Should you go to bed hungry?

Should you really have that midnight snack? Or let your tummy rumble? Source: Getty Images

THIS is one of those diet myths that has some truth to it, but honestly there are much more important considerations when it comes to losing weight.

Sleep is the time your body repairs itself. Even at rest your body's cells are replicating and replacing themselves, you are digesting food and you are dreaming and storing your memories for the day. All these processes require energy and will draw on the food you have eaten throughout the day and that night.

The most important thing is the type of food you eat before you go to bed. If you smash a block of chocolate and a bowl of ice-cream, the sugar is digested into the bloodstream very quickly and if the energy requirement is not met immediately it will be stored in the body, usually as fat.

This might be exactly what you feel like having before you go to bed — but don't do it! Source: Supplied

So you could say that having alcohol and sugar, both very immediate sources of energy, will not fully be taken advantage of at that time, unless you are cutting sick on the dance floor at Fannies nightclub in Newcastle on a Saturday night … oh wait, that was probably me at 18!

If you're going to eat closer to bedtime then make sure you keep the processed carbs and sugars low. These are empty energy and do not really provide any of the building blocks to create new cells. Your body is made up of proteins and every cell has a fat/lipid layer. Proteins and fats are vital to health.

You are much better off eating a meal high in quality protein and good quality fats than the devilishly addictive sugary sweetness that sometimes calls late at night. Healthy fats- such as coconut oil, organic and pasture raised meats, eggs, avocado and butter all help provide your body with the necessary building blocks to manufacture sleep hormones.

Best of all, you will sleep much better. If you have a big sugar hit before bed, your body will burn that up first and then you will have a blood sugar level drop. This can stimulate hormones that don't play well with sleep. So you want to eat whole, unprocessed foods, that are slow burning to keep your blood sugar levels stable while sleeping. And healthy fats will help to slow down the release of the carbs you get from your salads and vegetables.

Tim Robards. Source: News Corp Australia

Dr Tim Robards is a Chiropractor and exercise scientist (B. Med. Sc, M. Chiro) and regular news.com.au columnist. His observations and research into what people really need to live a healthy life and thrive in their environment has lead him to develop The Robards Method. You can follow Tim on Instagram and Twitter.

TheRobardsMethod.com is a fun and challenging calisthenics based journey where you can discover how to unlock your peak physical and mental potential.