Food times

[Ella1992]

What time is the latest people eat food I got told not to eat after 6 how ever I work 2 shifts and get home around 7pm so I tend to eat around 7.30pm my tea I'm wondering could this be effecting my tummy problems then I'm going to bed around 9.30 pm

[winfong]

I've learned over the years not to eat too late. Dinner needs to be around 6:00 and the latest possible snack needs to be at 8:00. Otherwise, there'll be upsets of one kind or another.

[Luisa22]

Yes, two hours doesn't seem long enough to digest before sleep. I usually have dinner about 6pm, but it can be 5.30 if I'm really hungry, or sometimes if I go to a friend's house it can be 7pm or so. Home alone, I like to eat between 5.30 and 6. I have a small dessert usually around 8 or 9pm too.

Then I don't eat again until about 11 or midday the next day. I don't even want to or get hungry.

But I'm retired and don't have to do the shifts you have.

I don't go to bed until at least 1am, often later. So I have a long time to digest before sleeping.

I like to keep a steady routine with my food times and fasting times. I don't say it makes much difference to my IBS though. It might. I'm not sure.

[xjrs]

The best is to eat no later than 7pm and go to bed no earlier than 3 hours after eating. However, if your work schedule doesn't allow for this, don't beat yourself up about it.

[juniepoonie]

I never eat after 6 but that means no going out for evening meals if l go out to eat always makes it lunch! If o were to eat later l would be so uncomfortable an woukd sit up half the night waiting for it to digest

[Maureen1958]

I would say do what's best for you and suits your life. I often eat my main meal of the day at midnight. Basically if my IBS is going to settle down it's often about 10pm which is no help to anyone. But I enjoy my food better when I am not feeling like I need the loo (wouldn't anyone). Also I don't usually start eating until after 4pm, so I am not hungry till late evening. I know that is bit rogue, but that's me. I have been doing this (IBS that is) now for getting on for forty years, so I do what I think is best for me and don't follow the crowd! IBS doesn't follow the rules so why should I. Just try things out and see how they work out for you. I don't believe there is a right and a wrong way for handling IBS as everyone's IBS is unique to them!

[ForViolet]

If I'm hungry I can't sleep. I often have some vanilla ice cream at bedtime. It's not caused any IBS problem for me but I do have to brush my teeth again. That's annoying.

[Superzob]

The Zoe Health Study, run by Prof. Tim Spector at Kings College (health-study.joinzoe.com/) is currently carrying out a large survey to validate some recent research which suggests that people should eat all their meals within a 10 hour window. It doesn’t matter what time you start (or finish), provided all the meals occur within that 10 hour timespan. I thought of joining the survey, until I realised that I tend to eat within that timespan anyway, though I can’t see I gain any benefit from it, but that may be a relatively easy thing for you to try.