New research published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology suggests that extending your overnight fast by about 3 hours by avoiding eating before bed may significantly improve your cardiometabolic health.
The study included 39 participants who were overweight or had obesity. The participants were randomized into two groups: the first group was assigned to extend their overnight fast by about 3 hours to 13–16 hours per night, while the second group acted as a control group and had a standard overnight fast of 11–13 hours per night. Both groups also dimmed their lights 3 hours before bedtime. The intervention lasted 7 and a half weeks, and various measures of cardiometabolic health were taken throughout the study, including blood pressure, heart rate, and glucose regulation. Time-restricted eating has become popular due to its potential benefits for weight loss and heart health, but the relationship between fast timing and sleep is unclear. This study sought to determine how extending overnight fasts before bedtime would affect heart health.
The results showed that the participants who extended their overnight fasts showed several improvements in cardiometabolic health overnight, including lower blood pressure, lower nighttime heart rate, higher heart rate variability, lower cortisol, and lower glucose levels. Shifts in measurements like blood pressure and heart rate between nighttime and daytime indicate a stronger and more aligned circadian rhythm, which is associated with better cardiovascular health.
The authors of the study noted that timing our eating and fasting windows with our circadian rhythms can improve coordination between the heart, metabolism, and sleep. This coordination can help improve and protect our cardiometabolic health. In addition to the quality and quantity of food you eat, when you eat relative to bedtime can be an important part of optimizing heart and metabolic health.
Sources: Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, Science Daily
