It happens almost without noticing: Dinner ends, you sit down in front of the television, and around nine or ten at night, the craving for another little something to eat arrives. Fruits, crackers, a cookie, or a small snack before bed.
But according to doctors and sleep experts, this very daily habit might be one of the most underestimated causes of accelerated aging.
Why Is the Hour We Eat So Important?
During the night hours, the body enters a repair and regeneration mode. During deep sleep, hormones are released that assist in tissue building, collagen production, and skin cell restoration. According to experts, eating late at night disrupts this process before it even begins.
When eating close to bedtime, especially foods high in sugar or carbohydrates, blood sugar levels rise exactly at the time when the body is supposed to relax and prepare for sleep.
Dermatologists warn that this could increase inflammation in the body, worsen redness and acne, and contribute to skin aging.
The problem, according to them, is not only what we eat but also when we eat.
"Cortisol Face": The phenomenon doctors are identifying more and more
When sugar levels rise and then plummet during the night, the body responds by secreting cortisol, the stress hormone. Simultaneously, melatonin production is impaired, and deep sleep–the stage in which most of the body's recovery process takes place–becomes less qualitative. Studies have found that high cortisol over time damages collagen and elastin, the proteins responsible for a taut and supple skin appearance.
Doctors currently use the term "cortisol face" to describe gradual facial puffiness and loss of contours caused by chronic exposure to the stress hormone.
According to them, many people do not realize at all that their eating habits during the evening hours might be one of the factors behind this.
So What Do We Do?
The experts recommend finishing the last meal at least two to three hours before bedtime, in order to allow the body to stabilize sugar levels and properly enter a state of rest and recovery.
And the most deceptive part? This habit feels small and insignificant in real time. But according to doctors, it is precisely the small actions repeated every evening that may affect the pace of aging, health, and sleep quality over the years.