Hungry before bedtime? That’s how you get rid of it!
One of the most “rules” you read when it comes to losing weight from a healthy weight is “don’t eat after x hours”. Of course, there’s something in that, because eating a big meal right before going to bed can lead to a feeling, heartburn and digestive problems. But what if you experience hunger before bedtime? After all, going to bed hungry is not conducive to a good night’s sleep! Should you or should you not eat something?
3 questions to ask yourself if you are often hungry before bedtime.
What does your breakfast look like?
Many people skip it, but breakfast can really set the tone for the rest of the day. It is what gets your digestion going. If you wait (too) long with your first meal, chances are that you will feel more hungry later in the day – and that can also lead to hunger before bedtime. Are you not used to breakfast or do you feel like you can’t get a bite down your throat in the morning? Then just experiment with a bowl of yogurt, a banana or a tasty breakfast smoothie and see how it goes.
What do you eat during the day?
If you are often hungry before bedtime, it can be a signal from your body that it has not received enough energy during the day. That’s probably the case if you skip meals or don’t eat enough. On a normal day, you need at least three complete meals. That is, meal should be a combination of the three macronutrients: carbohydrates (including fiber), protein and healthy fats. You can also make these meals as simple as you want. You should be able to eat a complete meal for at least three hours. Depending on what your day looks like (in other words: how much energy you need) you can have additional snacks during those three meals.
Are you really hungry or just in the mood for something specific?
Based on the first two questions, have you determined that there is nothing wrong with your eating habits, but you still often feel hungry before bedtime? Then ask yourself: am I really hungry? Or am I just in the mood for something specific? For example, I always crave chocolate in the evening after dinner – and I think I’m not the only one! It’s better to just give in to your craving and eat a piece of chocolate, than try to satiate your craving with something else that won’t take away the craving for chocolate. You may also be actually hungry. Maybe you were more active that day than usual, so you burned more calories and need just a little more. You may also be in the so-called luteal phase of your menstrual cycle. In this period just before your period, your body burns more calories than normal (even at rest). Hence, many women should not only experience PMS symptoms just before their period, but also need more food and more sleep. In that case, it is fine to eat something as long as you give your body at least an hour to digest that before you get under the wool.
Finally
If you often experience hunger before bedtime, this usually means that you are not eating enough during the day or that you are not eating complete meals. Or you’re just “in the mood for something” (and it’s totally fine to indulge!). But never go to bed hungry. That will only wake you up grumpy.
Love,
Team FITSHE
