The Best Time to Eat Breakfast for a Longer, Healthier Life

A new study suggests that eating breakfast later in the day may be linked to poor health and a shorter life.

While having breakfast an hour earlier won’t automatically extend your life, eating at a consistent time is important for maintaining a healthy weight and more stable blood sugar levels.

Why Breakfast Timing Matters

The study included 2,945 older adults in the United Kingdom. Participants who began eating breakfast later had an increased risk of early death. For every hour breakfast was delayed, mortality risk increased 8% to 11%.

Genetics, challenges preparing meals, illness, and sleep issues may have contributed to the shifts in breakfast timing. 

The findings suggest that later breakfast timing may help identify older adults at risk for health problems, but more research is needed to understand the relationship between breakfast timing and longevity.

“Unfortunately, from this publication, we do not know if the later breakfast time is the result or the cause of adverse outcomes in aging,” said Robert Mankowski, PhD, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Division of Gerontology, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, who was not involved in the study. 

Why Eating Breakfast Earlier Is Better

The study does not identify a perfect breakfast time. Still, many nutrition experts recommend eating within an hour or two of waking up to break your overnight fast and provide nutrients to fuel the day ahead.

“For most people, starting the day with an earlier meal helps set the tone for healthier eating and better metabolic balance,” said Angel Planells, MS, RDN, CD, a Seattle-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Planells added that eating within two hours of waking up helps stabilize blood sugar, kickstart metabolism, and align eating with your circadian rhythm. 

Research has shown that having an early breakfast helps improve blood glucose levels and enhances glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) response after eating.

This hormone is naturally released after meals to regulate appetite, support digestion, and manage blood glucose levels.

Consistent Breakfast Timing Is Key

When thinking about the best time to eat breakfast, maintaining a consistent schedule is key.

“The ‘best’ breakfast time is one that you can stick to consistently throughout the entire week and feel energized and satiated, but eating breakfast closer to when you wake up is generally better,” Matthew Landry, PhD, RDN, an assistant professor of Population Health & Disease Prevention at UC Irvine, told Verywell in an email.

A recent study on the long-term effects of calorie restriction found that consistent breakfast timing was associated with weight loss and greater calorie restriction.

Some animal and human research also suggests that eating breakfast consistently supports a healthy circadian rhythm. A disrupted circadian rhythm can lead to drowsiness, difficulty focusing, diabetes, blood pressure problems, and mood disorders.

“When you eat breakfast at roughly the same time each day, you’re essentially telling your internal clock: it’s time to wake up and time to get to work. I think that’s why we see the connection to metabolism, hormone levels, blood sugar control, and energy levels,” Landry said.

Should You Start Eating Breakfast Earlier?

Despite the new study’s findings, eating breakfast an hour early won’t magically add years to your life. But there are many potential benefits to eating within two hours of waking up: better glucose control, a healthy circadian rhythm, and weight management.

“If it is hard to eat right after waking up, give yourself 60-90 minutes before you start eating. That can give your body time to wake up, and it’s still within the healthy 2-hour window,” Beth Goodridge, RD, a registered dietitian at Kaiser Permanente in Walnut Creek, CA, told Verywell in an email.

It’s normal not to feel hungry right when you wake up, but don’t wait too long to eat. She added that not eating breakfast means you might make up the missed calories later with higher-calorie foods or larger portions.

“Set yourself up for success by planning ahead. For example, make overnight oats the night before or have toast and peanut butter ready. Even making a batch of hard-boiled eggs ahead of time can help give you quick and easy options,” Goodridge said.