Everyone wants better sleep. It’s one of the easiest and cheapest ways to boost your health, yet it can feel impossible to get. Between fancy mattresses and high-tech gadgets, people spend a fortune trying to improve sleep quality. But Stanford geneticist Michael Snyder, PhD, says one of the simplest ways to enhance sleep and next-day energy may be as easy as adjusting when you eat dinner.
Speaking with Andrew Huberman, PhD, on the Huberman Lab podcast, Snyder explained that finishing your last meal at least three hours before bed can make a noticeable difference in both sleep quality and glucose regulation. Glucose, the sugar your body gets from food, is your main source of energy. High levels before bed are linked to poorer sleep quality.
“The party line is that you should not eat three hours before sleeping,” Snyder said. “People who do have a gap—and actually walk after dinner—have lower glucose the next day.”
Heading to bed with a high glucose spike from a heavy or carb-rich meal can interfere with your body’s ability to wind down and recover overnight. Over time, this can lead to inconsistent energy levels, poorer sleep, and less stable blood sugar control.
Studies back this up, including one that found eating or drinking within an hour of bedtime was linked to a higher risk of waking up during the night, a hallmark of chronic insomnia and a major contributor to poor sleep quality.
Snyder admits it’s not always easy to stick to early meals, especially for people with late work hours. Still, there are practical ways to improve evening habits, like keeping dinner lighter, skipping bedtime snacks, and taking a short walk after eating to help the body process glucose before sleep.
Related: Andrew Huberman Explains Caffeine’s Surprising Impact on Focus and Performance
