Going to Bed Hungry, Is It Ok?

Going-to-Bed-Hungry

Have you ever considered going to bed hungry? It’s a debatable topic for ages, and we want to enlighten you with our post.

People go to bed hungry for different reasons. One, it’s because they are trying to manage their weight. Others are just too busy and tired throughout the day that they just want to jump into their bed. For others, they simply ran out of food in the pantry. But is it bad? In this post, let’s answer your question, should I go to bed hungry?

Is It Bad to Go to Bed Hungry?

Going to Bed Hungry

Quite frankly, if you stop eating hours before your bedtime, that is considered healthy. This is especially true if your food choices are correct. That means, you are getting sufficient nutrients throughout the day. There are various reasons why you might get hungry late at night.

You Are Cutting Back Calories

One of the common reasons why you suddenly feel the urge to eat is if you are trying to cut back calorie intake. If you are following a specific diet, make sure that it is still balanced. That way, you can limit these occasions of feeling hungry late at night.

Others are doing intermittent fasting, where you can only eat within a specified time window. That could also be a reason to wanting more food.

You Are Trying to Follow a Healthy Meal Schedule

When we say healthy eating schedule, it generally consists of three meals a day and small snacks in between. Let’s assume that you sleep at 11:00 PM. You probably had your dinner at 7 or 8. With that schedule, you might feel hungry.

Malnutrition

On rare occasions, the feeling of getting hungry before going to bed is due to malnutrition. You might want to seek a professional to check if you have enough nutrition. From there, you will be recommended the right types of food, and its corresponding amount.

You Don’t Get Enough Sleep

Lastly, this is possible if you do not have the right sleeping habits. According to research, people who do not get enough sleep can trigger the hormone ghrelin. This encourages food cravings and the feeling of wanting to eat more. Another hormone triggered when you lack sleep is leptin, which can cause you to feel hungry even if you just ate.

But how do you get the right amount of sleep? Here is a natural way to do that.

Meditate

Most adults are already stressed because of the news around us, our work, the never-ending bills, and even personal relationships. This could affect the quality of your sleep. And that is why we recommend that you meditate. You do not have to attend a class if you want to practice this. There are apps or even YouTube videos that can help you. Here’s one.

You may also use Ambient Noise Machines to conceal the annoying sounds from the neighborhood. One of the best brands we’ve found online is DOUNI.

DOUNI Sleep Sound Machine

Going to Bed Hungry, Is It Ok? - Tip Top Sleep

Check the latest price on Amazon.  

With 24 soothing sounds to choose from, we bet you can have a better quality sleep at night. You don’t have to worry about using this because it’s easy to control. The best part? It’s compact enough, and you can bring it anywhere. At least you know you’d have a complete rest wherever you go.

It’s best with people suffering from insomnia. And if this works for them, we bet it could work for you too.

Side Effects of Going to Bed Hungry

While it is true that you will feel a bit uncomfortable and irritable going to bed hungry, this is way better than eating right before bedtime. If you are trying to control weight, eating before you sleep might increase your BMI. In addition, you might experience broken sleep and even indigestion.

Science has it that your metabolism slows down as your body is being prepared to sleep. Hence, you don’t need the extra calories. Also, remember that eating at least 4 hours before bedtime could make you feel hungry throughout the day.

How to Control Your Urge to Eat Before Sleeping

Here are a few ways on how you can prevent yourself from craving at night.

  • Limit your calorie intake to 2,200 per day, and divide your meals within the day
  • Eat your meals at regular times
  • Eat more fiber and protein at night time
  • Make sure that you eat a variety of foods such as vegetables, fruits, protein, and dairy products
  • Stay away from foods high in salt, sugar, and saturated fat
  • Instead of eating your fruits and vegetables, why not switch to smoothies, as these are easier to digest

Foods You Can Eat Before Bedtime

Just in case you can’t fight the urge to eat before you sleep, there are healthy options to choose from. You might want to choose chicken, turkey, nuts, eggs, fish, cereal, or crackers. On the other hand, you need to stay away from spicy, sugary, greasy, and fried foods.

Speaking of snacks, our absolute favorite is healthy nuts. Planters has this NUT-rition Heart Healthy Nut Mix, which you can try out.

Apart from food, stop drinking alcohol and caffeine.

Planters NUT-rition Heart Healthy Nut Mix 

Going to Bed Hungry, Is It Ok? - Tip Top Sleep

Check the latest price on Amazon.  

In this package, you get to enjoy peanuts, almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, and pistachios. It’s also non-GMO process verified. These are fresh, and we have to commend their eco-friendly packaging. This is a better snack than eating chips or fries at night. They say that you must buy this if you value quality over quantity. And we are sure you do.

Access to Nutritious Foods

Unfortunately, some people get hungry at night because they do not have access to the right type of food. In that case, finding a local food bank is necessary. You can then sign up for the SNAP or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Just in case you recently lost your job, you can look up for state and federal unemployment benefits. You might also want to relocate to a different neighborhood wherein healthy foods are readily available and not expensive.

Conclusion

Is going to bed hungry ok – it should be. Again, this depends if you have a well-balanced diet throughout the day. You must also look at your lifestyle. If you are too tired or lack sleep, that could be the cause of your hunger, and you might want to change your habits.

By Michelle D.

Meet Michelle, founder of Tip Top Sleep, a website dedicated to helping you achieve the best sleep possible. With over 50 years of combined experience in the realm of sleep, Michelle and her team provide easy-to-follow tips and strategies to help you feel better, function better, and live better through optimal sleep. Let us help you prioritize your sleep and discover the power of a good night's rest.