That late-night snack? It might be doing more than adding calories. It could be disrupting your gut.A new study suggests chronic stress and nighttime eating are like a one-two punch to your digestive system.Researchers looked at more than 11,000 people—tracking their eating habits and something called allostatic load—a measure of how chronic stress affects the body.They found people with higher stress scores who ate at least 25% of their daily calories after 9 p.m. were 70% more likely to suffer constipation and diarrhea.A second group of more than 4,000 people showed an even stronger link. Those with high stress and late-night eating were 2.5 times more likely to report bowel problems and had less variety in their gut microbiome, suggesting late-night eating may worsen the effects of stress.As the lead author explains, “It’s not just what you eat, but when you eat it… and when we’re already under stress, that timing may deliver a ‘double hit’ to gut health.” (Harika Dadigiri, MD, Resident Physician, New York Medical College)She adds that while late-night snacking is common after long days, keeping a more regular eating schedule—and shifting those treats earlier—may help support better digestive health over time.Source: Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2026Author Affiliations: New York Medical College at Saint Mary’s and Saint Clare’s Hospital .Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter