This study examined how late-night eating influences stress, sleep, and cognitive performance in college-aged individuals. Participants consumed a final early (7–8 pm) or late (10 pm–12 am) meal and abstained from caffeine and alcohol. The next morning, they completed a stress-inducing task, mood scales, and physiological measures, such as blood pressure and skin conductance, while fasted. Preliminary data shows groups differ significantly in baseline systolic blood pressure, indicative of increased physiological stress, and a larger reduction of blood pressure across the task. Integrating physiological, cognitive, and self-reported data, this project highlights meal timing as a modifiable factor in stress resilience and performance, with potential implications for health and academic functioning.
