Eat within an 8-hour window to improve your brain

Eating all your meals within an eight-hour window could be good for the brain. Having your last meal of the day by 4 pm, and eating nothing for the next 16 hours, improved cognition in overweight women, researchers found.

They tried different meal plans with a group of 47 women aged 50 to 79 who were overweight or obese. The participants were randomly assigned to one of four eating patterns over a six-month study period.

Although all the women lost an average of 15 lb in the six months the trial lasted, those who ate within an eight-hour window showed significant improvements in their cognitive function, including better memory and decision-making.

The researchers aren’t sure why cognition improves when we restrict our eating window, but they think it may have to do with improved insulin sensitivity and reduced inflammation.

Sue Shapses et al., Nutrition 2026, Jul 26, 2026