A doctor has warned that the time you eat your Christmas dinner could affect your sleep and has shared the rule of thumb to follow to ensure a good night’s rest
This festive season, a doctor has issued a warning about the best time to tuck into your Christmas dinner. The optimal time will differ for everyone, but Dr Paul Wallang, consultant psychiatrist at Cardinal Clinic, has shared a general guideline to prevent a restless night.
He suggests eating light and having dinner three hours before hitting the sack, as heavy meals or hunger can interfere with sleep. And despite the day’s hustle and bustle, avoid napping for more than half an hour if you’re feeling weary.
The expert also advises steering clear of alcohol and caffeinated beverages six hours prior to bedtime and limiting screen time – such as phones and gadgets – to around two to three hours before turning in. If sleep eludes you, he recommends spending 10 to 20 minutes reading a book to unwind and, if anxiety is keeping you awake, take five to 10 minutes to jot down any concerns.
Speaking about our sleep patterns, Dr Babak Ashrafi from Superdrug Online Doctor said: “Most adults need around seven to nine hours of sleep each night to feel their best, but everyone’s different. Some people function perfectly on six, while others need closer to 10.”
“Factors like age, stress levels, and even genetics can influence how much shut-eye you need. The trick? Listen to your body- if you wake up feeling like a zombie, it might be time to tweak your sleep routine.”, reports Surrey Live.
Diabetes sugar check warning
The tips come as NHS GP Veena Babu issued a warning on BBC’s Morning Live, advising viewers that “if you are taking insulin or medication that drops your blood sugar levels, you want to test your sugar more frequently in the day” – particularly during the festive season. “So if you’re doing it two or three times, you may want to do it four or six times in the day to keep an eye on it. If it drops below four that could be hypo or if it drops above 14 that could be hyper. And both sides have complications. You don’t be on either end,” she added.
She also emphasised the importance of label reading for diabetics or pre-diabetics, advising them to check the fat and sugar content of their food, and to be wary of high-salt stock cubes or gravy, and high-sugar sauces.
Do this at Christmas
The doctor suggested these tips for those wanting to enjoy Christmas while maintaining their health. “You don’t want to come out of Christmas in worse health than you came in”, she cautioned. Regarding our Christmas dinner, she advised to:
- Serve yourself
- Limit intake of processed meats
- Steam your vegetables
- Use reduced-salt stock cubes
- Fill up on veggies
- Try low-sugar sauces
- Swap cream for yoghurt
- Check nutritional info at restaurants
