Why You Should Avoid Sleeping On An Empty Stomach

Sleeping on an empty stomach can be a result of several factors, including exhaustion, dieting, or a lack of access to food. While it is not harmful to health if daily nutritional requirements are met, it can negatively impact sleep quality and cause nutritional deficiencies, especially of micronutrients. It is recommended to eat a balanced diet with three meals and healthy snacks, and to avoid foods that are difficult to digest close to bedtime.

Nutritional deficiency

Not eating before bed can lead to nutritional deficiencies, especially in micronutrients like magnesium, vitamin B12, and vitamin D3. These deficiencies can have a range of negative impacts on the body and mind.

According to Manjari Chandra, a Consultant in Nutrition and Dietetics:

> "Our body needs micro-nutrients like magnesium, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D3 to run in an efficient manner. If a person is habitual of going to bed on an empty stomach, the person risks becoming malnourished and deficient in micronutrients."

A lack of proper nutrition can also lead to undernutrition, a type of malnutrition defined as consuming fewer than 1,800 calories a day, as well as a lack of vitamins, minerals, and other essential dietary components. Undernutrition can cause slowed growth in children and other health problems in both children and adults.

Nutritional deficiencies can also impact your hormones. For example, not eating the right foods at the right times can affect your insulin, cholesterol, and thyroid levels, making you more prone to disease. A severely restricted diet can also impact cortisol, your stress hormone, causing it to peak too early and waking you up early in the morning.

In addition, deficiencies in nutrients and minerals such as magnesium have been linked to both poor sleep and restlessness, as well as increased anxiety.

Finally, a diet lacking in essential nutrients can lead to a reduction in REM sleep, the deep sleep part of your sleep cycle during which restorative processes, memory storage, and cell repair occur. Without proper REM sleep, you may experience negative health effects such as decreased cognition and an increased risk of brain disorders like Alzheimer's and dementia.

Metabolism disruption

Sleeping on an empty stomach can have a detrimental effect on your metabolism. If you are skipping dinner or have erratic eating habits, this can harm your metabolism and insulin levels, which are crucial in maintaining a healthy body.

When you go to sleep without eating, your body is neurologically and hormonally impacted. This can cause your body to start accumulating fat, as it enters a mode of conservation, using energy for other activities, which can lead to weight gain.

A lack of sleep can also cause an imbalance in the hunger hormones, ghrelin and leptin. Leptin, which decreases with a lack of sleep, is the hormone that makes you feel full. Ghrelin, which increases, is the hormone that triggers cravings and hunger. This imbalance can lead to weight gain and disrupt your metabolism.

Research has shown that when dieters cut back on sleep, they feel hungrier, and their energy is depleted. Their bodies' ability to process insulin is also affected, with insulin sensitivity dropping by more than 30%. This leads to the body struggling to process fats, which are then stored as fat, causing weight gain.

Therefore, a lack of food before bed can cause a disruption to your metabolism, which can have a knock-on effect on your weight and overall health.

Sleep disruption

Sleeping on an empty stomach can significantly affect the quality of your sleep. Hunger pains can keep you mentally alert and prevent you from falling asleep. This is because hunger can impact your neurological and hormonal balance. Researchers from the University of Cambridge found that serotonin levels can fluctuate when we do not eat at night. Serotonin is a hormone that regulates mood and sleep.

If you are not getting enough sleep every night, you may also feel hungrier before bed. This is because a lack of sleep can trigger the hormone ghrelin, which increases food cravings and the feeling of hunger. Another hormone, leptin, can also be affected by a lack of sleep, causing you to feel hungry even after eating a meal.

If you are trying to lose weight, it is important to note that completely skipping dinner can have the opposite effect and lead to weight gain. This is because the body enters a mode of conserving energy and using it for other activities, which can result in increased fat accumulation.

To improve your sleep quality, it is recommended to eat a healthy snack or light meal before bedtime. Foods that contain the amino acid tryptophan can help activate the hormone serotonin, aiding sleep. These include fish, chicken, nuts, and eggs. Whole grains are also a good option as they are complex carbohydrates that can make your body feel more comfortable and less hungry.

However, it is important to avoid foods that are difficult to digest or may cause stomach upset, such as fried, spicy, sweet, or fatty foods. Drinking large amounts of fluids before bed can also lead to frequent bathroom visits during the night, disrupting your sleep. Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages should also be avoided as they can make it harder to fall or stay asleep.

If you are trying to lose weight, it is recommended to maintain a balanced diet and not skip meals. Instead, focus on eating nutritious foods at regular intervals throughout the day and saving some calories for a late-night snack. This will help you stick to your calorie goals and improve your sleep quality.

Weight gain

While sleeping on an empty stomach may be beneficial for weight loss, it can also have the opposite effect and lead to weight gain. Here's how:

Hormonal Imbalance

Not getting enough sleep affects the regulation of hormones related to hunger and fullness. Sleep deprivation increases the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates appetite and increases hunger. At the same time, it decreases leptin, the hormone that induces a feeling of fullness. This hormonal imbalance can lead to increased food intake and weight gain.

Slower Metabolism

Lack of sleep slows down the metabolic rate, reducing the body's ability to process insulin effectively. Insulin is necessary to change sugar, starches, and other foods into energy. When the body doesn't respond properly to insulin, it struggles to process fats from the bloodstream and instead stores them as fat, leading to weight gain.

Unhealthy Food Choices

Sleep deprivation dulls activity in the brain's frontal lobe, which is responsible for decision-making and impulse control. This can lead to poor food choices, with people opting for high-carb, high-fat, and energy-dense snacks. Additionally, being overtired revs up the brain's reward centres, making it harder to resist comfort foods and cravings.

Increased Calorie Intake

Studies have found that eating closer to bedtime is associated with increased calorie intake throughout the day. Eating late at night can disrupt the body's natural rhythm and lead to higher overall calorie consumption, potentially resulting in weight gain.

Disrupted Sleep Cycle

Going to bed hungry can lead to hunger pains that keep the brain mentally alert, making it difficult to fall asleep and get a full night's rest. This disrupted sleep cycle can then contribute to hormonal imbalances and increased appetite, as mentioned earlier.

Muscle Loss

If the body is deprived of nutrients for an extended period, it may start breaking down muscle for energy, leading to muscle loss. This can be counterproductive for those trying to build muscle mass and may negatively impact overall health.

Malnutrition

Signs and Symptoms of Malnutrition

• Unintentional weight loss: Losing 5% to 10% or more of body weight over 3 to 6 months is a key indicator of malnutrition.
• Low body weight: Individuals with a body mass index (BMI) under 18.5 are at risk of malnutrition, although a BMI under 20 may also indicate a risk.
• Lack of interest in eating and drinking.
• Feeling tired all the time.
• Getting ill frequently and taking a long time to recover.
• In children, malnutrition may present as a lack of expected growth or weight gain.

Risk Factors for Malnutrition

• Long-term health conditions: These include Crohn's disease and other conditions that affect appetite, weight, and the absorption of nutrients in the gut.
• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).
• Social isolation, limited mobility, or low income.
• Increased energy requirements: This includes individuals with cystic fibrosis, those recovering from serious injuries or burns, and people with tremors or shaking hands.
• Age: People over 65 and children under five are particularly at risk.

Treatment and Prevention of Malnutrition

The treatment for malnutrition depends on the individual's general health and the severity of their condition. Initial dietary advice typically includes consuming foods high in calories and protein and drinking calorie-rich beverages. If these changes are insufficient, additional interventions may be necessary, such as nutritional supplements or feeding tubes.

To prevent malnutrition, it is essential to maintain a healthy, balanced diet that includes a variety of foods from the main food groups:

• Fruits and vegetables.
• Starchy foods like bread, rice, potatoes, and pasta.
• Milk and dairy products or non-dairy alternatives.
• Protein sources such as meat, fish, eggs, and beans.

Frequently asked questions