Do you often find yourself raiding the kitchen late at night? Do not worry because the fact is you’re not alone — much of your relatives and friends are actually doing the same every now and then but of course they do not really like talking about it because of fear of being judged.

Well, this article won’t judge you. Instead, it will tell you some of the reasons why it’s a good idea for you to steer clear of nighttime eating.

But before we take a look at some of the downsides of stuffing your face late at night, let’s take a quick look at some of the most common causes of it — knowing what they are can help keep you from having the urge to have a late-night meal:

You’re on a diet

Considerably limiting your intake of food throughout the day can easily leave you ravenous at the end of the day. Needless to say, diets don’t work.

Your blood sugar is low

Having very low levels of sugar in your bloodstream can be due to dieting or having diabetes, which is something that needs to be diagnosed and put under control.

You feel stressed or anxious

Being stressed or anxious can cause a surge in the levels of stress hormones, and some of those chemicals can increase your appetite.

You’re just bored

Because there are not a lot of things that you can do at nighttime, you may end up bored and it’s something that you may easily mistake for hunger.

Now that you are aware of some of the most common causes of eating late at night, it’s time for us to check out some of the reasons why it is something that you should try to avoid at all costs:

Weight gain

According to studies, eating a lot late at night can disrupt your circadian rhythm. This is something that can leave your body’s way of storing fat in shambles — you may end up having more fat than needed.

Failure to get a good night’s sleep

Having a large meal and going to bed immediately after can lead to disastrous results. It’s something that can cause acid reflux, and heartburn it’s known to bring can keep you from having a good night’s sleep.

Effects of Late Night Eating:

Increased appetite

There are a couple of reasons why nighttime eating can leave you with a voracious appetite. First, lack of sleep due to acid reflux can cause you to feel constantly hungry the following day. Second, scientists say that your body may produce less ghrelin, a hormone that makes you feel satiated.

Raised heart disease risk

Did you know that excess carbohydrates are in fact converted by your body into cholesterol? It’s for this reason why eating late at night is something that can raise your levels of bad cholesterol and ultimately your risk of having high blood pressure and heart disease.

With these unfavorable effects, late-night eating definitely seems a lot less enticing.

But just in case you are having a difficult time falling asleep at night and your stomach is complaining, feel free to have a snack. There’s a huge difference between late-night eating and late-night snacking.

There are actually certain benefits to snacking late at night especially if your body wants it seriously. For instance, it’s something that can facilitate your trip to dreamland as it helps appease your grumbling tummy and regulate your blood sugar levels. Just see to it that you go for something healthy if you can’t help but give in. Some wonderful examples include a piece of banana, a small serving of Greek yogurt, a handful of almonds, a spoonful of peanut butter and a small piece of dark chocolate. (reference.com, photo by adobe)

Related:

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- 4 Environmental Factors That Affect Your Waistline

- Reasons Why We Need Good Quality Sleep

- Foods That Reduce Blood Glucose Levels