Can you have your protein shake before bed?
Let me start by saying that, in general, it’s actually a great thing to drink protein shakes before bed!
Simply because, if your body is properly fueled with protein (not a big plate of fries), it can go into rest mode more easily.
It will provide your body with vital nutrients and amino acids that it needs for proper function and cellular repair-making your whole night restful!
It’s actually a better idea to drink protein shakes before bed than after workout.
When you work out in the evening, you’re already running on low energy.
Your body is already in a state of repair and rest. So when you eat protein after working out, it is pretty much just passing through.
Instead, your body will use that protein to help repair and rebuild muscle and burn fat instead of using it as energy.
The best way to sleep with a full stomach is to drink a protein shake before bed.
It will provide your body with vital nutrients and amino acids that it needs for proper function and cellular repair-making your whole night restful!
The Role of Protein In The Body (At Night)
Protein is a macronutrient that your body needs to function properly.
When you have eaten a healthy whole food diet, you have probably ingested a moderate amount of protein for your daily intake.
However, sometimes you may notice that you feel tired during the day and you just don’t have the energy to do what you need to do.
It may be that you haven’t had enough protein that day.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein.
They are what our bodies use to construct and maintain cell tissues (muscle, skin, organs, etc.).
When we eat protein (and amino acids) it goes through several steps to become ‘usable’ for our body at night.
It first needs to go through a process called “breakdown” where it is converted into its simplest form and sent directly to your liver and muscle tissue.
Related: When To Drink Protein Shakes for Weight Loss
The liver needs this protein in its simplest form so it can create glucose or glycogen which is your body’s main source of energy.
Your liver will store this glycogen in the liver and release it when you need energy. (Not sure why you would need energy at night?
It’s vital that your body has enough stored fuel to repair and rebuild during the night while you are sleeping).
After that process, your body will then reabsorb the amino acids from the digestion into the body as a “food” source.
It doesn’t need all those amino acids right away.
So it will take some time for them to be used by the body’s cells and organs to repair and rebuild tissue and burn fat.
The whole process takes about 2 hrs. So you could say it starts around 9pm.
But why wait until 9pm to eat your protein?
The answer is simple, if you ate the protein after dinner, it would just be used for energy, which defeats the purpose of eating protein at night.
Why Protein Shakes Before Bed?
If you stop and think about it, this would be the perfect time to drink a protein shake before bed.
Your body doesn’t need anything significant to occur right away. It has all night to take care of using your protein shake before bed properly.
This is why it is the best way to sleep with a full stomach!
So if you can…aim for your protein shake before bedtime.
You really just don’t need anything else! You can see that there is no downside to this and it’s the best way of sleeping with a full stomach.
Benefits of Having Your Protein Shake Before Bed
Again, the goal is to make your body use the protein for repair and rebuilding.
This can be effectively accomplished by having your protein shake before bed.
If you are finding it difficult to sleep, try having a protein shake before bed!
You will see that you are better rested and that will help you to feel better throughout the entire morning.
Let’s now have a look at the many benefits of taking a protein shake before bed.
Better Absorption Of Nutrition At Night
The digestion and absorption of nutrients is very important during the night.
The body can’t just absorb nutrients as easily as we can during the day.
The temperature of the food we eat and drink is different at night than it is during the day.
During the day, we also have more light that can irritate our eyes and affect our vision and sense organs.
All that affects how well we absorb food and nutrients through our digestive system.
If you take your protein shake before bed, it will help you to get more of what you need at night.
This is because the digestive system needs plenty of time to get into full gear.
Better Absorption Of Fat At Night
It’s hard to burn fat while you are asleep, but if your body has consumed protein during the day, it will be used by your cells and organs for repair and rebuilding.
That protein can be used as fuel for your body’s needs, which means it will be burned as fat.
So drinking protein before bed will help you to burn more fat at night and give you a better, longer night’s sleep!
Better Sleep
Drinking a protein shake before bed is a smart idea if you’re trying to get a good night’s rest.
Protein is like energy and it can give you that extra edge that you need to relax and fall asleep easily.
If you understand the process of digestion and absorption, it’s easy to see why a protein shake before bed will make a difference.
Better Concentration
When your body is going through a repair process, it uses up a lot of energy.
You will probably find that you feel more tired during the day and you just don’t have the energy to do what you need to do.
That’s because your body is also trying to repair and rebuild tissue during the night when you sleep.
It needs plenty of energy (i.e. protein) to do this efficiently.
Better Recovery
After a hard workout, it’s essential to replenish your body with the nutrition necessary to repair and rebuild quickly.
As I mentioned earlier, if you take your protein shake before bed, it will give your body the time it needs for repair and rebuilding through the night.
This will help you recover much faster from a strenuous workout!
Eating a healthy diet that meets your daily needs will also help you recover better from workouts!
Better Muscle Growth
It’s vital for new muscle growth and repair to take place during the night when you sleep.
A protein shake before bed will help your body to do a better job at that.
You can really get an advantage from taking a protein shake before bed because your body doesn’t have any other immediate requirements immediately after it absorbs the proteins from your protein shake.
Better Muscle Repair
One of the greatest benefits of taking your protein shake before bed is that it takes care of muscle repair and recovery.
There isn’t much that can be done for recovery during the day because you are busy with other things.
The best time for recovery is at night when you sleep, so make sure you eat your protein shake before bedtime!
Increased Muscle Mass
You may have noticed that you don’t “gain” weight as quickly as you thought you would.
That’s because if your body is repairing and building muscle at night, then it is actually using your fat stores to build muscle.
If you are gaining muscle mass, then the overall weight that you are gaining will include muscle mass along with fat.
So if you’re a bodybuilder, this is a good thing!
Increased Recovery Time
If your body is repairing and rebuilding tissue through the night, then it means that you will have less stress on your muscles and your joints.
It’s much easier to recover from an intense session of exercise or lifting weights when your body is free to do it anytime it wants.
Muscle repair and growth is just one process that will be enhanced by drinking a protein shake before bed!
Increased Circulation
Drinking protein shakes before bed will make sure your entire body gets the blood flow needed at night.
This will help to keep your entire body healthy and working efficiently!
It’s important for your circulation to be good at night so that you can get a full night’s sleep!
Better Immune System
If you take a protein shake before bed, it will help to boost your immune system.
Your body has all night to fight off germs and bacteria.
The ideal time for your body’s immune system to work harder is at night when you sleep.
You can even switch off your central nervous system so that it doesn’t get in the way of the immune system!
Your body has all night long to fight any infections or diseases that may be present!
Decreased Inflammation
If you are experiencing inflammation, then it is great for you to take your protein shake before bed.
Taking a protein shake before bed will speed up the healing process in your body.
It gives your body all night long to work on healing your body!
If you have ever had a massage before bed, then you know how good it feels when the masseuse is working on healing your muscles!
Drinking a protein shake before bed will give your body the same treatment!
It may just be what you need to get more of what you want from your daily routine.
You can drink your protein shake in the morning, before you go to bed, after work, or whenever you like! It’s up to you!
There are lots of ways to get more of what you want from your body.
So start drinking your protein shakes before bed and see if it helps you get more of what life has to offer!
You’ll find that the benefits are endless!
Protein Shake Before Bed For Weight Loss
Protein shakes are a great way to get protein and calories in the morning.
I add a bit of almond milk and coconut oil to my protein shake if I can’t get my hands on plain Greek yogurt.
The Greek yogurt makes it thicker and creamier, but either will work.
If you want to lose weight, then adding more protein to your daily diet is a great idea for a nighttime snack or a post-workout drink.
It will help you to feel fuller and stave off hunger for a longer time after a workout.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that obese people lost weight more quickly on a low-carb diet compared to a healthy-weight diet.
If you were on a healthy-weight diet, your weight loss was pretty similar to other people who weren’t overweight.
But, the group that was already overweight lost more fat compared to another group on an already healthy weight diet!
Protein Shakes Can Become A Habit For You!
When I feel hungry at night after dinner, I make sure to drink a protein shake before bed.
I’m not really a big fan of fast food, so I have my protein shakes instead.
I can’t guarantee that you’ll become a protein shake drinker after all the research I’ve done, but I do know that this article will help you to get more from your workout routine to help you reach your fitness goals!
A Few Quick Tips Before Making Your Protein Shake
- Always use organic milk and yogurt for your protein shakes.
If you want a thicker shake, you can use a little bit of coconut oil.
I prefer the milk and yogurt because it makes it easier to mix and to drink!
2. Don’t use fat-free dairy products like skim milk! Fat-free does not mean healthy.
It is extra processed and often kept in a can to keep it out of the heat. It does not taste good, so don’t choose it!
3. Use frozen fruit or frozen vegetables for your shake.
They will make your shakes richer, and they will help to thicken your smoothie.
4. Use vanilla Greek yogurt instead of original yogurt if you want a creamier shake.
I use vanilla and usually add a tablespoon of coconut oil and almond milk.
5. Powder your own oats for your shakes if you need to.
They will be healthier and easier on your digestive system.
Oat powder is cheap and you can make it at home with a blender or a coffee grinder.
If you do not have a blender, then you can use ice cubes to keep your protein shake chilled. The heavier the ice cubes, the thicker the shake will be.
How To Make A Protein Shake For Weight Loss
Ingredients needed are:
1. Protein Powders
If you want to drink your protein shake before and get results, you will need the best protein powders.
They are a great fat loss aid, but it’s important to pair your protein shake with a healthy diet and some workout.
You can buy protein powders at your local health store or directly from Amazon.
Below are the protein powders I use for these recipes I’m about to give you:
- RAW Fusion Vanilla Bean 15/SR
- PlantFusion Complete Plant Based Protein Powder
- Sunwarrior Warrior Blend
- RawFusion Chocolate Peanut Fudge
If you want to opt for a whey protein instead of plant protein, I suggest Optimum Nutrition Gold because it simply tastes super good.
Related Article: Whey Protein vs Plant Protein
2. Dairy
Your dairy component is an essential part of your protein shake.
I suggest grass-fed raw milk instead of those modified skimmed milk products that aren’t very nutritious to the body.
I also recommend Greek Yogurt for a smooth and creamy protein shake.
3. Peanut or Almonds, for extra protein
Although sometimes, peanut butter may give you that extra taste, almonds are a healthier choice if you are trying to keep things super healthy and want to lose weight.
4. Coconut Milk
Coconut milk is great for your protein shake because it will give your shake a more creamy and thicker texture while keeping things healthy.
You should take unsweetened coconut milk for better results.
While I tend to recommend what I prefer, in this case coconut milk), you are free to go for unsweetened almond milk, cashew milk or any other healthy kind of milk.
5. Stevia
Stevia is a natural sweetener that you can add to your protein shake.
Although it’s sweeter than regular white sugar, it won’t add in extra pounds.
6. Water (to thin out your shake)
I tend to use an ice cube tray for my protein shakes.
It makes the shake cold without watering it down!
Although, you could also use water if you do not have any ice cubes available.
6. Fruits
Fruits will give you some sweetness and improve the nutrition of your shake
I recommend frozen fruits, as it is more nutritional.
Choose your favorite fruits from fresh ones for a sweeter taste.
Ok now that you have all these ingredients in place, let me share 10 super delicious and refreshing protein shake you can have before bed.
Protein Shake Recipe 1 – Mango Shake
Ingredients: 3/4 cup of frozen mango chunks, 1 cup of unsweetened Greek Yogurt, ice, water and stevia.
Calories: 223 | Protein 23.7g | Fat 0g | Carbs 29g
Add in blender and mix well.
Water/Ice will depend on how thick or thin you want your shake.
Protein Shake Recipe 2 – Apple & Banana Shake
Ingredients: 1/2 granny smith apple, 1/3 frozen banana, 1 cup of unsweetened greek yogurt, stevia, ice and water.
Calories 197 | Protein 21g | Fat 0.1g | Carbs 26g
Add in blender and mix well.
Water/Ice will depend on how thick or thin you want your shake.
Protein Shake Recipe 3 – Strawberry Shake
Ingredients: 1 cup of strawberries, 1/4 cup of cottage cheese, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder, ice, water
Calories 216 | Protein 28g | Fat 1.9g | Carbs 20g
Add in blender and mix well.
Water/Ice will depend on how thick or thin you want your shake.
Protein Shake Recipe 4 – Mixed Berry Shake
Ingredients: 3/4 cup of mixed berries, 1 tsp of maca powder, 3/4 unsweetened almong or coconut milk, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder, 1 tsp coconut oil, pinch of salt, ice and water as needed.
Calories 258 | Protein 23g | fat 8.4g | Carbs 22g
Add in blender and mix well.
Water/Ice will depend on how thick or thin you want your shake.
Protein Shake Recipe 5 – Blackberry Cider Shake
Ingredients: 1/2 cup of frozen blackberries, 1/4 of frozen banana, 1 cup of unsweetened greek yogurt, 1 capful of ACV (apple cider vinegar), stevia, ice and water.
Calories 190 | Protein 24g | Fat 0.5g | Carbs 21g
Add in blender and mix well.
Water/Ice will depend on how thick or thin you want your shake.
Protein Shake Recipe 6 – Pineapple Shake
Ingredients: 3/4 cup of frozen pineapple, 1 cup of unsweetened greek yogurt, 1 tsp of coconut oil, stevia, ice and water
Calories 176 | Protein 19g | Fat 1.8g | Carbs 18.4g
Add in blender and mix well.
Water/Ice will depend on how thick or thin you want your shake.
Protein Shake Recipe 7 – Banana & Peanut Butter Shake
Ingredients: 1/2 frozen banana, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder, 1 capful of vanilla, 1-2 tsp of peanut butter (or any other nut butter), a dash of cinnamon, a pinch of salt, ice and water
Calories 184 | Protein 23g | Fat 3.4g | Carbs 17g
Add in blender and mix well.
Water/Ice will depend on how thick or thin you want your shake.
Final Thought on Having Protein Shake Before Bed
You can make these protein shakes for dinner or dinner/snacks.
Once you have all the ingredients needed, it is very quick and easy to make them.
Depending on which of these recipes you choose, your protein shake will have very little calories, plus the calories are coming from the nutritious foods that will keep your metabolism active instead of having empty calories.
If you want to lose weight, I recommend doing some workouts too to get rid of excess fat.
So, now you know that it’s beneficial to drink your protein shake before bed. Go ahead and make some for tonight!