Feelings of discomfort, drowsiness and variations in mood are some of the consequences that the time change produces on health. More than 48 million inhabitants will have to adjust the hands of their clocks for the second time this year to adapt, this time, to winter time on October 27. The measure has been in force since 1974 and although it may seem somewhat minor at this point, it has an impact on the circadian rhythm, the body clock which regulates physiological functions and receives orders from a region of the brain called the hypothalamus. Most scientific research in this regard has focused mainly on analyzing the effects on people’s physical and mental performance, however, it also triggers changes in eating habits and the digestive system.
The natural cycle lasts 24 hours and influences aspects ranging from body temperature to appetite. And the light, which the eyes perceive through the retina, directs this great biological orchestra. During the coldest season of the year, an imbalance is generated in the production of melatonin and cortisol (the hormones that regulate sleep and alertness), because the days are shorter and people tend to reduce their exposure to the sun. . Alba García Aragón, specialist doctor at the Madrid Sleep Institute (IIS), explains that currently there is a lag of one hour in the winter period and two hours in the summer, which especially affects older adults and adolescents.
“Unfortunately, Spaniards are sleeping less and worse. We are not living according to the hours of light and in the end, this influences what we eat,” he says about the time zone that dates back to the period of the Franco dictatorship, a measure that has been in place for 84 years. The desynchronization between mealtime and the human body’s biological clock causes people to not rest properly, which produces hormonal alterations that result in an increased feeling of hunger. This, in the long term, also increases the risk of developing metabolic alterations and diseases such as obesity and cancer.
In the country, except in the Canary Islands, Central European time governs (as in Germany and France) instead of the Western time that Spain should have due to its geographical location on the Greenwich meridian, just as in Portugal or the United Kingdom. . To maintain a balance in energy levels and avoid fatigue, nutritionist Clara Puig Muñoz recommends adjusting meal times. “The time change makes some people have more appetite during the day. It is important to adapt the time of eating, in order to align the metabolism in relation to light and darkness,” he explains.
According to Puig Muñoz, good quality sleep is, at the same time, essential for making good food decisions. “Fatigue leads us to choose high-calorie foods in order to find in them that plus of energy that we need,” he emphasizes. Lack of sleep leads many people to eat poorly and in larger quantities. In other cases, some end up having a high consumption of coffee and energy drinks.
“Regardless of whether or not there is a time change, we are already somewhat out of phase and this will affect the body until it gets used to it again,” adds the IIS specialist.
The importance of eating dinner early
The circadian rhythm influences metabolism and the speed at which the body digests and absorbs nutrients. For this reason, Cristina Sabaté, dietitian at the Júlia Farré Center, advises that the last meal of the day be preferably earlier. “The ideal would be for dinner to be no later than seven or eight in the afternoon,” he points out. For Sabaté, it is not healthy to constantly “eat at ten at night.” If it is not possible to advance the time to eat, the expert recommends that people opt for a soup or a vegetable dish.
Clara Muñoz Puig agrees on this point: “if we eat very heavy meals before going to sleep, we may have reflux or heartburn and we will also be more prone to nighttime awakenings,” she says. The nutritionist suggests that it is better to have a light dinner, three or four hours in advance before going to sleep. Sabaté recommends foods rich in tryptophan—an amino acid that plays a crucial role in the production of serotonin and melatonin—such as cheese, yogurt, eggs, fish, and chicken.
Along these lines, a study in the magazine International Journal of Obesity revealed in 2013 that carbohydrates and fats are metabolized over several hours. The calories the body burns when digesting, absorbing and metabolizing nutrients are governed by the circadian rhythm.
Sabaté emphasizes that there is no food that is better than another, but rather the key is to eat a balanced diet and choose the main ones that make up a healthy diet: cereals, vegetables, fruits, dairy products and proteins. “It is a good idea to have a planned menu for the week, in order to reduce the time it takes to cook dinner,” the dietitian suggests.