Breakfast, they say, is the most important meal of the day. Yet, "when" you eat that breakfast might trump "what" you eat. Ignore the stomach grumbles after dawn at your peril, because science is eyeing that snooze button you just pressed for a damaging link to your longevity and health.

The truth lies in a study of 2,945 not-so-early risers from the UK. The tantalizing results revealed that every shift of the breakfast hour closer to the Grim Reaper's alarm clock saw an increase in mortality risk by 8% to 11%. Now that's a wake-up call.

Of course, we must ponder if a late breakfast is a symptom or a cause of health problems in our twilight years. The jury is still out on that one, but there’s hard evidence that humming along to the tune of your hunger pangs at dawn fuels up your body more efficiently.

“No surprises here. An early bird’s breakfast lays down the right metabolic tracks for the rest of the day,” believes Angel Planells, a Seattle-based nutrition maestro. Consistency, dear friends, is the secret sauce of breakfast timing.

Ever heard of GLP-1, your post-meal hormone that moonlights in appetite control, digestion, and blood sugar management? Well, it's more of a morning lark than a night owl. Earlier breakfasts roll out the red carpet for this unsung hero, setting you up for better glucose control, a well-oiled circadian rhythm, and effective weight management.

But don't don your superhero cape just yet. A breakfast chrono-adjustment is no wand-waving magic trick. Its power lies in its routine. Find a wake-up window that resounds with you and your blood sugar, ideally within two hours of you punching out the dream sequence. Beth Goodridge, another dietary rockstar, nails it down to a handy 60 to 90 minutes.

If the thought of food right after you kill your alarm appalls you, don't sweat it. Wait a while but don’t hit pause for too long. You don't want to play catch-up with missed calories by binging on junk later.

Need a game plan? Prep ahead, suggests Goodridge. Overnight oats, toast and peanut butter, or batches of hard-boiled eggs can provide a speedy launchpad for your mornings.

So, let's ditch the breakfast blasphemy and invite the dawn with a timely meal. Because, really - who wouldn’t want to raise a toast to a longer, healthier life?