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A well-timed meal is the simplest act of self-care for a calmer, more resilient you
Skipping breakfast, eating lunch on the go or grabbing a late-night snack have become the norm. Meal timings are a distant dream with our on the go, busy lifestyles. But what if these habits are silently worsening your stress levels? Dr Anuja Luniya, Stress Strategist, Physiotherapist, Behavioural Health Coach, Author shares all you need to know:
Stress is a body response to any external or internal threat. This threat is interpreted by your autonomic nervous system—the part that controls your heart rate, digestion, breath rate etc. According to Polyvagal Theory, it shifts through three primary states—think, eating your favourite dish:
● If it is too hot, you risk burning yourself: This is your sympathetic state (fight-or-flight). This state helps you tackle challenges with focus. However, if you are stuck, it leaves you feeling agitated, anxious or restless.
● If it is too cold, it is unsatisfying: This is your dorsal vagal state (shutdown)—your body’s protective response when stress feels unmanageable. You feel slow, numb, withdrawn or disconnected.
● If it is just right, you enjoy every bite: This is your ventral vagal state (balanced)—you feel calm, joyful, connected, and present.
Every time you eat, you have the opportunity to shift your nervous system into either the too hot or just right state.
Skipping and Late Meals: A Recipe for Stress
Irregular, rushed or skipped meals—seen as danger by your body—shift you into the too hot state. This triggers your liver to release stored glucose into your bloodstream, causing a surge in blood sugar. Add to this erratic blood sugar spikes caused by rushed and poorly timed meals— signalling to your brain that your body is under stress.
Over time, these constant fluctuations make you feel irritable, fatigued and unfocused—think post-meal slump—adding to your body’s stress load.
Meal Timings: Working With Your Body’s Natural Rhythms
Your body has a 24 hour internal clock—your circadian rhythm—that regulates everything from sleep to digestion. Synchronizing your meal to this clock allows your nervous system and metabolism to function optimally.
● Breakfast: After fasting for 7-8 hours overnight, breakfast is your body’s cue to transition from a state of repair to one of energy production. Skipping it forces your body to shift into the too hot nervous system state. Instead of starting the day with a sense of balance and clarity, you are making yourself more prone to stress. If you are intermittent fasting, choose to fast from sunset to sunrise to support your natural metabolic rhythms.
● Lunch between 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM: This duration aligns with your peak digestive power. Both Ayurveda and modern research confirm that digestion is strongest when the sun is highest. Eating your largest meal of the day at this time ensures better nutrient absorption and energy regulation.
● Dinner before sunset: Eating late at night shifts your body’s focus to digestion instead of restoration. A lighter, earlier dinner supports stable blood sugar, better sleep, and deeper recovery.
“A well-timed meal is the simplest act of self-care for a calmer, more resilient you”, says Shweta Ashok, nutritionist, biochemist and lifestyle consultant.
Making Meal Timing Work in Real Life
Of course, in an ideal world, we would all have perfectly timed meals every single day. However, real life is busy, and flexibility is key:
● Plan ahead: Create weekly meal plans with multiple options for each meal. Include quick ‘no-time’ meal options.
● Tune in to hunger cues: Once your body adapts to its circadian meal timing, it will signal hunger at the right times.
● Slow down during and after meals: Taking time to eat slowly and rest—for 10-30 minutes
—after eating—helps your body shift into a cold state, optimizing digestion and nutrient absorption.
By making meal timing a priority, you are not just fueling your body—you’re actively regulating stress, improving focus and boosting resilience. Science-backed strategies with playful approaches to stress regulation can make these changes easier to sustain—something I explore deeply in Relax Play Thrive (available on Amazon).
