Eat a Few Hours Before Bed. In a health column in The Globe and Mail newspaper, dietitian Leslie Beck recommends eating your last large meal of the day no later than two to three hours before you go to bed.If you're up late and it's been four to five hours since your last large meal, eat a small snack leading to bedtime.ating right before bed can affect the quality of your sleep. Think twice before you rip open that bag of chips as you settle down to watch your favorite late-night TV show.