Timing Your Meals to Boost Your Mood
The study enrolled 12 men and seven women in a randomized, controlled study. Participants underwent a "forced desynchrony" protocol in dim light for four 28-hour "days" instead of 24-hour days.
By the fourth "day," their behavioral cycles were inverted by 12 hours, which simulated night work and caused circadian misalignment, researchers said. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of two meal timing groups. In the control group, meals were eaten on a 28-hour cycle, which meant folks were eating both during the night and day. This is a typical schedule for night workers.
In the daytime-only meal intervention group, participants ate meals on a 24-hour cycle, which meant they were eating only during the day.By day 4, for those in the daytime/nighttime meal group, their