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While there is Intermittent Fasting and Time Restricted Feeding buzz going on in the fitness community, I want to know what is the take of Smritis regarding

  1. Time of Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Of what part of the day is prohibited to eat and in what part of day is eating recommended.

  2. Sleep and Wake prohibitions and recommendations

Please answer only from Smritis like Manu, Parashara, Yagnavalkya etc with citations.

You can also answer from any Gruhya sutras if there is such information in them.

Edit 1: When exactly do have dinner?? I have heard that Smritis prohibit earing before 9pm. I dont know the exact source. But it is attributed to Paitinasi

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Edit 2: Referred from Sanathan Samstha

6. Meal timings

6A. Do’s and Don’ts regarding meal timings

  1. Meal timings should be fixed.

  2. Have a meal within 3 hours of sunset. Do not eat at sunrise, sunset, at 12 noon and at midnight.

  3. Whenever possible, have lunch before 12 noon and dinner before 9 p.m.

It is very hot between 12 and 4 p.m. If food is eaten during this period, there is a likelihood of physical distress because of the high intensity of jatharagni in this period. Similarly, after 9 p.m., movement of negative energies increases in the environment. Having dinner during this period increases the likelihood of attacks by negative energies. If food attacked by negative energies is eaten, there is a likelihood of distress due to negative energies. Therefore, whenever possible, have lunch before 12 noon and dinner before 9 p.m.

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  • depends on the sadhaka. once a day for yogis. 2 times a day for normal folks. once after madhyanika (after noon)and once after sayam sandhya. 3 times a day for rogis.
    – mar
    Nov 13, 2020 at 8:57
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    right, no 'breakfast' because lunch is early. kids/elderly/sick/pregnant are exempt from this rule. or you could have light breakfast which is fruit or milk. for details : hinduism.stackexchange.com/a/21108/4435
    – mar
    Nov 16, 2020 at 3:42
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    which smriti prohibits eating BEFORE 9 ? They probably prohibit AFTER 9. because most people sleep by that time, and night time is when nisacharas (rakshasas) have power. in olden days, dinner time was around 30 minutes after it became dark. sunset at 6. dusk till 6.30. then dinner from 7-8.
    – mar
    Nov 16, 2020 at 8:36
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    If could note if dining times are relative to sunrise and sunset, since those times adjust every day as seasons progress, or if dining times are relative to noon, could be helpful. Thank you :)
    – M H
    Nov 17, 2020 at 12:09
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    The smirits gave meal timings which was best for the world that existed in ancient times. To apply everything literally form the smriti in 2021 is just wrong. E.g. If I live in say Sweden near the arctic circle where in summer sometimes there is no night and in winter there is no day, the smirti's meal timings would makes no sense. If I have a 9-7 job, I cannot have dinner 30 mins after sunset. The correct way to follow the smirits is not to follow it literally but to understand how and why meal timings were recommended in ancient times and apply the same logic to fit to the modern world.
    – Swami Factanand
    May 11, 2021 at 9:46

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