Eating late at night, even when not hungry, may lead to excessive calorie intake, posing challenges in weight management, and disrupt sleep and digestion. Overcoming unhealthy midnight cravings is essential, and expert tips can guide you in curbing this habit.
Discover the top 10 methods to curb nighttime eating and address midnight cravings.
Identify Cause of Midnight Cravings
Nighttime eating may stem from daytime habits like boredom or extreme food restriction. It's associated with eating disorders like binge eating disorder (BED) and night eating syndrome (NES), both linked to health issues such as obesity, depression, and sleep problems. Emotional eating and eating when not hungry are common features in both conditions.
Pinpoint Triggers
To address nighttime snacking, identify patterns that trigger this behavior, such as emotional needs or habitual calorie consumption at night. Keeping a food journal can help track habits, emotions, and patterns, aiding in breaking negative cycles and fostering positive changes.
Establish Eating and Sleeping Routine
Establishing a routine with structured eating and sleeping times can regulate your circadian rhythm and reduce hunger at night. Studies suggest that consuming more calories in the morning lowers the risk of overweight or obesity, while eating more at night increases this risk and is associated with higher calorie intake and poorer diet quality. Creating set times for eating and sleeping helps separate these activities, particularly for those who wake up to eat during the night.
Meal Planning Strengthens Routine
Creating a meal plan aids in maintaining a routine, distributing food intake throughout the day, and managing weight. Meal planning minimizes the likelihood of impulsive eating, linked to increased calorie intake and health issues such as obesity. Having a structured meal plan can alleviate concerns about food consumption, and consulting with a healthcare professional helps tailor a plan to individual dietary needs.
Seek Professional Help
Seek advice from friends, family, or healthcare experts if you're grappling with nighttime eating. Healthcare providers may direct you to mental health professionals offering therapeutic plans, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) proven effective for conditions like BED.
Try Relaxation Techniques
Stress and anxiety often drive non-hunger-related eating, and research indicates that relaxation techniques can be beneficial for managing disorders like NES and BED.
A 2015 study involving 44 NES participants found that those practicing progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) experienced the most significant reduction in nighttime food intake after three weeks, along with decreased anxiety and stress. Useful relaxation techniques include breathing exercises, meditation, hot baths, yoga, gentle exercise, and stretching.
Don't Skip a Meal: Eat Regularly
Eating a diverse range of nutritious and satisfying foods throughout the day, as recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), can contribute to minimizing nighttime cravings. Additionally, a 2019 review suggests that maintaining a consistent meal pattern is crucial for appetite control, emphasizing the importance of regularity over specific meal frequency.
Incorporate Protein in Meals
Boosting protein intake and adopting a more frequent eating pattern can help curb nighttime eating and aid weight management, as evidenced by a 2010 study showing that high-protein meals reduced cravings by 60% and decreased the desire to eat at night by 50% compared to normal-protein meals.
Eat More Healthy Snacks
Restrict the intake of high-fat, high-sugar, and processed foods. Creating an environment where unhealthy snacks are less accessible and replacing them with nutritious options like fruits, nuts, vegetables, plain yogurt, and cottage cheese can contribute to healthier eating habits.
Distract Midnight Craving With Engaging Activities
Combat nighttime food thoughts with engaging activities. Some examples of nighttime activities include reading or yoga to enhance mental well-being and promote better sleep.
RELATED ARTICLE: Is Eating Late Night Snacks Bad? Kind of Food, Timing Play a Role in Nighttime Snacking
Check out more news and information on Medicine and Health in Science Times.
