Is it bad to eat carbs at night?

If you were told to cut carbs after 6 p.m., you are not alone, and it is not your fault that it has not worked. On Ep. 308, Nikkiey explains that the most important recovery happens while you sleep: repairing muscle, regulating hormones and more. All of that takes energy. She points out that waking between 2 and 4 a.m. can be your body releasing cortisol because your blood sugar dropped overnight. What feels like insomnia may really be a fuel problem. Her advice is direct: have carbs at dinner so you recover faster and your stress response calms down.

On Ep. 130, integrative dietitian Esther Blum makes the case specifically for menopause. She says that as hormones decline, many women see a bump in cortisol, often at night. She recommends whole-food carbs like sweet potatoes, rice, lentils or beans if you tolerate them, or white potatoes, paired with protein and fiber. In her view, a small insulin bump works against cortisol, raises serotonin and dopamine, and helps you feel calm and sleep, and her clients still lose weight eating this way. If you suspect hormones are part of your sleep story, that is worth raising with your doctor.

The takeaway: carbs at night are not the problem. Under-fueling and a plan that ignores how you sleep and feel usually are.