Chrono‑nutrition and sleep: systematic scoping review
Summary
This systematic scoping review mapped 115 human studies on how when we eat relates to sleep. Across the literature, late eating is frequently associated with poorer sleep quality and continuity (for example, taking longer to fall asleep or waking more at night), while effects on sleep duration are mixed. Skipping breakfast is linked to later bedtimes and lower self-reported sleep quality (with shorter duration mainly in youth). Experiments that shift entire meal schedules earlier vs later often show no short-term change in sleep, and studies of time-restricted eating report mostly neutralsleep effects with occasional small improvements. Because studies differ in design, meal-to-bedtime timing, meal composition, and participant characteristics, the authors conclude that strong clinical guidance isn’t ready yet and call for more rigorous trials using objective sleep measures.
Why It Matters For Night Shift Workers and Night Owls
If you work nights, meals often land close to bedtime or during your biological “night,” when your body is less preparedto digest and metabolize food. This review suggests that eating late may make sleep feel lighter or more broken up, even if total sleep time doesn’t always shrink. Practical takeaway: when feasible, leave a longer gap between your last meal and sleep, keep late meals lighter/simpler, and aim for consistent meal routines across days. These changes won’t fix every sleep issue, but they’re low-effort levers that may make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep on a night schedule. More high-quality trials are needed, so treat these as smart experiments, not hard rules.
Notes
Scoping review.