Most adults sleep best if they stop eating about 3 hours before going to bed. This gives digestion time to settle and lowers the chance of heartburn, reflux, or disrupted sleep.
General timing
Finishing your last full meal 2–4 hours before sleep is a common expert recommendation. Within this window, your stomach empties more, so lying down is less likely to cause reflux or discomfort.
If you are still hungry
If you truly feel hungry closer to bedtime, a small, light snack (like a bit of yogurt, fruit, or a few nuts) is usually better than going to bed very hungry. Keep it small and easy to digest so it does not feel heavy in your stomach or spike your blood sugar right before sleep.
What to avoid late
Closer to bedtime, try to avoid large, high-fat, very sugary, spicy, or highly salty meals and snacks, as well as caffeine and alcohol. These can worsen reflux, disturb sleep quality, or make you wake up to use the bathroom more often at night.
How to personalize it
If you often get heartburn, stopping eating at least 3 hours before lying down tends to help more. People with blood-sugar issues may benefit from a planned, balanced small snack near bedtime, ideally discussed with a healthcare professional.
