We’ve heard it before: Physical exercise, nutrition, sleep, and stress management are the pillars on which to build a healthy life. They all work together; if there’s weakness in one area, the rest aren’t as strong. A balanced diet fuels exercise, which in turn contributes to restful sleep, and so on.

Along those same lines, the way we eat dinner can drastically impact everything else. “Everything revolves around the last meal of the day,” explains Dr. Verónica Sánchez Rivas, endocrinologist and nutrition expert at Womanhood Clinic, “If we are looking for a deep, continuous, and restful night’s sleep, it is essential to consider the quality and quantity of our dinners, as well as the timing.”

The best time to eat dinner

When we eat dinner can drastically impact our sleep, for better or worse. “One of the most powerful recommendations is to eat dinner three to four hours before bedtime,” Sánchez Rivas says. “We should synchronize our bodies with the hours of light and dark.”

If eating dinner four whole hours before bed sounds impossibly early, consider this: Eating and digestion stimulates metabolic pathways that involve several organs and systems—from the brain to the intestines. “The activity of the liver, pancreas, and heart influence body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, hormones, and enzymes in order to digest what we eat and drink,” Sánchez Rivas says.

Absorbing all the nutrients in our food also involves the microbiota, the storage and transportation of amino acids, cholesterol, triglyceride esters, glycogen, and more. According to Sánchez Rivas, “the process of eating dinner ignites the entire orchestra of digestion and all of that contributes to whether or not we get a good rest.”

All those electrical and chemical signals sent from the stomach to the brain, heart, and intestines use up a lot of energy, which is accentuated by additional blood flow to the entire digestive tract. “This is why, when we eat a dinner rich in fats, sauces, sweets, and alcohol, we may initially feel drowsy and fall asleep quickly,” Sánchez Rivas explains. “However, we don’t usually sleep that well afterwards—nocturnal awakenings will be constant, especially during the early hours of the morning.” This is because these foods are potent sleep disruptors, igniting an endocrine response that raises insulin, cortisol, and dopamine levels—all which do not promote the calm and quiet state our bodies require to stay fast asleep.

The perfect dinner does exist

Aina Candel, dietician and nutritionist, agrees. “During the night, the body repairs tissues, consolidates memory, and regulates appetite and stress hormones such as leptin, ghrelin, and cortisol,” she says.

For her, a perfect dinner would then be one that includes soft cooked vegetables like zucchini, broccoli, spinach, eggplant, and leek, which offer both fiber and antioxidants without overloading the system, as well as lean proteins such as white fish, eggs, tofu, soft legumes because they repair tissues and regulate appetite. She also would include complex carbohydrates such as quinoa, brown rice, sweet potato, or rye bread, because they promote rest thanks to their tryptophan and serotonin content. A dose of healthy fats—extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts—should also be included as they support neuronal function and satiety. After dinner, she thinks drinking an infusion of relaxing herbs like lemon balm or valerian would be the perfect finish.

Candel also differentiates between the type of activities we participate in and the nutrients we need. After a mentally demanding day, she says we should replenish brain glucose and micronutrients with a dinner combining oily fish, green vegetables, and whole grains. Think: salmon with quinoa and broccoli. However, if the day has been physically intense, the priority is to recover glycogen through dishes made with rice, legumes, or sweet potato with chicken or tofu and sautéed vegetables.

A day of emotional stress also requires certain foods. In this case, the most comforting and healthy option would be something soft and warm, perhaps a vegetable puree with soft-boiled egg or roasted pumpkin with oatmeal and tea. “It’s not about having a light dinner, but about having a conscious dinner,” says Candel, who stresses that the ideal dinner not only nourishes the body, but also the spirit and mind. “Planning ahead with natural, balanced foods and an appropriate meal schedule is one of the most effective strategies to perform better without resorting to supplements or stimulants.”

5 dinner mistakes to avoid

As a specialist in women’s nutrition, Candel also recognizes that there are some common mistakes we make with dinners:

• Dining in front of screens. “We eat more without perceiving satiety,” she says.
• Skipping dinner. “It produces an energy drop and hormonal imbalances the next day,” she explains.
• Resorting to ultra-processed foods or delivery. “It results in excess salt, fats and sugars, and difficult digestions.”
• Relying on alcohol or desserts to relax “They interfere with the quality of sleep and increase inflammation.”
• Eating dinner too late. “It hinders digestion and disrupts the circadian rhythm.”

Her trick to avoid falling into these mistakes, especially when we’re tired from a long day, is to have bases such as steamed vegetables, cooked grains, and protein pre-prepared and ready to go in the fridge. “This facilitates quick and healthy dinners even on exhausting days,” she says.

To help make that easier, Candel proposes a 7-day menu that will help us to take care of our digestion, to rest better and, therefore, to function better during the day:

Monday: Vegetable stir-fry with tofu or marinated chicken and brown rice.

Tuesday: Cream of pumpkin soup with baked fish or spiced chickpeas and whole wheat sourdough bread.

Wednesday: Warm legume salad with avocado and turmeric.

Thursday: Scrambled eggs with sauteed spinach and mushrooms and roasted sweet potato.

Friday: Lettuce tacos with spiced chicken or tofu, avocado, tomato, and spiced yogurt sauce.

Saturday: Salmon or seitan with quinoa and steamed broccoli.

Sunday: Grilled vegetables with an omelet or tempeh and seasoned baked potato.

Have a beauty or wellness trend you’re curious about? We want to know! Send Vogue’s senior beauty & wellness editor an email at beauty@vogue.com.