Did you know that eating only during the day can help to improve your mental health? It sounds a bit strange, but there is some scientific evidence to back it up.
Researchers have found that daytime eating may help regulate blood sugar levels and boost mood. So, if you’re looking for an easy way to improve your mood, consider eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but cutting off any nighttime snacking.
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The study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences examined 19 participants as a randomized controlled study. All participants had a Forced Desynchrony protocol in dim light for four 28-hour “days.” On the fourth day, their behaviorial cycles were inverted by 12 hours, simulating night work and causing circadian misalignment. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of two meal timing groups, the daytime eating group or the nighttime meal control group.
The nighttime group resulted in eating both during the night and day, which is typical among night workers. Mood levels, including depression and anxiety, were tested every hour.
This study mirrored the eating habits of shift workers as they account for up to 20 percent of the workforce in industrial societies and are directly responsible for many essential services, including hospital services, factory work, and many others. Previous studies have found that shift workers often experience a misalignment between their circadian clock in the brain and daily behavior. They also have a 25 to 40 percent higher risk of depression and anxiety.
Researchers found that meal timing could significantly affect mood levels for this new study. During the simulated night shift, those in the nighttime control group had increased depression-like and anxiety-related mood levels compared to baseline. In contrast, the daytime meal group had no changes in mood. It was concluded that participants with greater circadian misalignment experienced more depression- and anxiety-like mood changes.
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More research is needed to understand further the relationship between meal timing and depression and anxiety, but this study gives an outline of how circadian misalignment and food intake may affect mood levels. If you are someone who eats later in the evening or snacks before you go to sleep, you may want to change your eating patterns to help with depression and anxiety.
Mental Health and Stress
Mental health problems such as depression and anxiety can cause stress in many people, leading to many problems. It can even affect brain function, leading to problems with concentration, memory, and overall cognitive function.
The Smart Pill can help counteract these effects through nine ingredients that help support, nourish, and maximize brain health and cognitive function. These include ginkgo biloba, huperzine A, bacopa extract, rosemary extract, and a B vitamin complex. This unique formula helps boost circulation, fight free radicals, and help to promote clear thinking.
Sarah began her interest in nutritional healing at an early age. After going through health problems and becoming frustrated with the conventional ways doctors wanted to treat her illness (which were not working), she took it upon herself to find alternative treatments. This led her to revolutionize her own diet to help her get healthier and tackle her health problems. She began treating her illness by living a more balanced lifestyle through healthy food choices, exercise and other alternative medicine such as meditation. This total positive lifestyle change led her to earn a diploma in Nutritional Therapy from Health Sciences Academy in London, England. Today, Sarah enjoys helping others by teaching healthy lifestyle changes through her personal consultations and with her regular contributions to the Doctors Health Press. Also, passionate about following her dreams in life, Sarah moved to France and lived in Paris for over 5 years where she earned a certification in beadwork and embroidery from Lesage (an atelier owned by Chanel). She then went on to be a familiar face sitting front row and reporting from Paris Fashion Week. Sarah continues to practice some of the cultural ways of life she learned while in Europe. They enjoy their food, and take the time to relax and enjoy many of life’s little moments. These are life lessons she is glad to have brought back home with her.
