World Stroke Day: Can late dinners, midnight snacking impact brain health?

On October 29 every year, World Stroke Day is observed, with the aim of raising awareness about stroke, prevention and treatment. Doctors point out that it is important to recognise that stroke prevention goes beyond managing medical conditions. And diet plays a key role. Dr Sonia Lal Gupta, Senior Neurologist & JMD, Metro Group of Hospitals, shares, " Everyday lifestyle habits, including what we eat, how much we eat and when we eat, may also influence our long-term cardiovascular and brain health."

Poor metabolic health increases stroke concern

In a fast-paced world where people are often working late or binging on OTT shows late into the night, late meals and midnight snacking have become common phenomenon. Experts, however, point out that these habits can impact health.

Dr Sharath Kumar GG, Consultant, Radiology and Interventional Neuroradiology, Manipal Hospital Kanakapura Road, "Most often, dinner time is delayed due to work, traffic, and family issues. When combined with late-night snacking, it becomes an everyday problem. According to studies, people who have their meals at a later time have an increased probability of suffering from stroke. However, this fact alone does not mean that eating dinner at night leads to stroke. Biological clock influences the regulation of glucose and blood pressure, and meal timing can affect this rhythm."

Dr Gupta points out that while occasionally eating late does not automatically increase an individual’s stroke risk, consistently eating meals at irregular times can contribute to poor metabolic health.

Midnight snacking: Is it a concern?

When we are hit with late night cravings, 90 per cent of the times, we indulge in unhealthy savouries like packaged foods, chips, sweets and fried snacks. All these foods are high in salt, sugar, unhealthy fats and are loaded with calories. Frequently eating these foods increases the risk of weight gain, high blood pressure, and poor blood sugar control.

"Irregular meal timings may also lead to skipped breakfasts, larger late-night meals and disrupted sleep schedules. Over time, these habits may contribute to obesity, diabetes and hypertension, all of which are established risk factors for stroke," says Dr Gupta.

As doctors say, indulging in one late-night snack once in a while is not where the issue lies. However, continuing to eat unhealthy food, not having enough sleep and lack of exercise and activities can affect overall metabolic health, which in turn can impair brain health.