# Meal timing & diet: what the research actually says

When you eat shapes how you sleep: late large meals hurt, the eating window matters, and a few foods have real (small) effects.



## All studies

- **Effects of diet on sleep quality** — St-Onge MP, Mikic A, Pietrolungo CE (2016), Advances in Nutrition 7(5):938–949. Higher fibre and lower saturated fat/sugar predict deeper sleep; kiwifruit and tart cherry show promise.

- **The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance** — Leidy HJ, Clifton PM, Astrup A, et al. (2015), American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 101(6):1320S–1329S. Higher-protein diets (~1.2–1.6 g/kg) improve satiety, preserve lean mass and aid maintenance — 'a dedicated protein source every time you eat'.

- **The health impact of nighttime eating: old and new perspectives** — Kinsey AW, Ormsbee MJ (2015), Nutrients 7(4):2648–2662. Large late meals impair sleep and metabolic health; small protein-rich snacks are less problematic.

- **A smartphone app reveals erratic diurnal eating patterns in humans that can be modulated for health benefits** — Gill S, Panda S (2015), Cell Metabolism 22(5):789–798. Most people eat across >15 h/day; restricting to a 10–11 h window led to weight loss and better sleep with no other instruction — the 'eating window' rule.

- **Relationship between food intake and sleep pattern in healthy individuals** — Crispim CA, Zimberg IZ, dos Reis BG, Diniz RM, Tufik S, de Mello MT (2011), Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 7(6):659–664. Higher fat intake close to bedtime correlated with worse sleep efficiency and longer sleep onset.

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Educational summary of published research, not medical advice. Screening scores are not diagnoses. If a score is elevated or you feel unwell, talk to a clinician.

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