Whether you've done it before or not, chances are you've heard of intermittent fasting.
For some, depriving yourself of food may seem a little crazy, and yet this practice has many health benefits (scientifically validated).
What impact does intermittent fasting have on sleep? Does it help you get a better night's sleep or, on the contrary, is it harder to fall asleep because of hunger? We'll explain it all to you!
What is intermittent fasting?
Increasingly popular, intermittent fasting (or intermittent fasting for our bilingual friends) consists of not eating anything for a chosen period.
Whether it's to lose weight, detox or give your body a little boost, this eating program can be beneficial for your health.
➡️ Fasting means depriving yourself of all solid food and caloric drinks .
Unlike strict fasting, which involves not eating anything for a certain number of days and only eating water, broths and herbal teas, intermittent fasting is much easier to implement and carries fewer risks for healthy people.
Basically, the idea is to alternate periods of fasting during which you deprive yourself of food and periods where you eat normally.
🕘 The principle is not based on what we eat but rather on when we eat.
We can already see you panicking so we'll reassure you right away: you can obviously still drink water, coffee (but without sugar or milk - be careful with your consumption because caffeine and sleep don't always go well together), tea or herbal teas during fasting periods. Staying well hydrated is also essential during fasting (around 1.5 to 2 L per day).
The Different Types of Intermittent Fasting
There are several methods, but the most used is 16/8.
It consists of eating for 8 hours and fasting for the remaining 16 hours. The goal is to go from three meals to two by eliminating breakfast or dinner. This method therefore involves respect a food window of approximately 8 hours out of 24 hours.
There are also other methods, such as the 5/2 method (five days of normal eating followed by 2 days of fasting during which caloric intake is reduced to 25% of daily needs) or the 1/1 method (alternating a day of complete fasting with a day of normal eating).
💡 Note : for people who are starting fasting or who do not feel like going so many hours without eating anything, it is possible to skip meals some evenings to start. We already get a 14-hour break between meals, with a ten-hour meal window. We then speak more of dinner canceling, which is a kind of variation of intermittent fasting.
The impact of intermittent fasting on sleep quality
✅ The advantages
As you know, it is recommended to eat a lighter meal to get a good night's sleep: avoiding heavy meals in the evening is also one of our tips for sleeping better . Not eating, or very little, before going to sleep would promote a deep sleep and therefore better quality sleep.
Additionally, fasting also reduces insulin secretion at bedtime, which will stimulate the production of melatonin , the sleep hormone that makes it easier to fall asleep.
Finally, according to studies conducted by researchers at King's College London on 37,545 people, a 14-hour fast improves alertness and provides a boost of energy and vitality during the day.
❌ The disadvantages
Intermittent fasting can be an incredibly powerful tool for improving your overall well-being, including the quality of your sleep! For many, it helps to better regulate sleep cycles and promote optimal recovery. Of course, everyone is unique, and it’s essential to listen to your body and adapt to its specific needs.
That said, for some, adjusting the fasting window can sometimes impact sleep, especially during the first few weeks of adaptation. If you already suffer from sleep disorders, it may be wise to consult a professional to adjust your practice.
Finally, if you start fasting and you suffer from a feeling of hunger before bedtime, know that this is completely normal. It is a transient effect, which will disappear in a few days, the time for your body to get used to it!
Other positive health effects: nutrition, improved mood, fat burning
Aside from possible effects on sleep, intermittent fasting may also have health benefits.
✅ The advantages
Several studies have revealed the positive effects of fasting on health: the results show that fasting for a period of 8 to 10 hours per day can be beneficial in many aspects.
- 🥗 Helps with weight loss : Caloric restriction forces the body to tap into its fat stores during a fast, which can help with weight loss. In other words, prolonged restrictive fasting over several hours is associated with the process of lipolysis to use calories from your body's fat cells
- 💉 prevention of type 2 diabetes : periods of fasting can reduce insulin resistance, which allows better regulation of blood glucose levels and therefore avoid the onset of type 2 diabetes. To optimize blood sugar regulation, you can also introduce lemon juice into your water intake.
- 🔥 Reduced inflammation : Intermittent fasting can help fight inflammation in the body, which is a factor in many chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
- 😄 Improved metabolism : In addition to its effects on fat loss and blood sugar regulation, fasting is said to be beneficial for health by preventing cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure.
- 🙏 stress regulation: fasting can also induce a drop in cortisol in the blood, thus combating daily stress
- 🤢 relief of digestive disorders : by eating less or even not at all during the fasting period, your digestive system is less stressed and has time to rest. In addition, it can help your digestive microbiota (your intestinal flora) to strengthen
💡 Note : if you want to know everything about the proven health benefits of intermittent fasting, we recommend you read this very comprehensive article on the subject.
❌ The disadvantages
As there is often a downside, fasting can have adverse effects.
In fact, you are exposed to certain transient effects such as food cravings, dizziness, mood changes, bad breath ( halitosis ).
Nothing too serious because, most of the time, these are minor annoyances that will pass while your body adapts to the change.
These inconveniences can be increased by not respecting the basic rules of intermittent fasting: fasting correctly can be learned!
How to Improve Your Sleep Quality Through Intermittent Fasting
➡️ To optimize the benefits of fasting on your sleep and your health, be sure to respect the following points:
- Don't eat right after waking up: one of the basic principles is not to eat for 1 hour after waking up.
- Eat your dinner at least 3 hours before going to bed: the ideal eating window for intermittent fasting is between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., or 8 hours in total.
Finally, to put all the chances on your side, you can put in place some good sleep hygiene practices:
- 💤 Get enough sleep : to give your body good habits, this is the basis! A good night's sleep is 8 hours on the clock
- 🐟 go to bed without feeling hungry : to do this, your last meal must contain enough protein (meat, fish, vegetables, legumes, dairy products and eggs, etc.) which satiate you for longer than carbohydrates.
- 💤 Create a bedtime environment : A quiet place with soft lighting helps you relax. Want more tips for a peaceful night? Check out our guide to getting a deep, restful sleep
- 🧘 practice relaxation and stress management techniques like yoga or meditation . If you want to know more: we wrote a practical guide on yoga postures to do in bed to sleep well , we recommend it!
- 👓 wear anti-blue light glasses when you look at screens : they filter the harmful blue light that emanates from screens (don't hesitate to take a look at our Nomad collection , ideal for everyday use! )
- 📵 turn off screens at least 1.5 hours before going to sleep so that your eyes are not attacked by this artificial blue light.
Recap: Benefits of Fasting and Ideal Fasting Routine
As you will have understood, practiced correctly, intermittent fasting is a powerful tool for regulating your sleep and well-being .
To drive the point home, here are the effects that may encourage you to try it:
- 🔥 Fat burning
- 📈 Blood sugar regulation
- 🩹 Reduction of inflammation
- 👌 Regulation microbiota and digestion
- 🧬 Improved cell regeneration
- 🙏 Fight against stress
- 😴 Improved quality of sleep and falling asleep
It is a way of life that we hold dear heart at Horus X, provided that certain essential rules are respected .
Our ideal fasting tips:
- 🌅 No food for 1 hour after waking up
- 🌇 No food for 3 hours before bedtime
- 💤 8 hours of sleep
- 🥣 8 hour eating window
- 🕙 The ideal eating window: from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Final Word: Intermittent Fasting and Sleep
More and more people are turning to intermittent fasting for various reasons: to lose weight, boost metabolism, prevent certain diseases, regain energy, etc. Not eating for several hours during a chosen time is indeed beneficial for health.
In fact, it would allow you to fall asleep more easily, have quality sleep, more restorative.
But that's not all! While intermittent fasting can help you sleep better, it also has many health benefits: it helps reduce fat reserves, improves mood, boosts concentration and prevents cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes . It also gives our body a real boost and puts us in a better mood by providing a feeling of general well-being.
Don't hesitate to seek professional advice before you start. Indeed, there may be adjustments to be made depending on your activity or state of health.
Finally, to combine this practice with better quality sleep, it is advisable to establish a good sleep routine that will allow you to take full advantage of the benefits of fasting.
