Do you know the 3-hour rule?
We're a nation of late-night snackers. The Sleep Foundation says that 93% of adults have a late-night snack at least once a week, and most folks snack around four nights out of seven. Other survey data on more than 1.2 million folks shows that 25% of snackers prefer to eat late at night.
If that's you, you're at risk for elevated blood pressure and trouble controlling your blood sugar level (all day long). But overnight fasting that provides a 13-16 hour break between dinner and your next meal helps turn those problems around.
That's the conclusion of a 7.5-week study in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology that compared two groups of overweight or obese folks who stopped eating at least three hours before going to bed and fasted for a total of either 10-13 hours or 13-16 hours.
The group fasting for 13-16 hours after dinner had improved insulin function, better glucose tolerance and their diastolic blood pressure levels improved compared to the control group. The researchers' conclusion: When you stop eating anything for at least three hours before you go to bed and eat your first meal the next day 13-16 hours after last night's dinner, that lets your natural nighttime rise in melatonin and slowing of your metabolic rate and nervous system activity happen without disruption. Mess that up by eating and you're fueling cardiometabolic problems. To discover other simple ways to prevent or control Type 2 diabetes and achieve a healthier weight, sign up for my free newsletter at michaelfroizenmd.substack.com.
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@4YOUngevity.com.
(c)2026 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2026 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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