As winter sets in and days grow shorter, health experts say it’s not just our wardrobes that need adjusting — our dinner timings should also shift with the season.

Nutritionists warn that eating late at night during colder months can disrupt the body’s natural rhythms, affecting mood, energy and long-term health.

Experts note that people tend to eat later in winter, often due to long evenings and reduced daytime activity. But this habit goes against the body’s internal clock — the circadian rhythm — which regulates digestion, hormone release and calorie burning.

The circadian rhythm controls how efficiently the body processes food throughout the day. In winter, when daylight hours shrink, this rhythm becomes even more sensitive to late-night eating.

Best time to have dinner

Nutritionists advise that winter dinners should be completed at least 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. According to scientific findings, eating earlier in the evening supports better digestion and improves the body’s natural metabolic processes.

Studies show that:

People who eat dinner early experience 20% lower spikes in blood sugar.
Early eaters burn 10% more fat than those who eat at 10 pm.
Consuming more calories earlier in the day helps regulate weight, blood pressure and cholesterol.

These metabolic benefits significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.

How late dinners affect health

Research links late-night eating with increased risks of obesity, type-2 diabetes, and disrupted sleep patterns. When meals are delayed, the body struggles to process food efficiently, leading to slowed metabolism and greater fat storage.

Experts add that digestion and sleep-related hormones operate best earlier in the evening. Eating late can interfere with both, leading to morning sluggishness and less restful sleep.

Health specialists emphasize that mealtime should be seen as a flexible tool, not a strict rulebook. The goal is to align eating habits with the body’s natural rhythms to enhance energy and wellbeing.

They suggest that individuals who often eat after 9 pm, and wake feeling tired or unrested, may benefit from experimenting with earlier dinners.