It is not unusual to blame night eating for weight gain. And, logically, Mother Nature designed our bodies for daytime eating to provide fuel for our bodies when they are most active. Moreover, eating and then lying down, can cause acid reflux, known as heartburn- not only uncomfortable, but is risky in itself.

Consider our circadian rhythms, or internal clocks, which are responsive to daylight. Designed to be most physically, and mentally, active during the day, humans can cause a misalignment of our clocks by eating heavily before sleeping. This can increase our risks of weight gain, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and more. Nature tells us nighttime is for resting and fasting.

Sometimes we have little choice in the timing of our meals. Jobs and travel schedules may provide challenges to respecting our natural circadian rhythms. If we must eat at an unusually late hour, it is suggested we eat our largest meal earlier in the day, and eat only a light snack at the later hour. This does remind me of the traditional Mediterranean approach to meal scheduling.

Eating schedules in southern Europe undoubtedly evolved because of intolerable heat in the summers in the middle of the day. Businesses would close when the sunlight was at its hottest. People would return home for a dinner meal, and a siesta, returning to work for the cooler part of the day. When they came home later in the day, a light meal would satisfy them, and they could sleep comfortably. Many populations in that region still follow this pattern to this day.

There is value in looking to other cultures to learn from their food choices, and meal schedules, especially when they have fewer chronic illnesses linked to obesity than Americans have.

Dateline: Town of Colonie, Albany County, New York’s Capital Region