According To Nutrition Experts, Here Are Four Habits To Avoid After 5 P.m. If You’re Managing High Cholesterol Levels

High cholesterol is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, raising your risk for heart attack and stroke. Adopting lifestyle changes you can sustain can help get your cholesterol levels in check, which is essential for managing your long-term health.

While the start of your day is a crucial time to get on track with these healthy habits, how you wind down the day matters, too. Nutrition experts share the top four habits they want you to avoid after 5 p.m. if you have high cholesterol.

1. Snacking

Snacking later in the evening may lead to eating more overall calories and a greater intake of saturated fat and added sugar. Jennifer O’Donnell-Giles, M.S., RDN, agrees that late-night snacking tends to involve processed foods that are high in fat and sugar, which can raise LDL cholesterol: “The excess calories and lack of movement late at night make them more likely to be stored as fat. Choose nutrient-dense options or skip the snack if you’re not truly hungry.”

If you find yourself overdoing it on the p.m. snacking, then you may want to look at what you’re noshing on earlier in the day. Not eating balanced meals during the day can leave you feeling hungry. Ensuring that your meals include a mix of fiber-filled carbohydrates, healthy fats and lean protein can help you feel satisfied.

Additionally, mindless snacking at night can also be due to stress or some other cause. “Tuning into hunger cues is important while also knowing if it’s a habitual thing, boredom thing or true hunger,” says O’Donnell-Giles. If you choose to snack, consider it an opportunity to add nutrients to your diet that can help manage cholesterol. “Adding foods that are high in fiber, like oatmeal, whole grains, chia seeds, beans, fruits and veggies, can help lower cholesterol levels,” says Amy Woodman, RD. Try some of our favorite high-fiber snacks the next time you feel the urge to nosh late at night.

2. Skipping Your Regular Bedtime

Keeping a consistent bedtime routine isn’t just for kids—it benefits adults, too. An inconsistent sleep schedule can disrupt your circadian rhythm, which is detrimental to sleep quality. This, in turn, can have a negative effect on cholesterol levels. “Sleep impacts cholesterol more than most people realize,” says O’Donnell-Giles, emphasizing that poor or inconsistent sleep can raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol., Not getting enough sleep can lead to increases in cortisol and inflammation, both of which can have negative impacts on cholesterol levels.,

“Adequate sleep, along with a regular bedtime, helps regulate lipid metabolism and reduces inflammation,” says O’Donnell-Giles. Not getting enough sleep also disrupts hormones that regulate hunger and fullness, which can negatively affect food choices throughout the day. To combat these effects, find a bedtime that works for your schedule while also aiming for at least seven hours of sleep per night. Tips like avoiding screens in the few hours before bed and skipping large meals close to bedtime can help improve your sleep quality.

3. Drinking Alcohol

Cutting back on alcohol can benefit your health, including your cholesterol levels. But if you choose to drink, know that when and what you drink also plays a role in managing your cholesterol.

Drinking later in the day, especially within a few hours of bedtime, may help you fall asleep, but your overall quality of sleep could suffer. And we know falling short on quality sleep consistently can increase inflammation and cortisol levels, in turn, negatively affecting cholesterol levels.

While there’s no ideal time of day to drink alcohol to avoid these negative health effects, the late-night intake may be particularly bad for cholesterol for a variety of reasons. “Late-night alcohol can increase triglycerides, disrupt sleep and trigger poor food choices,” says O’Donnell-Giles. “I recommend limiting alcohol—especially at night—if you’re working to lower cholesterol.”

Instead, try making a mocktail or infused water as a special drink, versus one that contains alcohol. Making this swap even a few nights per week can help improve your sleep quality while also lowering total calorie intake, particularly if you choose low- or no-added-sugar beverages in place of alcohol.

4. Eating Foods High in Saturated Fat and Added Sugar

In general, it’s best to limit excess saturated fat and added sugar in the diet, especially if you are prioritizing heart health. Eating foods that are high in one or more of these nutrients later in the day can result in unintentionally adding excess calories, saturated fat and added sugar to your diet. “Unfortunately, the most common after-dinner snacks that people tend to reach for are chips or sweets that are often high in saturated fats,” says Woodman. Research indicates that eating later in the night leads to greater caloric intake overall and is associated with poor diet quality.

If you have high cholesterol, it’s best to skip fried foods, heavy fatty meals, sugary desserts, processed carbs and mindless snacking, says O’Donnell-Giles. “Focus instead on balanced, whole-food dinners with fiber, lean protein and healthy fats.”

The Bottom Line

Managing your cholesterol requires making sustainable lifestyle changes. This includes changes to your nightly routine, like what and when you eat, as well as improving your sleep hygiene. “Focus on fiber, healthy fats (think avocados, nuts, olive oil), lean protein and whole grains,” says Bess Berger, RDN.

If you choose to snack late at night, stick to whole, nutrient-dense foods that are filling and satisfying. Get on a consistent schedule to promote healthy sleep habits. Berger recommends turning off electronics before bed and aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Remember, managing your health is a 24-hour job, and mixing up your nightly routine to better support your health will go a long way in helping you reach your long-term goals to feel your best.