How does fasting help regulate sleep?

Bio Pao

31 Mar 2024 — 2 min read

By Jenny Hu Y11

What is fasting?

Fasting is a practice that involves voluntarily abstaining from consuming food or, in some cases, both food and drink for a specific period of time. During a fasting period, the body relies on stored energy reserves to meet its energy needs, leading to physiological changes. As a result, many people engage in fasting as a means to promote self-discipline or weight loss in daily life. However, what many people don't know is that it can also serve as a tool to regulate people's circadian rhythm.

The principle behind it?

Fasting aligns with the natural circadian rhythm, the internal biological clock that regulates sleep-wake cycles. When we eat during our daily routine, if we eat too early in the morning, it can affect the speed of our brain's alertness. On the contrary, if we eat late at night, it keeps our digestive system working when it should be resting, thus affecting the speed of falling asleep. Moreover, Fasting influences the production and release of hormones that play a role in regulating sleep. Specifically, fasting can affect the levels of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. By establishing a regular fasting routine, the body's hormonal balance can be optimized, leading to improved sleep patterns.

12-hour intermittent fasting

12-hour intermittent fasting is a type of fasting where an individual restricts their eating window to 12 hours and fasts for the remaining 12 hours of the day. It involves consuming all meals and caloric intake within a specific 12-hour period while abstaining from any caloric intake during the fasting window. Using the principles mentioned above, assuming a daily sleep duration of 8 hours, we should start eating one hour after waking up in the morning and stop eating three hours before going to bed at night.

The positive effects

The 12-hour intermittent fasting not only helps us control weight in the long run but also allows our digestive system to anticipate the digestion of food in advance, avoiding issues such as decreased work efficiency and difficulty falling asleep caused by gastrointestinal problems, which allows the body to process food more efficiently, reducing issues like bloating, indigestion, and gastrointestinal discomfort. Moreover, some studies suggest that intermittent fasting may support brain health and cognitive function. It may enhance brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, which are associated with improved memory, learning, and overall brain health, thus helping us to be more productive in the daytime and concentrate on work easily.

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