Nighttime eating

Is it "bad" to eat at night? 

• Here’s a better question: Does eating at night make sense for you? 
• It is not inherently “bad” to eat at night, though it can come with some potential drawbacks if it isn’t approached mindfully. 
• It’s more about how we eat at night than if we eat at night.

When nighttime eating makes sense

• It fits your schedule. 
• You’re physically hungry. 
• You can stop when you are satisfied. 
• You feel in control while eating. 
• You feel better physically and mentally.

Red flags around nighttime eating include: 

• You feel out of control around food 
• You experience guilt after eating 
• You regularly eat more than is comfortable 

Common causes of nighttime eating

• Skipping meals: You ignore hunger cues and skip meals during the day, which makes you feel hungrier at night. 
• Unbalanced meals: Your diet is not giving you the fuel you need, which prompts your body to compensate at night. 
• Unsatisfying meals: You regularly eat foods you don’t enjoy or deprive yourself of foods you love, which causes nighttime cravings. 
• Habits: You have gotten used to eating as part of your nighttime routine, or as part of something else you do at night (e.g. watch TV, scroll the internet, etc.) 
• Emotions: You use food to cope with stress, anxiety, boredom or other emotions. 
• Access to food: You are at home with access to multiple food options, making you more vulnerable to nighttime eating.

Strategies to manage nighttime eating

• Eat when you are hungry. 
  • Learn to recognize your body’s hunger cues 
  • Resist the urge to skip a meal because you think it will “save calories” 
• Eat every 3 to 5 hours (in general) 
  • Your body needs consistent fuel for optimal performance 
  • You may need to set alarms and reminders 
• Focus on fiber and protein throughout the day 
  • Fiber and protein help stabilize your blood sugar levels, which can help manage hunger and cravings 
• Eat foods you enjoy. 
  • Don’t make yourself eat foods you don’t like just because they are “healthy” 
  • Don’t deprive yourself of foods you do like just because they are “not healthy”
• Keep nutrient-dense (and enjoyable) foods on hand 
  • You may need to adjust your planning and shopping routine to ensure you have what you need when you need it 
  • Ensure these foods are just as easy to eat as grabbing a bag of chips - make the better choice the easy choice! 
• Eat a bigger meals. 
  • Consider bulking up your meals during the day to see how that changes your evening hunger and cravings.  
  • If your meals feel big enough, consider playing with proportions - a little extra protein and fiber can make a big difference. 
• Break the cycle. 
  • If nighttime eating is simply a habit, change routines or triggers to break the habit (e.g. brush teeth after dinner, keep all food out of sight, avoid walking through the kitchen) 
  • If eating at night is attached to other activities, consider how you can break the association (e.g. watch TV upstairs away from the kitchen)
• Eat more mindfully. 
  • Limit distractions while you eat to optimize satisfaction. 
  • Do not eat out of packages. Put what you plan to eat in a bowl or plate to limit mindless overeating. 
• Prioritize rest. 
  • Poor sleep fuels hunger and cravings. 
  • If you feel peckish at night, go to bed early and make a healthy investment in the next day. 
• Ask yourself “What am I feeling, what do I need?” 
  • This is especially important when emotions, and not physical hunger, are driving your urge to eat. Experiment with non-food ways to soothe yourself. 
• Keep a journal. 
  • Instead of tracking numbers, track why you are eating and how it makes you feel (physically and emotionally). Look for patterns that can help shed light on what is happening.

If all else fails, delay, distract, decide!