Eating Before Bed Can Raise Blood Sugar Levels

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Eating shortly before bed can affect blood sugar levels throughout the night, particularly if a person consumes a large portion of food high in sugar and refined carbohydrates.

Registered dietitian Jillian Kubala, MS, RD, said on the Health website on Sunday local time that the body becomes less responsive to insulin during sleep. Insulin is a hormone that helps move glucose from the blood into cells, where it is used for energy or stored.

This can mean that eating immediately before bed may raise blood sugar levels overnight. The risk is particularly important for people with prediabetes or diabetes, who have difficulty regulating their blood sugar.

The type of food consumed also affects the body’s response. Foods high in refined carbohydrates and added sugars, such as biscuits, ice cream and fizzy drinks, can cause blood sugar to rise more quickly because they are low in fibre and protein.

As well as affecting blood sugar, eating foods high in carbohydrates shortly before bedtime has also been linked to poorer sleep quality, including a reduction in the duration of slow-wave sleep, which plays a role in the body’s recovery.

A 2024 study found that leaving less than three hours between dinner and bedtime was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. However, the findings indicate an association, not proof that eating late at night directly causes diabetes.

Eating dinner earlier may therefore be one way to help maintain blood sugar levels. Any evening snack should also be tailored to a person’s needs and health condition.

People taking diabetes medication or living with certain medical conditions may have different needs when it comes to a bedtime snack. They are advised to follow the guidance of a healthcare professional so that dietary changes do not increase the risk of blood sugar becoming too low.