In college, a good friend on the wrestling team always insisted that going to bed hungry was sound protocol for weight loss. After all, hunger pains and the desire to eat go away when you fall asleep, enabling you to get an additional 8 free hours devoid of calories.
Is going to bed hungry healthy?
In general, it is considered healthy to stop consuming food a few hours before bedtime, as long as you are getting sufficient nutrition and calories throughout the day.
If you’re feeling hungry before bedtime and worried about not being able to fall asleep due to an empty stomach, there are plenty of healthy foods you can choose to eat at night. Additionally, if you don’t have consistent access to food, we can provide you with links to resources that may be of assistance.
Going to bed hungry may be acceptable if you’re meeting your daily nutrition requirements or following a healthy weight loss plan. In many instances, a healthy eating schedule may lead to feeling hungry before bedtime.
Here are some reasons why you may go to bed feeling hungry and whether or not this may indicate an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.
Following a healthy meal schedule
In general, a healthy eating schedule consists of three meals a day, with the option of small snacks between meals if needed.
Depending on when you go to bed, eating a well-rounded diet that includes an early evening dinner, well before bedtime, could potentially leave you feeling slightly hungry as you drift into dreamland hours later.
Cutting back calories
If you intentionally cut back calories for weight loss, you may find yourself falling asleep hungry.
For instance, if you’re on a 1,600-calorie-a-day diet and consistently find yourself maxing out 8 hours before bedtime, you’re likely to go to bed hungry.
If that’s the case, ensure that you maintain a well-balanced diet, even if you are following a more restrictive eating plan, such as keto or vegan.
Also, don’t forget that some intermittent fasting diets dictate specific times of the day when you can eat, which can lead to feeling hungry before or around bedtime if you go to bed during a fasting period.
Not getting enough sleep
You may experience hunger before bed due to insufficient sleep.
Overtiredness can trigger the hormone ghrelin, which in turn can cause food cravings and an increased feeling of hunger.
Inadequate sleep can also trigger another hormone called leptin, which can cause you to feel hungry even after eating a meal.
Getting a healthy amount of sleep per night is essential for reducing hunger before bedtime.
Undernutrition or malnutrition
Going to bed hungry may also be a sign of a more serious condition, such as malnutrition. However, experiencing hunger at night due to a lack of nutrition and access to food is a separate issue altogether.
Undernutrition is a form of malnutrition that occurs when an individual consumes fewer than 1,800 calories per day and lacks proper intake of vitamins, minerals, and other essential components necessary for a well-balanced diet.
Prolonged undernutrition can contribute to stunted growth in children, as well as other health problems in both adults and children.
Are there any side effects of going to bed on an empty stomach?
Going to bed hungry may leave you with a sense of emptiness or dissatisfaction as your appetite remains unsatisfied. However, it may actually be healthier to refrain from eating too close to bedtime.
There are several side effects associated with eating right before bed. Consuming food after dinner or late at night can lead to weight gain and an increased body mass index (BMI).
Also, if you eat or drink too close to bedtime, you may also experience indigestion or disrupted sleep. This is because your metabolism slows down as your body prepares for rest, and you typically do not require additional calories during this time.
Several research studies have highlighted the risks associated with eating too close to bedtime.
A study conducted in 2013 found that eating within 4 hours of bedtime could lead to consuming more calories throughout the day.
According to a study conducted in 2014, it was found that consuming more calories later in the evening and closer to bedtime may lead to an increased intake of extra calories, resulting in weight gain. This is because it often leads to consuming food more frequently throughout the day.
A study conducted in 2017 (Trusted Source) found that consuming food closer to the time when your body starts producing melatonin (a few hours before bedtime) can lead to an increase in body fat percentage.
Eating late at night may also contribute to indigestion and sleep problems.
