DOC2US - Your trusted online doctor

WAKING UP HUNGRY ?

If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night or in the morning with gnawing hunger pangs, it’s likely that your body isn’t getting what it needs. There are several reasons you might face hunger at night, but you can address most of them with minor changes to your diet or schedule. Read on to learn why you might be waking up hungry and what you can do to fix it.

You’re Actually Thirsty

Body needs H20 to function optimally, it’s no surprise that when you’re running low, your body will sound the alarm even if that’s in the middle of the night. It can be easy to confuse hunger pangs with thirst, so consider leaving a glass of water by your bedside and drink it first to confirm it’s actually your appetite calling the shots.

You’ve Been Skipping Meals

The hunger cues may be strong enough to wake a person up because the body and brain are prioritizing eating over sleep. Do your best to break this bad habit—and when you do eat, make sure your meals and snacks consistently contain a mix of lean protein, fiber, and heart-healthy fats. Eating this way will keep your blood sugar and energy levels steady, helping you to stave off hunger and sleep sounder.

You eat large meals before bed

When your dinners are of the last-minute variety, the best solution is to nosh on a smaller meal that includes lean protein, complex carbs, and a bit of fat. Too much fat makes food sit in your stomach longer, and right before bed would be a recipe for heartburn and tossing and turning.A satisfying option would be yogurt and cereal just make sure the cereal is a high-fiber, low-added sugar variety.

You’ve Changed Up Your Workout

When you’ve been cruising along with a particular workout for a while, your body adapts and becomes more efficient at completing that workout, ultimately burning fewer calories. So if you decide to switch up your workout to one that’s not only different, but longer or more intense, you may experience a temporary increase in calorie burn—and not bumping up your food intake during the transition can lead to an energy deficit that causes you to wake up with hunger pangs

Your Sleep Habits Have Changed

A lack of sleep can cause an imbalance of hormone levels, making you feel hungry even when your body doesn’t need food. The hunger hormones ghrelin and leptin stimulate and suppress appetite, respectively and when you’re sleep-deprived, ghrelin levels go up and leptin levels go down. This leads to increased hunger and more inadvertent snacking during the day and night.

Summary

A person may wake up hungry for many reasons. Understanding the cause can be difficult, especially because there is a lack of research into the issue. When trying to address it, consuming enough calories to make up for energy expenditure and getting enough sleep are good places to start. If these strategies do not work, a medical professional is best positioned to determine the underlying cause.

Download our Doc2Us app from Google Play Store or Apple Store and chat with a doctor now.