How early should I eat before bedtime?

To optimize your feeding time before bedtime for better sleep, following these general guidelines presented by the Huberman Lab would be beneficial:

1. Avoid eating for at least one hour after waking up, and ideally two to three hours before bedtime to allow for better sleep and overall health.
2. If you want to establish an eight-hour feeding window, which is often recommended, aim to start eating around 10:00 AM or noon and stop by 6:00 PM or 8:00 PM to be in sync with social rhythms and to reap the benefits of intermittent fasting 1.
3. It's important to be consistent with your feeding window on a daily basis, keeping it at the same phase of each 24-hour day to maximize the impact on clock genes and other biological processes 2.
4. For those who eat dinner later, ensure there is a tapering off period before sleep, as eating too close to sleep disrupts the fasting related to the sleep cycle 3.

   Optimal Intermittent Fasting

   Andrew Huberman

   Andrew discusses the optimal feeding window for intermittent fasting, suggesting starting to eat around 10:00 AM or noon and allowing a feeding window until 6 or 8:00 PM. This schedule allows for the benefits of intermittent fasting while still being in sync with social rhythms in most cultures.

   

   Huberman Lab

   Effects of Fasting & Time Restricted Eating on Fat Loss & Health | Huberman Lab Podcast #41

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So, aiming to finish eating 2-3 hours before your bedtime is a good general rule to follow. It's also mentioned that while there is no perfect feeding window that suits everyone, adhering to these principles can improve sleep quality and align with your circadian rhythm for better overall health 4.