How to Stop Craving Food at Night
An empty stomach is a surefire way to have interrupted sleep, as your body needs food to stay quiet during the seven to eight hours of sleep at night. Improper eating throughout the day leads to food craving at night -- it's your body's way of getting the nutrition it didn't receive during the day. By eating the three basic meals of the day as well as having light snacks, you can curb the tendency to binge eat near bedtime. Other simple steps can have the same effect.
Instructions
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Eat breakfast, lunch and snacks. Eating every five hours throughout the day maintains your blood sugar level, which reduces your hunger levels at night and decreases the likelihood of binge eating on unhealthy foods. Eat breakfast within 90 minutes after waking up to re-energize your body with vitamins and nutrients necessary for managing hunger throughout the day. Light snacks such as fruit, carrots, celery and other low-calorie foods are healthy options that are filling and help prevent weight gain.
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Eat a moderately sized dinner. The dinner should be large enough that you are full but not cause you feel stuffed or bloated. Eat a light snack such as half a turkey or peanut butter sandwich an hour after dinner to prevent drops in blood glucose levels during sleep, when the body has processed dinner and doesn't have a food source to burn for energy.
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Eat dinner a little later than on your normal schedule. Pushing back your dinner time by an hour will reduce the amount of time left in the evening to snack.
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Add more fiber to your diet. Fiber tricks your body into feeling full, which decreases late-night eating urges. Fiber is found in spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, green beans, asparagus and snow peas. Fruits high in fiber include apples, avocados, bananas, berries, oranges and prunes. Whole wheat pasta, bread and cereal are also fiber-rich foods that help reduce hunger.
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Remove food temptations from your home. You are more likely to consume unhealthy foods when they are stored in your cupboards and refrigerator. Replace unhealthy snacks with fruit, which provides natural sugar rather than processed sugar.
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Keep yourself busy. Change your nighttime habits if you tend to eat while watching television or a movie. Reading, writing and light exercise are all beneficial distractions that may help curb nighttime eating.
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Tips & Warnings
Visit your doctor if there's a chance your hormone levels are imbalanced and may be the source of your food cravings. Low levels of serotonin, estrogen or cortisol increase the likelihood of binge eating. Your doctor will take a blood sample to determine if the cause of your cravings is hormonal.
