But I just cant change my habits. Have tried very often going for a walk after dinner but after a day or so give up. No motivation I think.
@longbangod (1785)
• Philippines
22 May 08
I eat my dinner about 2 hours before going to sleep. It is a scheduled time due to my work. I know its the reason why I gain a lot of weight this time. How I wish I could bear skipping dinner so I wont become obese soon, hehe.
• South Korea
23 May 08
This is one of my bad habit. I don't know why i can't control myself to eat a few hours before bedtime. I hate my weight now. I'm trying to loose weight 'cause almost all of my dress are not anymore fit with me. But I'm still working on it...good luck to me.
@biggerb (2024)
• India
22 May 08
I've heard so much about an early dinner.They say its good not to eat anything after 6 in the evenings.I know many who follow this rule.I just cant help it I have my dinner only an hour before i go to bed.If I have a heavy meal then I have problems getting sleep so I always try to have a light meal for dinner.
@pclife (246)
• Malaysia
22 May 08
I think it's not good to take anything before bedtime...if im not mistaken it's not so good for our health... cause when we sleep , our whole body system will rest and regenerate energy that had been used through out the day... So, if we eat before bedtime, it will set our system to work again contniuosly... Thus,you should not make that as your daily routine..anyway, it's better to ask health expert on this... Personally, i eat sometime before bedtime but i didnt make it as my daily routine.. but i just take it if i feel bad.. so hungry... i cant sleep if i feel bad... so it's better to take it sometime, just a little... ha ha :D
@cher913 (25781)
• Canada
22 May 08
i cannot eat a whole lot at any given meal, so i usually try to have a small and healthy snack before i go to bed so i dont wake up in the middle of the night starving!
@tonibabe (189)
22 May 08
no i dont eat before i go to bed afew hours before i may have something but if i eat just before i go to bed i feel bloated and cant sleep very well
@neildc (17238)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
22 May 08
I do. It's because I have two jobs. After my first job, which ends at 5 o'clock, I have to report immediately to my other job. I almost had no time to have even snacks. I go out at almost 11 o'clock in the evening, and that is the only time I will take dinner. In a little while, I have to go to bed...
@mimico (3617)
• Philippines
22 May 08
I try not to. I heard that it's bad for you because it messes up your digestive system. Anyway, I'm sure snacking before bedtime once in a while won't make you gain weight. Maybe you can give your child a glass of warm milk instead of something heavy. I've tried it before and it really helps me go to sleep without making me excessively full. Mmmmm honey wheat bread sounds really yummy.. I wish we had that over here!
• Philippines
22 May 08
not really but i have this cousin who was sleep walking and was gonna drink water..heheh..:)
@Diferay (50)
• China
22 May 08
No,I seldom did that. Usually,I ate my last meal at 18:00 in canteens near my flat. If I eat my last meal before bedtime,I will get a very bad sleep. Actually,doctors will tell you that eat before bedtime is not good for your healthy,especially your stomach. In my opinion,everyone has their own habits,but to kids,I sincerely advise you not do that,for tooth decay will come to them.
@golfproo (1839)
• Canada
22 May 08
Hi, Just a few years ago I was about 90 pounds overweight. One of the things I did to lose that weight was to stop eating before bedtime. It seemed to really help. Even now, if I eat before bed I start to put weight back on. There is a lot of truth in that statement that eating before bed will add weight. cheers,
@ayrin03 (318)
• Philippines
22 May 08
it depends on my mood..sometimes i like and sometimes i dont.
@eihdra (3115)
• Philippines
22 May 08
Hi, beautyqueen, I just wanna share this with you in relation to your post.. 4 years ago when my husband was still working at a five star hotel, he used to bring home some pastries from the hotel's bakeshop. They were so delicious, I couldn't wait til the next morning to eat it. It was way past 10pm and I'm already tucked in bed. So, before I went to sleep, I'd finish 1 slice and reserve the rest til tomorrow. Three times a week for about a year and half, that was my routine. Last 2005, I got pregnant but had a miscarriage due to DIABETES. I was shocked to learn that, of course. The doc said that eating an hour or two before you go to sleep is bad for the health. Most specially if you ate carb or sweets because both can't be easily digested. And if not properly digested, carb turns into sugar, that's why Dieticians and health buffs try to lessen or totally avoid carbs. Apart from Diabetes, you could suffer from pancreatitis or what we call deadly nightmares. So now, I don't eat before bedtime, because I don't want my sugar to shoot up.
@meiteoh (416)
• Switzerland
22 May 08
I try to eat around 6-7pm because it does lead to weight gain (especially if you lead a sedentary lifestyle) - the body just doesn't need that much fuel at night compared to the day because it's relatively inactivity. So instead of burning all that fuel, it just goes into storage. During the day, people are more active - even walking to and fro burns fuel as compared to just lying in bed for eight hours. Also, I find that if I eat just before I sleep, it actually keeps me awake. I don't even think about snacking on an apple - maybe two or three pieces of prune but that's it - if I skip dinner which hardly happens.
@bestie (3272)
• Philippines
22 May 08
yeah I eat before bedtime sometimes.....
@miachen (68)
• China
22 May 08
I have to say honestly, I'm slender. And I often eat something before I go to bed. So I never think this habit will lead me to obesity. But many people don't agree with me. The question is if people will be fat when they eat at other time? Eatting a little food before bedtime is helpful to sleep. But people should not eat too much even in daytime. Hope u happy and healthy!