As we well know, we live in a widely diverse world full of different people, habits and traditions, and within the things that differentiate us from find the time we dine. For example, in the United States dinner is commonly between 6 and 7 in the afternoon, while in Spain dinner begins at 10 at night. On the other hand, in Mexico that activity is carried out from 8 at night until even 11 p.m. Do you realize how such a common activity becomes so different between countries?

When we eat heavy things a short time before going to bed, our body does not have the time it needs to process food, so when trying to sleep, you just don’t get it; Your stomach starts to hurt, you burp and feel very heavy in your stomach. A long night awaits you and if you do this very often, you will surely experience weight gain. The key to avoid all this is to bring dinner time ahead and here we present what the specialists say about it.

Sleep better

Since time immemorial, moms have told us many times that we should have an early dinner or at least, eat light to avoid having nightmares and it turns out that all this time they have been right. Around the world, various specialists approve that effectively, when dining at least 2 hours before bedtime, the body has enough time to digest nutrients and thus, when going to bed, we will feel light and have a dream deeper and restorative.

Avoid variations in weight

Our body has a biological clock that allows us to know when we are hungry, thirsty, or sleepy. That is why, ideally, our body begins to prepare to go to sleep approximately after 7 at night, which causes the metabolism rate to decrease. Therefore, eating food before or after that time will influence the way in which our body assimilates food and we gain weight.

What can I have for dinner?

This varies depending on the lifestyle, diet and health of each person. However, we share a series of basic tips that you must take into account when choosing your dinner:

Eating cereal helps you fall asleep easier.

• Avoid eating fatty foods and sausages

• Select seasonal fruits and combine them with your favorite yogurt

• Choose a portion of your favorite salad

• Chicken skewers with vegetables

If you are one of the people who advances their dinner but wakes up in the middle of the night hungry, we remind you that each body is different, so the amounts you are consuming may not be correct. To ensure that you are following the right diet, we recommend consulting your nutritionist. And you, what time do you have dinner?

References

Gutiérrez, I., & Coello, M. (2007). Well-being = healthy eating + active life. Parents and Teachers / Journal of Parents and Teachers, (311), 26-30.

Rodríguez-Morilla, B., & Madrid-Navarro, C. J. (2015). When, how much and how to sleep? Eubacteria, nº 33 (2015).

Kogevinas, M., Espinosa, A., Castelló, A., Gómez ‐ Acebo, I., Guevara, M., Martin, V., … & Costas, L. (2018). Effect of mistimed eating patterns on breast and prostate cancer risk (MCC ‐ Spain Study). International journal of cancer, 143 (10), 2380-2389.

Vora, S. (2017). How to dine well, and correctly, in another country. The New York Times. Retrieved June 26, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/es/2017/07/21/espanol/etiqueta-comidas-viaje-costumbres-locales-consejos.html

Author: Nerissa Álvarez

Review by: Betzabe Guido