Our modern life involves irregular sleeping and eating patterns that are associated with adverse health effects. Studies have shown late eating habits and short periods between sleep and eating are associated with metabolic syndrome, weight gain and altering the gut microbiome and gut health.
This study of breast and prostate cancer patients and their controls in Spain found those sleeping two or more hours after supper had a 20% reduction in cancer risk for breast and prostate cancer combined and in each cancer individually. A similar protection was observed in subjects having supper before 9 pm compared with supper after 10 pm.
The effect of longer breaks between eating and sleep was more pronounced among subjects adhering to cancer prevention recommendations and in morning types.
Adherence to diurnal eating patterns and specifically a long interval between last meal and sleep are associated with a lower cancer risk, stressing the importance of evaluating timing in studies on diet and cancer.
