If You Are Going to Drink Alcohol, Do It Before Dinner (Not After)
There is some evidence that moderate alcohol consumption has health benefits.
But the timing of when you drink can make a big difference on whether alcohol serves you well or not.
If you don’t drink already, you shouldn’t start.
However, if you do enjoy a drink or 2 at night, I recommend you do it before dinner as opposed to after.
There are a couple reasons for this.
First, drinking earlier in the day will have fewer consequences on your sleep. A drink at 5pm shouldn’t have much impact on sleep quality, whereas a drink at 8 or 9pm will. Happy hour is much better than a nightcap for sleep quality throughout the night.
Second, a drink before dinner can help keep your stomach and brain occupied instead of snacking excessively before dinner. This gets you ready to enjoy a healthy meal without loading up on junk food first.
This is why aperitifs (e.g. Negroni, Manhattan) are so effective, helping to stimulate your appetite for a meal.
If you are going to have multiple drinks in an evening, have one before dinner and one with dinner, and then cut off your consumption.
