In casual conversations, you rarely hear about night eating disorder. But you should know that it’s not a passing TikTok fad but a condition that someone close to you could be suffering from. To clear up any doubts, we consulted an eating disorder specialist .
It all starts when you feel hungry at night. You wake up with a start. It’s dark. You’re thirsty, you think. But instead of water, you find yourself with half a bar of chocolate in your mouth and two cookies in your right hand. The refrigerator is open, like the light at the end of an existential tunnel. It’s your comfort zone, the refuge where nighttime hunger —or perhaps anxiety—gives in to any culinary temptation. The silence of the night is the perfect ally of guilt: no one sees you, no one judges you, no one stops you.
But what happens when we wake up to eat? And why does it happen at certain times, almost always between 2 and 4 a.m.? Dr. Francesco Tata, an internist, specialist, and member of the ADI (Italian Association of Clinical Dietetics and Nutrition), explains. And no, it’s not just “a matter of habits.”
Nighttime hunger is more common (and more insidious) than you might think.
According to some international estimates, approximately one in ten people gets up at night to eat at least once a week. Often without realizing it. Some people have a real nighttime snack, and others snack “to calm down.” But in both cases, the cause goes beyond appetite. A study from the Federico II University of Naples revealed that there are gender differences in the so-called “hunger timer,” the circadian rhythm that regulates the sensation of appetite. According to the data, men show greater dysfunction in this mechanism, with a higher incidence of nighttime hunger and lower sensitivity to satiety hormones during the night. And this is not a good thing, given the consequences.
During the night, our metabolism slows down. Insulin sensitivity decreases, and calorie intake isn’t compensated by actual energy expenditure. Therefore, food consumed during those hours is more easily transformed into body fat, especially in the abdominal area,” explains Dr. Francesco Tata. But the problem isn’t just the extra pounds.
Night eating syndrome and its relationship to being hungry at night
The first step is recognizing it. Night eating syndrome ( NES ) is an eating disorder characterized by an abnormal eating pattern: eating little during the day and a lot in the evening and at night. It’s not just a midnight snack: NES is a compulsive behavior that can interfere with sleep, mental health, and quality of life. Those who suffer from it often have difficulty falling asleep or wake up several times during the night to eat. Food becomes a kind of sleeping pill, an emotional anesthetic.
Physiology and psychology of night hunger
Hunger isn’t just an emptiness in the stomach. It’s also a signal, a voice coming from the mind, a response to a need that often has little to do with nutrients. Understanding the difference between physiological hunger and emotional hunger is the first step to avoiding falling victim to automatism. ” Physiological hunger is gradual, felt in the stomach, and subsides once we’ve eaten enough. Emotional hunger, on the other hand, is sudden, urgent, and oriented toward specific foods: sweets, carbohydrates, fatty foods. You never feel satiated and are often followed by a feeling of guilt,” Dr. Tata tells us. He adds: ” Chronic stress increases cortisol, which in turn amplifies hunger and the search for comfort foods. In addition, lack of sleep disrupts the production of leptin (the satiety hormone) and ghrelin (the hunger hormone), creating a perfect storm for dysfunctional eating.
Do men have a more defective “hunger timer”?
Hunger isn’t democratic, and science tells us so. As we mentioned earlier, according to a study from the Federico II University of Naples, the ” hunger timer ” appears to be more unbalanced in men than in women. The male brain seems less capable of regulating hunger and satiety signals, especially at night, although women are theoretically more predisposed to it.
“ Leptin and ghrelin, which are involved in hunger and satiety, differ by gender. However, women are more sensitive to leptin, and the menstrual cycle has a considerable impact. Triggers such as stress, anxiety, and sadness are the same for both sexes, but women appear to experience more hunger in response to emotions related to interpersonal relationships and body image,” the expert clarifies. In short, men and women eat at night for different reasons. But the result is often the same: an altered relationship with food and fragmented sleep.
Foods that activate (or deactivate) nighttime hunger
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Eating at night isn’t just a matter of the clock. It’s also, and above all, a matter of what you’ve eaten—or not eaten—beforehand. Nighttime hunger is often the result of poor choices at dinner, or even during the day, when we seek comfort in unsuitable foods in the hope that they will be forgotten in the bloodstream without a trace. But the body doesn’t forget. “Foods with a high glycemic index “, such as pasta, white bread, sweets, and sugary drinks, generate insulin spikes that are followed by drops in blood sugar, which again trigger hunger. It’s a cycle that can last all night,” emphasizes Dr. Tata.
Foods that stimulate nighttime hunger are:
- Refined carbohydrates.
- Salty foods – sausages, cured cheeses –
- Alcohol.
- Hot spices.
Instead, to promote satiety at night, it is better to focus on:
- Vegetables and whole grains.
- Greek yogurt, eggs, turkey, legumes.
- Avocado, flax, chia seeds, nuts.
- Infusions of valerian, lemon balm, and passionflower.
Many of these foods contain tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin and melatonin: natural regulators of mood and sleep.
How to Eliminate Nighttime Cravings: Practical Strategies
- Take care of your dinner. “A balanced dinner, with lean protein, fiber, and healthy fats, is essential. It should be filling, but not heavy. Dinner should be eaten two or three hours before bedtime,” advises the expert.
- Stick to a fixed schedule. Regularity helps your body avoid getting confused about when it should be hungry. Eating at the same time consistently trains your metabolism.
- Create a relaxation routine. A herbal tea, a warm bath, a book. Turn off your smartphone —literally and metaphorically. Your brain needs to understand that it’s time to sleep, not eat.
- Smart snacks, if necessary. A small portion of functional foods is better than a false sense of satiety that will have you emptying the pantry at 3 a.m. Among the foods recommended by Dr. Tata to calm nighttime hunger, we find:
- Greek yogurt + berries (red fruits).
- Hard-boiled egg.
- 10-12 almonds.
- Whole wheat crackers with fresh cheese.
- Chamomile tea.
What do you need to treat night eating syndrome?
Changing your diet isn’t enough. Diets work for a while, but then the mind starts asking for what the mouth had stopped receiving: calm, gratification, attention. To end nighttime hunger, eating better isn’t enough. You have to think differently. “NES requires a multidisciplinary approach. Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy, nutritional support, sometimes medication, lifestyle changes, and even bright light therapy ( Bright Light Therapy), which is useful for restoring the circadian rhythm, Tata emphasizes.
The therapy works on several levels: nutritional education, recognition of emotional triggers, self-control, and stress management. In some cases, antidepressants or mild hypnotics are used to improve sleep quality . Thinking that avoiding pasta for dinner is enough is like thinking that patching a crack in the wall is enough. Nighttime hunger is a message. And sometimes you need someone to help you decipher it.
Bad habits or a real disorder?
One cookie a night isn’t cause for alarm, nor is it a pathology. But if every night you find yourself staring at the refrigerator, if you can’t stop, if the anxiety only subsides after chewing, then maybe it’s no longer just a habit. “A bad habit is sporadic, manageable, and doesn’t dictate your life. A disorder, on the other hand, involves loss of control, emotional distress, interference in relationships, a sense of shame, and ritualized behavior. And there’s often denial or minimization of the problem,” Dr. Tata emphasizes.
The difference is subtle, but crucial. If you wake up hungry, but then manage to go back to sleep without regret, maybe you can change yourself. But if each night you’re left with an emotional burden that your body can’t digest, it’s time to seek help.
Warning signs of night eating syndrome
The body sends signals. Sometimes they’re mild: unusual hunger, recurring insomnia. Other times, they’re stronger: increasing agitation, feelings of isolation, chronic anxiety. Night eating syndrome is often a disorder that develops silently, but leaves obvious signs if you know where to look. Episodes to watch out for include:
- Hunger that interferes with sleep.
- Feeling of guilt or shame.
- Impact on social or work life.
- Using food to calm anxiety, anger, or boredom.
- Increased social isolation.
“Recognizing these signs is the first step. The progression is gradual, but insidious. The sooner you intervene, the greater the chances of breaking the vicious cycle,” our expert concludes. Because ignoring doesn’t cure it. It cures it by recognizing it. The first step isn’t simply stopping eating at night. It’s time to stop pretending everything is fine.
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