What is the right time to have dinner? Gastroenterologist explains benefits of fixing schedule

Early dinner is good for health. However, it is more important to have dinner at a fixed time every day, so that the body clock can get attuned to it.

It is common knowledge that having an early dinner is good for health. However, the ideal time can come as a surprise to many desi families.

It is important to be consistent with dinner time, shares Dr Manickam. (Unsplash)

Taking to Instagram on March 1, US board-certified gastroenterologist Dr Palaniappan Manickam explained that the ideal dinner time is around 6pm. However, it is more important for our health to be consistent with whatever time we choose.

Fixing the internal clock

Every individual has an internal clock that their body is attuned to. It is set according to the lifestyle that a person leads and the schedule that they follow.

As Dr Manickam explained, “There is a clock inside our body, it is called the circadian rhythm clock. It is a 24-hour clock which controls how you feel, how you crave, how you are motivated, pretty much everything.”

The gastroenterologist shared that this “master clock” is located in the front portion of the brain. It is very tiny, roughly the size of a grain of rice that has been split in half. However, it has a very powerful sway, as all hormones within the body work according to this clock.

“Hormones go to sleep at a certain time and wake up at a certain time as per this clock,” stated Dr Manickam.

Not all hormones are functional at the same time of day. They get activated depending on the time that they are needed most. Dr Manickam explained this with the example of two kinds of hormones.

“Our digestive hormones wake up at sunrise and die down at sunset, based on the (circadian) clock,” he stated. “Similarly, our repair hormones like growth hormones wake up when we sleep and peak in the middle of the night.”

This is because the growth hormones seek to repair all the wear and tear that the body tissues go through because of the activities done throughout the day. Even this is once again based on the internal clock.

How to set the internal clock?

To ensure that the internal clock is working well and the hormones are getting activated on time, it is essential that one maintains a daily routine.

According to Dr Manickam, it is not essential that a person have dinner by 6pm. They can do so at 9pm as well, and then sleep at 11:30pm, if it matches better with their schedule.

What is important is that there is a fixed time for dinner and for sleep that is rigorously followed. “Key thing is to be consistent,” noted Dr Manickam.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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