{"id":23377,"date":"2021-02-22T21:41:15","date_gmt":"2021-02-22T21:41:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=23377"},"modified":"2024-12-20T01:56:23","modified_gmt":"2024-12-20T01:56:23","slug":"how-to-stop-snacking-at-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/how-to-stop-snacking-at-night\/","title":{"rendered":"If You\u2019re a Serial Late-Night Snacker, Read This"},"content":{"rendered":"

Determined to learn how to stop snacking at night? Experts share the causes and side effects of eating late at night. Plus: 6 tips to curb even your strongest late-night cravings.<\/em><\/span><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n

I’m the ultimate nighttime snacker, and I always have been. I joke that in my case, midnight snacks could be more accurately called 2 a.m. snacks\u2014which also speaks to my perpetual night owl persona<\/a>. Needless to say, I have work to do on both fronts.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

However, it turns out that I’m not alone. A projected<\/span> 71 percent<\/span><\/a> of adults regularly snack late at night, with the late-night food window starting around 9 p.m. But what’s all this after-hours grazing doing to us? And what causes these late-night cravings to begin with?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

To find out <\/span>how to successfully stop snacking at night<\/span>, I sought answers from a psychologist and two registered dietitians.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

Why Do I Snack at Night<\/b>?<\/b><\/h2>\n\n\n

Perhaps surprisingly, some people may be predisposed to midnight eating.<\/span> Seth J. Gillihan, PhD<\/span><\/a>\u2014a clinical psychologist based in Ardmore, Pennsylvania\u2014explains that biological and epochal lifestyle changes largely factor in.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

“Night eaters tend to have less of a nighttime rise in melatonin (which signals that it’s time to sleep<\/a>) and leptin (which turns off hunger signals),” he begins.<\/span> Then, Brooklyn-based nutrition expert<\/span> Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN<\/span><\/a>, notes that widespread developments in modern living also influence hunger cues in a variety of ways.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

“With the transition from more rural to urban living, people were able to extend their productive daytime hours into the nighttime using artificial light,” she explains. “This shift in productivity schedules has had negative impacts on our circadian rhythm, disrupting our own biological clocks.”<\/span> On the same note, when we’re used to working and being engaged around the clock, nutrition patterns will likely take a hit\u2014with consistent cravings as one potential consequence.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Man<\/figure>\n\n\n

Additional Causes of Late-Night Cravings<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n

Here’s a closer look at what may be provoking your midnight snacking habit.<\/p>\n\n\n

Your Internal Clock<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n

Mia Syn, MS, RDN<\/a>\u2014an on-air nutrition expert based in Charleston, South Carolina\u2014cites a 2013 study showing that the body’s internal circadian rhythm<\/a> triggers nighttime cravings. According to this research, the urge to snack (particularly on sweet, starchy, and salty foods) typically kicks in around 8 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n

“While this may have helped our ancestors store energy to survive periods of food scarcity, those late-night snacks may result in weight gain over time,” Syn says. This possibility is particularly pressing when high-calorie foods are readily available, both in all-hours markets nearby and especially if you stock less-than-healthy foods at home.<\/p>\n\n\n

Conversely, Feller notes that morning is when cravings and hunger are lowest. She also adds that circadian rhythm disturbances not only influence your perception of hunger and satiety but also contribute to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n